COWARD

Pronunciation (US): (GB):

I. (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A person who shows fear or timidity

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("coward" is a kind of...):

individual; mortal; person; somebody; someone; soul (a human being)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "coward"):

cur (a cowardly and despicable person)

dastard (a despicable coward)

craven; poltroon; recreant (an abject coward)

quaker; trembler (one who quakes and trembles with (or as with) fear)

shrinking violet; shy person (someone who shrinks from familiarity with others)

milksop; Milquetoast; pansy; pantywaist; sissy (a timid man or boy considered childish or unassertive)

hesitater; hesitator; vacillator; waverer (one who hesitates (usually out of fear))

Derivation:

cow (subdue, restrain, or overcome by affecting with a feeling of awe; frighten (as with threats))

cowardly (lacking courage; ignobly timid and faint-hearted)

cower (show submission or fear)

Sense 2

Meaning:

English dramatist and actor and composer noted for his witty and sophisticated comedies (1899-1973)

Synonyms:

Coward; Noel Coward; Sir Noel Pierce Coward

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Instance hypernyms:

actor; histrion; player; role player; thespian (a theatrical performer)

composer (someone who composes music as a profession)

dramatist; playwright (someone who writes plays)

Credits

Context examples:

I was frequently rallied by the queen upon account of my fearfulness; and she used to ask me whether the people of my country were as great cowards as myself?

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

But Chanticleer was no coward, and returned the duck’s blows with his sharp spurs so fiercely that she soon began to cry out for mercy; which was only granted her upon condition that she would draw the carriage home for them.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

You remember that last night, when I came through that door, I begged and prayed you for mercy, and you laughed in my face as you are trying to laugh now, only your coward heart cannot keep your lips from twitching.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"What makes you a coward?" asked Dorothy, looking at the great beast in wonder, for he was as big as a small horse.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

The lady’s, on the other hand, were most bitter, and when she raised her voice could be plainly heard. ‘You coward!’ she repeated over and over again. ‘What can be done now?

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It is thy name now, Negore, the Coward.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

“Doctor, I'm no coward; no, not I—not SO much!” and he snapped his fingers.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

I have declared my resolution to you, and I am no coward to bend beneath words.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

Coward that I might be, I was less a coward than he.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

For Beauty Smith was cruel in the way that cowards are cruel.