Question of the Day #80

"Elizabeth Warren Storms The Senate To Take On Spineless Republicans: ‘Where Are You?’"
From the headline of this article at PoliticsUSA.com.

上記の文で、spinelessの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "spineless" mean?

答えは、コメントに書いてください。
Write your answer in the Comments.

明日、ここに答えを書きます。
I will add the answer and other remarks here tomorrow.

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解答

意味： 英辞郎によると、


骨［根性・意気地・意地・勇気］のない、ひ弱な、腰の抜けた

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

lacking strength of character

Etymology/語源

Online Etymology Dictionaryによると、

上記の意味は、1885年から。

According to Online Etymology Dictionary:

Meaning "lacking moral force" is from 1885.

Examples

• a spineless man who let his wife make all the decisions
• spineless seamen who trembled at the first roar of the cannon
• His spineless duplicity confirms that the good guy is actually pretty much a louse.
• He then offered the spineless excuse that, “A public figure cannot control what people say in open meetings.”
• Moulitsas said Obama might be one of those "spineless Democrats who are ... afraid of controversy."