nervous nellie

English - English

Definition of nervous nellie in English English dictionary

A person whose personality and usual behavior are characterized by worry, insecurity, and timidity

The captain is a nervous Nellie who can't make a decision without the approval of his protective aide-de-camp.

Alternative spelling of nervous Nellie

Characterized by worry or anxiety; having a weak, insecure personality

Woody Allen plays his most frazzled variation on the Woody we know best: a nervous-Nellie urban neurotic kvetching his way through life as a means of avoiding it.

Hyphenation

nerv·ous Nel·lie

Turkish pronunciation

nırvıs neli

Synonyms

a bundle of nerves, chicken, fraidy cat, nervous wreck, pantywaist, wimp, worrier, worrywart, wuss

Pronunciation

/ˈnərvəs ˈnelē/ /ˈnɜrvəs ˈnɛliː/