gizzardless

English

WOTD – 21 September 2015

Etymology

From gizzard +‎ -less.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡɪzə(ɹ)d.lɪs/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Adjective

gizzardless (not comparable)

1. Without a gizzard; without guts or innards.
   • 1906, Joel Parker Whitney, Reminiscences of a Sportsman, page 10:

     This bird has the distinguishing feature of being unlike any of the grouse family, being gizzardless, having no muscular development of that character, but a membranous sac in its place.

   • 1913, Gene Stratton-Porter, Laddie: A True Blue Story, page 330:

     No matter what happened to any one else, Candace had to be pleased: for did not she so manage that most fowls served on mother's table went gizzardless to the carving?

2. (figurative) Lacking courage, cowardly.
   • 1925, James Stevens, Paul Bunyan, page 32:

     "Heave harder on that peavy handle, you gizzardless scissor-bill, or I'll put the calks to you!"

   • 2013, Rob Davies, Henhouse High Jinx: Mr. Stevens and Friends, page 82:

     If you think you're in pain now, just wait until you see what tomorrow brings, you gizzardless coward.