According to Paul Fussel's book "Wartime," "Chickenshit refers to behavior that makes military life worse than it need be: petty harassment of the weak by the strong; open scrimmage for power and authority and prestige; sadism thinly disguised as necessary discipline; a constant 'paying off of old scores'; and insistence on the letter rather than the spirit of ordinances. Chickenshit is so called--instead of horse- or bull- or elephant shit--because it is small-minded and ignoble and takes the trivial seriously."

This definition is cited by at least two books by Steven E. Ambrose, "Citizen Soldiers" and "Band of Brothers."
Soldier 1: I got fined $25 this morning!

Soldier 2: What for?

Soldier 1: Some rear-echelon type saw me and said that I wasn't maintaing a professional appearance. I can't help it that we've been living in foxholes for the last week and because of the snipers, I can't shave.

Soldier 2: That's chickenshit.
by CW_5000 July 22, 2009
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A North-American vulgar slang for a cowardly and timid person. Also an alternative to describing a person as a chicken.
Bob: Why won't James play a prank on the teacher?
Jack: Meh, he's just a little chickenshit.
by OliverTheMeme March 17, 2017
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One who is cowardly are has a phobia
What you wont jack that asshole? You chickenshit!
by Deve February 25, 2005
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(Chinkn' shit)

1: Someone who is afraid or is a wussy.

2: An insult meaning "your just aboout a good as chickenshit."

3: Something other than eggs that come out of a chicken's ass.
"You are such a chickenshit."

"Aww...eww..... I just stepped in some chickenshit!!!"
by L Bloodrose December 30, 2010
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worried whether to use what you know to be the proper pronunciation of a name and seem pretentious to some, or to use the name’s more common mispronunciation and seem a dunce to others
I’m always a pronunciation chickenshit when it comes to “Vincent van Gogh”.
by ΔиłĦ☼иצ ߀₡ʞ September 21, 2011
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used when something makes no sense or is completely stupid
"im gettin tired of this chickenshit bullshit!"
by fisty shocker August 21, 2009
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1. A person of great talent, ability, or brilliance who fails to realize any possible potential because of fear, laziness, indifference, or self-destructive tendencies.
My brother really could have been the next Bob Dylan, but he still lives in Mom and Dad's basement giving kids guitar lessons part-time. He turned out to be just another chickenshit genius.
by Brainulo April 8, 2009
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