say boo to a goose
English
[edit]Verb
[edit]say boo to a goose (third-person singular simple present says boo to a goose, present participle saying boo to a goose, simple past and past participle said boo to a goose)
- (chiefly in the negative) To have courage and be assertive.
Usage notes
[edit]This phrase is chiefly used in the negative, and in conditional constructs. For example, she wouldn't (or couldn't) say boo to a goose = she is very timid.