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fraidy-cat

fraidy-cat or fraid-cat or scaredy-cat or scared cat {n.}, {informal}

A shy person; someone who is easily frightened. — Usually used by or to children.

Tom was a fraidy-cat and wouldn't go in the water.

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Source: A Dictionary of American Idioms

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cat

[cat] See: [COPY CAT], [CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT], [FRAIDY-CAT] or [FRAID-CAT] or [SCAREDY CAT OY SCARED-CAT], [HOLY CATS], [LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG], [LOOK LIKE THE CAT THAT […] A Dictionary of American Idioms

scaredy-cat

[scaredy-cat] or [scared-cat] See: [FRAIDY-CAT]. A Dictionary of American Idioms

afraid of one's shadow

[afraid of one's shadow] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Scared of small or imaginary things; very easily frightened; jumpy; nervous. * /Mrs. Smith won't stay alone in her house at night; she […] A Dictionary of American Idioms

hold water

[hold water] {v. phr.} 1. To keep water without leaking. * /That pail still holds water./ 2. {informal} To prove true; stand testing; bear examination. - Usually used in negative, […] A Dictionary of American Idioms

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an expression "whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its constituent elements… or from the general grammatical rules of a language"

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