English, baby!

wallflower

Date: Jan 01 2009

Quote

1. Quote - Listen to the quote and guess what the slang means.

“A lot of people think that I just became this wallflower, this woman who doesn’t have any control of her life. And that’s pretty wrong.”

- Katie Holmes, on how people think she’s changed since she married Tom Cruise. (US Weekly)

Definition

1. Definition - Study the definition.

shy person who doesn’t like to participate in social activities

2. Use - Learn how the slang is used.

Women get compared to flowers all the time, especially by guys who want to date them. We say a girl is as pretty as a flower, as sweet as a flower, or smells as good as a flower. But when you call a girl a wallflower, it isn’t always a compliment.

Wallflower is the name of a plant with delicate orange or yellow blossoms that often grows along old walls or cliffs. It’s also what we call a quiet, antisocial person who acts shy at parties. Katie Holmes says that the public thinks she’s turned into a wallflower because of her relationship with Tom Cruise. People say that he doesn’t let her go out very much or have many friends, but Katie says that isn’t true.

When you’re at a party, do you like to be out on the the dance floor where all the action is? Or would you rather stay on the edge of the party, next to a wall, where you might not talk to anybody all night? If the second option sounds more like you, then you might be a wallflower. (The opposite is sometimes called the life of the party.)

Being a wallflower isn’t all bad. Girls who get called wallflowers are often pretty and mysterious. They might seem really quiet at first, but once you notice them and talk to them, they’re actually really interesting. The singer Bob Dylan even has a love song called “Wallflower.” He sings, “Wallflower, wallflower, won’t you dance with me? I’m fallin’ in love with you.”

So maybe wallflowers are actually really cool. But you’ll have to talk to them first, because they aren’t going to talk to you.

Examples

1. Examples - Hear some example sentences.

“At first I didn’t notice Jane because she’s really a wallflower. But the minute I met her, I was in love!
I tried not to be a wallflower at the party because I wanted to meet people, but it’s so hard for me to talk to people I don’t know. “

Winners

1. Winners - See who guessed the slang definition correctly.

	It is used to describe someone who stays close to a wall and out of the main area of social activity. by VOLTS
	meaning she isolated her self from others she doesn't have social activities any more. by tinyry
	girl not invited to dance or take part in social activity by Eydo
	Someone at a party,dance etc. who is not asked to dance or take part in activities. by najafi
	I think she is shy and never someone take her to dance. by REEF
	like a souvenir.. who don't think, don't speak.. an object of decoration. by evelyn_BR
	person(espcially a woman)who has no dancing partners at a dance and has to sit or stand around while others dance by archilles
	One who does not participate in the activity at a social event because of shyness or unpopularity. by alfred_xu
	a shy or unpopular individuals who do not socialize or participate in activities at social events by Dani J.
	shy person by pocwarqa
	A person who isn't noticed, who stands on the side of things and gets pushed around. It's just like a flower pattern on a wall, hence the word wallflower. by ユウタ☆
	A wallflower is a girl to whom is not be paid attention. by lukeyy
	One who does not take part in social events due to shyness or unpopularity by duyi
	wallflower means a lady near the wall at party who was asked for dance..... by nil_fm
	A wall flower is usually an attractive woman, who does not participate in social activities. She would lead a more secluded life. The term is very often used in nightclubs. Some men really like women who are shy and stay by themselves, rather than hit the dance floor and get wild. by Natashechka