young scholar; pale-faced intellectual
Meanings
2 senses · 5 examplesnoun
young scholar; inexperienced intellectual
Refers to a young, often bookish and inexperienced person who spends most of their time studying. The focus is on youth and scholarly pursuits.
Although he's a young scholar, he talks about history eloquently and at length.
The company needs doers, not young scholars who can only discuss theories on paper.
noun
pale-faced scholar (often derogatory or joking)
derogatoryThis sense emphasizes the pale complexion, suggesting a lack of outdoor experience, physical weakness, or impracticality. It can carry a derogatory or teasing tone, implying the person is out of touch with the real world.
Look at his frail appearance; he's the epitome of a pale-faced scholar.
Don't listen to his misguided orders; what does a pale-faced scholar know about farming?
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He joked self-deprecatingly, "I'm just a pale-faced scholar; I can't do manual labor."