Dictionary of problem words and expressions. Harry Shaw. 1975.
childish - childlike — ◊ childish You say that someone is childish if you think they are behaving in a silly or immature way. He can be extremely understanding and kind one minute, and completely unreasonable and childish the next. ...his bad jokes, his childish pride… … Useful english dictionary
childish — childish, childlike Both words tend now to be used to describe the behaviour of adolescents and adults rather than children. Childish has developed a generally depreciatory meaning ‘having the immature characteristics of a child’, whereas… … Modern English usage
childlike — childish, childlike Both words tend now to be used to describe the behaviour of adolescents and adults rather than children. Childish has developed a generally depreciatory meaning ‘having the immature characteristics of a child’, whereas… … Modern English usage
childish — *childlike Analogous words: puerile, boyish, *youthful: *simple, foolish, silly, fatuous, asinine Antonyms: mature, grown up Contrasted words: adult, matured (see MATURE): manly, manful, virile, manlike (see MALE): womanly, womanlike (see FEMALE) … New Dictionary of Synonyms
childlike — See childish, childlike … Dictionary of problem words and expressions
childish — See childish, childlike … Dictionary of problem words and expressions
childlike — childlike, childish agree in meaning having or showing the manner, spirit, or disposition of a child. Both are applicable to adolescents and to adults as well as to children. Childlike, however, usually suggests such qualities of childhood as… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
childlike — [chīld′līk΄] adj. 1. belonging or suitable to a child 2. like or characteristic of a child; innocent, trusting, etc. childlikeness n. SYN. CHILDLIKE and CHILDISH are both applied to persons of any age in referring to characteristics or qualities… … English World dictionary
childlike — 1580s, proper to a child, from CHILD (Cf. child) + LIKE (Cf. like). Meaning like a child in a good sense (distinguished from CHILDISH (Cf. childish)) is from 1725 … Etymology dictionary
childlike — [adj] innocent, naive artless, childish, credulous, guileless, immature, ingenuous, natural, simple, spontaneous, trustful, trusting, unaffected, unfeigned; concept 404 Ant. complicated, untrusting … New thesaurus
