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Webster 1913 Edition


Cowardly

Cow′ard-ly

,
Adj.
1.
Wanting courage; basely or weakly timid or fearful; pusillanimous; spiritless.
The
cowardly
rascals that ran from the battle.
Shakespeare
2.
Proceeding from fear of danger or other consequences; befitting a coward; dastardly; base;
as,
cowardly
malignity
.
Macaulay.
Syn. – Timid; fearful; timorous; dastardly; pusillanimous; recreant; craven; faint-hearted; chicken-hearted; white-livered.

Cow′ard-ly

,
adv.
In the manner of a coward.
Spenser.

Webster 1828 Edition


Cowardly

COWARDLY

,
Adj.
1.
Wanting courage to face danger; timid; timorous; fearful; pusillanimous.
2.
Mean; base; befitting a coward; as a cowardly action.
3.
Proceeding from fear of danger; as cowardly silence.

COWARDLY

,
adv.
In the manner of a coward; meanly; basely.

Definition 2024


cowardly

cowardly

English

Adjective

cowardly (comparative cowardlier or more cowardly, superlative cowardliest or most cowardly)

  1. Showing cowardice; lacking in courage; basely or weakly fearful.
    • Shakespeare
      The cowardly rascals that ran from the battle.
    • Burke
      The cowardly rashness of those who dare not look danger in the face.

Related terms

Translations

Adverb

cowardly (comparative more cowardly, superlative most cowardly)

  1. (archaic) In the manner of a coward.
    • 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essayes, London: Edward Blount, OCLC 946730821, Folio Society, 2006, vol.1, p.48:
      I love to follow them, but not so cowardly, as my life remaine thereby in subjection.
    • 1828, John Paul, A Refutation of Arianism
      [] men who cowardly and hypocritically subscribe orthodox creeds, whilst they teach a different kind of doctrine!

Translations