knights are celebrated in fairy tales for rescuing damsels in distress
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Many challenge the traditional dynamics between the hyper-masculine cowboy and the damsel in distress.—Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2025 Their days are taken up with shooting practice, lobster racing, pelting men with fruit, and slipping poison into unattended cups of tea—and best of all, there isn’t a damsel in distress in sight.—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 9 Feb. 2025 For the female dancers, there are swans and sugar plums and celebrated damsels under duress, like Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty.—Ray Mark Rinaldi, The Denver Post, 20 Jan. 2025 His wife becomes the damsel to rescue, and the once spiky Helly, who surprised Mark’s innie with a kiss last season, falls into place as her wistful romantic rival.—Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for damsel
Word History
Etymology
Middle English damesel, from Anglo-French dameisele, from Vulgar Latin *domnicella young noblewoman, diminutive of Latin domina lady
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