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coward definition

cow·ard (ko̵u′ərd)

noun

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

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

adjective

cowardly
Coward definition

Cow·ard (ko̵u′ərd)

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

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

coward Synonyms

coward

n.

poltroon, craven, recreant, dastard, cur, wheyface, sneak, faintheart, mollycoddle, milksop, milquetoast, baby, shirker, deserter, bully, blusterer, weakling, panicmonger, scaramouch, alarmist, caitiff, pessimist, malingerer, chicken*, wimp*, sissy*, quitter*, punk*, lily-liver*, scaredy-cat*, chicken-heart*, fraidy-cat*, rabbit*, mouse*, yellow-belly*, jellyfish*, pantywaist*, nervous Nellie*; see also deserter, quitter.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

coward Usage Examples

Possessives

  • way: They saw the sorry mess you left behind and thought you took the coward's selfish way.

Converse of object

  • kneel: How can a kneeling coward know what it's like to fall?

Adjective modifier

  • moral: Perhaps, worse are all these religious leaders moral cowards?

Modifies a noun

  • heart: Father, I want to know Thee, but my coward heart fears to give up its toys.
coward usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

coward quotes

Dear Mrs A, Hooray, hooray, At last you are deflowered. On this as every other day I love youöNoe«  l Coward.

-Coward, Sir Noe«  l Peirce

Conscience is a coward, and those faults it has not strength enough to prevent it seldom has justice enough to accuse.

-Goldsmith, Oliver

He was just a coward and that was the worst luck any man could have.

-Hemingway, Ernest Millar

coward quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"coward." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/coward>

APA Style

coward. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/coward

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