- a person, usually a young woman, who needs to be rescued from danger or trouble of some kind: This plumber is worth his weight in gold, and I would like to thank him for going out of his way to help this damsel in distress.
- a trope or narrative device in movies, books, games, etc., portraying a female character as a victim in need of rescue: It has an exotic locale, the classic battle of man against nature, and, of course, a damsel in distress.
