girl, little

   Normally used to a very young girl, with the little’ implying affection. In Diamonds are Forever, by Ian Fleming, Tiffany tells James Bond: ‘“Don’t worry about me, my friend. I can look after myself.

   And don’t ‘little girl’ me,” she said sharply.’ As it happens Bond hasn’t addressed her as ‘little girl’, but his tone has suggested that he might say it. In The Wayward Bus, by John Steinbeck occurs the following: ‘Mr. Pritchard always called his wife “little girl” when he was playful, and automatically she fell into his mood. “When do iddle girls see pretty present?” “You’ll find out, just keep your hair on, little girl.”’