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coward

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The definition of a coward is a person who lacks courage and turns away from danger.

(noun)

An example of coward is a man who runs the other direction after seeing a person who needs help.

See coward in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

a person who lacks courage, esp. one who is shamefully unable to control fear and so shrinks from danger or trouble

Origin: ME & OFr couard, coward, lit., with tail between the legs < OFr coue, coe, tail < L cauda, tail

adjective

cowardly

Coward, Sir Noel (Pierce) 1899-1973; Eng. playwright, actor, and songwriter

See coward in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

One who shows ignoble fear in the face of danger or pain.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , from Old French couard

Origin: , from coue, tail

Origin: , from Latin cauda

Related Forms:

cowˈard adjective

Word History: A coward is one who “turns tail.” The word comes from Old French couart, coart, “coward,” and is related to Italian codardo, “coward.” Couart is formed from coe, a northern French dialectal variant of cue, “tail” (from Latin cōda), to which the derogatory suffix -ard was added. This suffix appears in bastard, laggard, and sluggard, to name a few. A coward may also be one with his tail between his legs. In heraldry a lion couard, “cowardly lion,” was depicted with his tail between his legs. So a coward may be one with his tail hidden between his legs or one who turns tail and runs like a rabbit, with his tail showing.

British actor, playwright, and composer especially noted for his witty and worldly comedies, such as Hay Fever (1925) and Private Lives (1930).

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