wimp

¹

[ wimp ]

noun

, Informal.

1. a weak, ineffectual, timid person.

verb phrase

1. Informal.
   1. to be or act like a wimp.
   2. to show timidity or cowardice; chicken out.

WIMP

²

[ wimp ]

noun

1. any of a group of weakly interacting elementary particles predicted by various unified field theories, as the W particle and Z-zero particle, that are characterized by relatively large masses.

WIMP

¹

/ wɪmp /

acronym for

1. windows, icons, menus ( or mice), pointers: denoting a type of user-friendly screen display used on small computers

   a WIMP system

2. physics weakly interacting massive particle

wimp

²

/ wɪmp /

noun

1. See wimp out
   informal.
   a feeble ineffective person See also wimp out

WIMP

/ wĭmp /

1. Short for weakly interacting massive particle . Any of various hypothetical particles, some predicted by certain theories such as supersymmetry, which interact with other particles by the force of gravity alone. WIMPs are considered by some scientists to be candidates for the dark matter that makes up much of the mass of the universe.

Derived Forms

• ˈwimpish, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of wimp¹

An Americanism dating back to 1915–20; origin uncertain; whimper

Origin of wimp²

1985–90; W(eakly) I(nteracting) M(assive) P(article)

Word History and Origins

Origin of wimp¹

C20: of unknown origin

Example Sentences

Was he so determined not to look like an angry black man that he ended up looking ... kind of like a wimp?

From The Daily Beast

All of us here at NewsBeast knew the word “wimp” would carry a charge and get people to pay attention.

From The Daily Beast

Just by definition, you'd think, any American who plunges into what Teddy Roosevelt called "the arena," is no wimp.

From The Daily Beast

On the cover of Newsweek, my colleague Michael Tomasky calls Mitt Romney a wimp.

From The Daily Beast

The chapter titles say a lot: “Even More of a Wimp than Jimmy Carter,” “Not a Great Listener.”

From The Daily Beast

Grodman saw it, and watched her, and fooled Wimp to the top of his bent.

From Project Gutenberg

George Grodman read this letter with annoyance, and crumpling up the paper, murmured scornfully, "Edward Wimp!"

From Project Gutenberg

In his letter to Grodman, Wimp said that he thought it might be nicer for him to keep Christmas in company than in solitary state.

From Project Gutenberg

As to the alibi, he had not yet troubled her; but to take its existence for granted would upset and discomfort Wimp.

From Project Gutenberg

For Wimp, alone, the painted face had fuller, more tragical meanings.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• coward
• crybaby
• pushover