in short pants

English

Etymology

From an early 20th century practice of reserving short pants only for small children.

Prepositional phrase

in short pants

  1. (Canada, US, idiomatic) Synonym of in short trousers (“quite young”).
    Near-synonym: in diapers
    Look, honey, this ain't my first rodeo, OK? I was doing this when you were in short pants.
    • 1948, Albert Craig Baird, Lester Thonssen, Waldo Warder Braden, Owen Peterson, Representative American Speeches:
      Dr. Smith said a moment ago that we are scientifically adult but spiritually in short pants.

See also

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