babe in the woods

English

Alternative forms

• babe in the wood

Etymology

From the ballad "The Children in the Wood".

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Noun

babe in the woods (plural babes in the woods)

1. (idiomatic) A person who is innocent, naive, inexperienced, or helpless, especially with respect to an unfamiliar situation or environment.

   Synonyms: sweet summer child, ingenue, innocent, naif; see also Thesaurus:naive

   • 1908, Stewart Edward White, chapter 11, in The Riverman:

     "Orde, you're all right on the river," said Newmark, with a dry little laugh, "but you're a babe in the woods at this game."

   • 2008, Jake Niall, "‘Weakest link’ no more, Harry shows he's tailor-made," The Age (Australia), 8 Sep. (retrieved 23 May 2009):

     Taylor is aware of the perception that he is the innocent, exploitable babe in the woods of the Geelong defence.

Anagrams

• babes in the wood