English

Noun

poltroon ‎(plural poltroons)

1. An ignoble or total coward; a dastard; a mean-spirited wretch.
   • 1842, Nicholas Michell, The Traduced: An Historical Romance‎, page 266-267

     "To gain life by means of a breach of faith and honour, were indeed to render myself the poltroon, and the villain my accusers believe me."

   • 1951, P. G. Wodehouse, 'The Old Reliable', Hutchinson, London: 1981, p 162.

     The sounds outside had ceased...But somebody had been there, and she proposed to look into the matter thoroughly. There was nothing of the poltroon about Adela Shannon Cork.

Synonyms

• (ignoble coward): craven, dastard

Translations

Adjective

poltroon ‎(comparative more poltroon, superlative most poltroon)

1. Cowardly.
   • 1926, T. E. Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom

     Accordingly, to excuse our deliberate inactivity in the north, we had to make a show of impotence, which gave them to understand that the Arabs were too poltroon to cut the line near Maan and keep it cut.

Translations

References

• poltroon in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913