Question 1 · Quick check
coward
CEFRC1
/ˈkaʊəd/
noun · verb
Türkçe translations
Translating…
In plain English
- 01
noun
A person who lacks courage in difficult or dangerous situations.
- 02
noun
Extra detailBorne in the escutcheon with his tail doubled between his legs.
Examples
We looked down on him as a coward.
"To tell you the truth, I am scared of heights." "You are a coward!"
At a glance
Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale
- Senses
- 4
- Parts of speech
- 2
- Citations
- 4
- Synonyms
- 5
Also pronounced
- /ˈkawə(ɾ)d/
Deep Dive
noun
Extra meaningA person who lacks courage.
verb
Extra meaningTo intimidate.
More examples
In contextYou are not a coward.
c. 1605, William Shakespeare, King Lear, Act II, Scene 4, He rais’d the house with loud and coward cries.
1856: Gustave Flaubert, Madame Bovary, Part II Chapter IV, translated by Eleanor Marx-Aveling He tortured himself to find out how he could make his declaration to her, and always halting between the fear of displeasing her and the shame of being such a coward...
Related
Quick test
Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.
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Nearby
Origin
noun
From Middle English coward, from Old French coart, cuard ( > French couard), from coue (“tail”), coe + -ard (pejorative agent noun suffix); coue, coe is in turn from Latin cauda. The reference seems to be to an animal "turning tail", or having its tail between its legs, especially a dog. Compare the expression tail between one's legs. Displaced native Old English earg (surviving in northern dialect English argh). Unrelated to cower, which is of Germanic origin.