Faint of heart describes a person who is lacking courage, squeamish, unable to rise to the occasion. An alternative phrase for faint of heart is faint at heart. Related terms are the adjective faint-hearted, the adverb faint-heartedly and the noun faint-heartedness.
Faint-hearted appears in 1400, derived from faint meaning to grow weak, to lack courage or spirit and hearted. Faint heart never won fair lady or faint heart never won fair maiden are phrases that appeared around 1545 in The Adages of Erasmus. The phrase means a man must be bold, or take a chance, to win the heart of a woman.
Examples
London’s Transparent Sky Pool Is NOT For The Faint Of Heart (The Huffington Post)
Watching Powell use the spoon and some of his sharper equipment is not for the faint of heart (The Orlando Sentinel)
Caregiving is not for the “faint of heart” because it is stressful, upsets the balance of life, makes demands and strains relationships. (The Hartford Courant)
Investors say China’s stock markets – which were never for the faint of heart – have become dysfunctional since the government’s massive and unprecedented rescue effort. (Reuters)
“Everybody has to come with their A-game and be ready to go and prepared because The Blacklist train keeps moving and it is not for the faint of heart.” (The West Australian)
It was tremendously painful for everyone involved but board work isn’t for the faint at heart so sometimes you have to do what you have to do. (The Tallahassee Democrat)
Not for the faint at heart, this book was written in order to bring the grave reality of its existence in India, out of the closet. (The Hans India)
The Old Fashioned is on the sweet side, with simple syrup rather than sugar, and the El Diablo is not for the faint at heart – the habanero-infused Milagro Silver Tequila serves a serious dose of spice. (The Austin Chronicle)
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