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nervous Nellie. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
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English
Noun
nervous Nellie (plural nervous Nellies)
- (informal) A person whose personality and behavior are characterized by worry, insecurity, and timidity.
1925 January 19, “Gentlemen Asleep”, in Time, archived from the original on 1 March 2009:Political opponents doubted his capacity, referred to him as "too nervous, too worried a little man," and remarked that his Senatorial colleagues used to refer to him humorously as "Nervous Nellie."
1993 November 22, Richard Zoglin, “Hill Street Blues on Happy Juice”, in Time, TV review of "Bakersfield P.D.", archived from the original on 8 April 2008:The captain is a nervous Nellie who can't make a decision without the approval of his protective aide-de-camp.
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