"no spring chicken" meaning in All languages combined

See no spring chicken on Wiktionary

Noun [English]

Etymology: From the description of a young person as a spring chicken. Head templates: {{en-noun|-|head=no spring chicken}} no spring chicken (uncountable)
  1. (informal, litotes) Said of a person who is no longer particularly young. Tags: informal, uncountable Translations (person who is no longer particularly young): ei mikään poikanen [masculine] (Finnish), ei mikään tyttönen [feminine] (Finnish), plus tout jeune (French), plus de la première jeunesse (French), kein junger Hüpfer (German), nem mai gyerek (Hungarian), mieć swoje lata [imperfective] (Polish), желторотый юне́ц (želtorotyj junéc) (Russian), talludito (Spanish)
    Sense id: en-no_spring_chicken-en-noun-xqO-BN3Q Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English litotes, English negative polarity items, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with French translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Hungarian translations, Terms with Polish translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Spanish translations, People Synonyms: no longer in the first flush of youth, coffin dodger, oldster, silver top, ager [euphemistic], antique [derogatory, figuratively, mildly], badge-cove [Polari], cheeser [slang], coffin dodger [derogatory, humorous], crinkly [derogatory], eld [archaic, poetic], elder, elderly, geriatric [slang], genarian, geezer [US], grayhead [North, US], greyhead [UK], hoarhead [obsolete, poetic], mzee [Africa, East], old [slang], no spring chicken [idiomatic], old timer, old-timer, oldtimer, older adult [euphemistic], oldie, oldster, senior [US], senior citizen, silver top [slang], twirly [UK, derogatory, slang, sometimes], weazen [figuratively], wrinkly
{
  "etymology_text": "From the description of a young person as a spring chicken.",
  "head_templates": [
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        "head": "no spring chicken"
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      "expansion": "no spring chicken (uncountable)",
      "name": "en-noun"
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  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
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        {
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        {
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          "ref": "1908, Upton Sinclair, chapter 5, in The Money Changers:",
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          "text": "A real candidate arose to challenge dapper Robert Rice (\"Buncombe Bob\") Reynolds, aging coxcomb of the Senate. The candidate, no spring chicken himself: tall, lean Clyde Roark Hoey (pronounced Hooey), 65, one of the most popular Governors the state ever had.",
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          "ref": "1981 November 23, “Newest Sub, Oldest Sailor”, in Time:",
          "text": "He doubtless hoped for a sympathetic ruling from President Reagan, at 70 no spring chicken himself.",
          "type": "quote"
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        "Said of a person who is no longer particularly young."
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        [
          "young",
          "young#English"
        ]
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      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal, litotes) Said of a person who is no longer particularly young."
      ],
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        {
          "word": "no longer in the first flush of youth"
        },
        {
          "word": "coffin dodger"
        },
        {
          "word": "oldster"
        },
        {
          "word": "silver top"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "euphemistic"
          ],
          "word": "ager"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "derogatory",
            "figuratively",
            "mildly"
          ],
          "word": "antique"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "Polari"
          ],
          "word": "badge-cove"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "slang"
          ],
          "word": "cheeser"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "derogatory",
            "humorous"
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          "word": "coffin dodger"
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        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
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          "word": "crinkly"
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        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
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            "poetic"
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          "word": "eld"
        },
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          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "word": "elder"
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        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "word": "elderly"
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        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "slang"
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          "word": "geriatric"
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        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "word": "genarian"
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        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
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          "word": "geezer"
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        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
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            "US"
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          "word": "grayhead"
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          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
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            "UK"
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          "word": "greyhead"
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        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "obsolete",
            "poetic"
          ],
          "word": "hoarhead"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "Africa",
            "East"
          ],
          "word": "mzee"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "slang"
          ],
          "word": "old"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
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          ],
          "word": "no spring chicken"
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        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "word": "old timer"
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        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "word": "old-timer"
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        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "word": "oldtimer"
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        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
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          "word": "older adult"
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          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "word": "oldie"
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        {
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          "word": "oldster"
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        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "US"
          ],
          "word": "senior"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "word": "senior citizen"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "slang"
          ],
          "word": "silver top"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "UK",
            "derogatory",
            "slang",
            "sometimes"
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          "word": "twirly"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "figuratively"
          ],
          "word": "weazen"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "word": "wrinkly"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal",
        "uncountable"
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      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "person who is no longer particularly young",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "ei mikään poikanen"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "person who is no longer particularly young",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "ei mikään tyttönen"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "person who is no longer particularly young",
          "word": "plus tout jeune"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "person who is no longer particularly young",
          "word": "plus de la première jeunesse"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "person who is no longer particularly young",
          "word": "kein junger Hüpfer"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "person who is no longer particularly young",
          "word": "nem mai gyerek"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "person who is no longer particularly young",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "mieć swoje lata"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "želtorotyj junéc",
          "sense": "person who is no longer particularly young",
          "word": "желторотый юне́ц"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "person who is no longer particularly young",
          "word": "talludito"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "no spring chicken"
}
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  "lang_code": "en",
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        "English lemmas",
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        "Terms with French translations",
        "Terms with German translations",
        "Terms with Hungarian translations",
        "Terms with Polish translations",
        "Terms with Russian translations",
        "Terms with Spanish translations",
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          "type": "quote"
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          "ref": "1943 May 10, “The Pot Boils”, in Time:",
          "text": "A real candidate arose to challenge dapper Robert Rice (\"Buncombe Bob\") Reynolds, aging coxcomb of the Senate. The candidate, no spring chicken himself: tall, lean Clyde Roark Hoey (pronounced Hooey), 65, one of the most popular Governors the state ever had.",
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          "ref": "1981 November 23, “Newest Sub, Oldest Sailor”, in Time:",
          "text": "He doubtless hoped for a sympathetic ruling from President Reagan, at 70 no spring chicken himself.",
          "type": "quote"
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      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Said of a person who is no longer particularly young."
      ],
      "links": [
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      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal, litotes) Said of a person who is no longer particularly young."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "no longer in the first flush of youth"
        },
        {
          "word": "coffin dodger"
        },
        {
          "word": "oldster"
        },
        {
          "word": "silver top"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "euphemistic"
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          "word": "ager"
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        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "derogatory",
            "figuratively",
            "mildly"
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          "word": "antique"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "Polari"
          ],
          "word": "badge-cove"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "slang"
          ],
          "word": "cheeser"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "derogatory",
            "humorous"
          ],
          "word": "coffin dodger"
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        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
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          "word": "crinkly"
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        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "archaic",
            "poetic"
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          "word": "eld"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "word": "elder"
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        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "word": "elderly"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "slang"
          ],
          "word": "geriatric"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "word": "genarian"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "US"
          ],
          "word": "geezer"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "North",
            "US"
          ],
          "word": "grayhead"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "UK"
          ],
          "word": "greyhead"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
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          "word": "hoarhead"
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        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
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            "East"
          ],
          "word": "mzee"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "slang"
          ],
          "word": "old"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "idiomatic"
          ],
          "word": "no spring chicken"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "word": "old timer"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "word": "old-timer"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "word": "oldtimer"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "euphemistic"
          ],
          "word": "older adult"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "word": "oldie"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "word": "oldster"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "US"
          ],
          "word": "senior"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "word": "senior citizen"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "slang"
          ],
          "word": "silver top"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "UK",
            "derogatory",
            "slang",
            "sometimes"
          ],
          "word": "twirly"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "tags": [
            "figuratively"
          ],
          "word": "weazen"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:old person",
          "word": "wrinkly"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "person who is no longer particularly young",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "ei mikään poikanen"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "person who is no longer particularly young",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "ei mikään tyttönen"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "person who is no longer particularly young",
      "word": "plus tout jeune"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "person who is no longer particularly young",
      "word": "plus de la première jeunesse"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "person who is no longer particularly young",
      "word": "kein junger Hüpfer"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "person who is no longer particularly young",
      "word": "nem mai gyerek"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "person who is no longer particularly young",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "mieć swoje lata"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "želtorotyj junéc",
      "sense": "person who is no longer particularly young",
      "word": "желторотый юне́ц"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "person who is no longer particularly young",
      "word": "talludito"
    }
  ],
  "word": "no spring chicken"
}

Download raw JSONL data for no spring chicken meaning in All languages combined (5.5kB)

{
  "called_from": "form_descriptions/1831",
  "msg": "unrecognized sense qualifier: informal, litotes",
  "path": [
    "no spring chicken"
  ],
  "section": "English",
  "subsection": "noun",
  "title": "no spring chicken",
  "trace": ""
}

{
  "called_from": "form_descriptions/1831",
  "msg": "unrecognized sense qualifier: informal, litotes",
  "path": [
    "no spring chicken"
  ],
  "section": "English",
  "subsection": "noun",
  "title": "no spring chicken",
  "trace": ""
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable All languages combined dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-05-29 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-05-20 using wiktextract (e937b02 and f1c2b61). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.