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coward

1 American  
[kou-erd] / ˈkaʊ ərd /

noun

  1. a person who lacks courage in facing danger, difficulty, opposition, pain, etc.; a timid or easily intimidated person.

    Synonyms:
    milksop, recreant, dastard, poltroon, craven

adjective

  1. lacking courage; very fearful or timid.

  2. proceeding from or expressive of fear or timidity.

    a coward cry.
Coward 2 American  
[kou-erd] / ˈkaʊ ərd /

noun

  1. Noel, 1899–1973, English playwright, author, actor, and composer.

Coward 1 British  
/ ˈkaʊəd /

noun

  1. Sir Noël ( Pierce ). 1899–1973, English dramatist, actor, and composer, noted for his sophisticated comedies, which include Private Lives (1930) and Blithe Spirit (1941)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
coward 2 British  
/ ˈkaʊəd /

noun

  1. a person who shrinks from or avoids danger, pain, or difficulty

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of coward

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Old French couard-, couart “cowardly,” from coue “tail” (from Latin cauda, cōda ) + -art -ard

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The Australian leader's comments were condemned, however, by the outspoken activist Grace Tame who labelled them a "patronising cop out from a total coward".

From Barron's

"Devenport was a coward, he has shown no remorse for his actions and throughout the investigation he has refused to admit what he did."

From BBC

Would I be a coward if I went back down the hill?

From Literature

The Brazil forward, who has been the victim of numerous incidents of racist abuse during his playing career, said "racists are, above all, cowards" in a post on Instagram.

From BBC

"Until the coward who did this confesses, Room Nineteen is banned from the art contest."

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.