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Wet Behind the Ears: What Does This Interesting Idiom Mean?

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Wet Behind the Ears! The following lesson introduces the what the idiom “wet behind the ears” mean with its origin. Besides, you will learn many useful example sentences and alternative ways to express this idiom with ESL infographic.

Wet Behind the Ears

Wet Behind the Ears

Wet Behind the Ears Meaning

If someone say that you are still wet behind the ears, they mean that you are very young, naïve, immature, and lack of experience. Example of use: “He was too wet behind the ears to bear such responsibilities.”

Origin of Wet Behind the Ears

The phrase “Wet behind the ears” was in circulation in the USA in the early 20th century – twenty years before it was first recorded elsewhere. The origin of the phrase “Wet behind the ears” is debatable. Some say it comes from newborn babies who enter the world surrounded by amniotic fluid. Others say the phrase may have originated from newborn farm animals. However the difference between the two, is the fact that when human babies are born, they are helpless, vulnerable and premature, relative to other species.

When used as a modifier before a noun wet behind the ears is hyphenated, as in wet-behind-the-ears.

Example Sentences

  • I was, to put it mildly, wet behind the ears, politically.
  • When he wet behind the ears. he thought that life was just a bowl of cherries.
  • Undergraduates wet behind the ears, reach professional career to future the outline of grandiose blue print.
  • He was too wet behind the ears to bear such responsibilities.
  • That greenhorn is still wet behind the ears.
  • The young generations are wet behind the ears and what’s worse, abandoning themselves to fond dreams.
  • Graduates are often wet behind the ears and they fail to observe even the very basic business etiquette.
  • Most of those students are still wet behind the ears.
  • Service is friendly although waitresses seem a bit wet behind the ears.
  • The cub was wet behind the ears.
  • Some of the young actors are still wet behind the ears.
  • Many of these youngsters know the job in theory but they’re still wet behind the ears when it comes to putting it into practice.
  • It’s bad enough that Tim’s mooning over her like a schoolboy, wet behind the ears.
  • They won’t let their daughter date because she’s still too wet behind the ears.
  • Although he’s a college graduate, he’s still a bit wet behind the ears.
  • Service of this hotel is friendly although waitresses seem a bit wet behind the ears.
  • You shouldn’t judge his mistakes too harshly, as he’s still wet behind the ears.
  • He will be no match for them; he is still wet behind the ears.
Related  Rock The Boat: Definition, Origin & Interesting Image

Synonyms for Wet Behind the Ears

  • Green behind the ears
  • Immature
  • Inept
  • Naive
  • Undisciplined
  • Unschooled
  • Unsophisticated
  • Untried
  • Young
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