a living doll
1. A strikingly beautiful infant or young child, especially a girl. Have you seen Mike and Jennifer's baby girl? Oh my gosh, she's a living doll! You should really think about getting your daughter into commercials because she is just a living doll! Look at how cute your mom was as a baby. Truly, a living doll!
2. Someone who is especially considerate, attentive, and amiable. A: "I can't believe Maureen dropped off freshly baked cookies for us!" B: "I know, she is just a living doll." Thank you so much for giving us a place to stay. You're a living doll. A: "Oh, and I got your 8 AM meeting pushed to 11 tomorrow." B: "You're a living doll, Kristine! Thank you, I definitely need that extra time to prepare."
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
living doll, a
An extremely nice person, amiable and generous. Why a child’s toy should be chosen for this metaphor is not known. Doll alone has meant a young and attractive woman since the mid-1800s, as in Frank Loesser’s hit musical comedy Guys and Dolls (1950). However, the current usage, dating from the 1940s, is applied to individuals of either sex and any age.
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer