Meaning
A babe in the woods is a common idiomatic expression used to describe a person who is young, naive, inexperienced, and innocent. It is often used more specifically to refer to such persons being thrust into situations they are not ready to handle, similar to babe in arms. Sometimes, as well, it is used more pleasantly to mean someone who is pure of heart, simple, honest, and guileless.
Although “Babe in the Woods” is used as the title of numerous works, the phrase is not an everyday expression. It tends to be used more in written works, movies, and other media. It is often hyphenated when spelled: babe-in-the-woods.
Sentence Examples
“My new manager is a babe in the woods, barely out of high school.”
“Adam is a babe in the woods. You can’t expect him to do well in such a cut-throat business.”
“I don’t know anything.” “Don’t give me the babe-in-the-woods routine. I’ve listened to those wiretaps and I’ve heard you talk about cocaine.”— Goodfellas (1990)
“Those guards, they thought they was all that. You showed up, and bam! Tripping over themselves like babes in the woods.” — I Am Legend (2007)
“You can’t go out in that rain. You want to drown?” “I’ve got to. I’ve got six new counselors at camp. They are babes in the woods, in every sense.” — Friday the 13th (1980)
“Why did you come to New Mexico to meet him? Don’t try to float a babe-in-the-woods routine by me. It’s really going to piss me off, so…” — Bolshoi Booze (2006)
“Take my advice and stay out of sports. You’d be a babe in the woods.” — Trouble Along the Way (1953)
“Nothing seemed to be working. We were just babes in the woods, trying to figure out how to make a record.” — The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town (2010)
“Where did they find him?” “Stairs of the parish house. Said he’d been asleep, blinking like a babe in the woods. Very convincing.” — Aquarius: Sick City (2015)
“I think we’re all growing tired of this babe-in-the-woods act, so I want you to tell us right now where the rest of the money is.” — Justified: Blaze of Glory (2011)
“I am the most misunderstood guy in the world. I come to this country like a babe in the woods, make a few deals, win a few bets, and everybody thinks I’m Al Capone.” — The Volunteer (1989)
Origin
The expression babe in the woods comes from a traditional children’s story called Babes in the Woods or Children in the Wood. This story was first published as a ballad in 1595 by Thomas Millington but came to be a common type of children’s story or Mother Goose nursery rhyme. Although there are various versions of the story, the basic format is about two children who are abandoned in the woods by their evil uncle. The children die of starvation, their bodies covered in leaves by birds, often robins. See more info on wikipedia
These stories passed into figurative usage at an unknown time.
More Idioms Starting with B
More Baby Idioms
- Like Taking Candy From a Baby
- Baby Blues
- Throw Out the Baby with the Bathwater, don’t
- Baby Boomer
- Babe in Arms, a
More Wood Idioms
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