coward Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a person who shows fear or timidity
  2. noun English dramatist and actor and composer noted for his witty and sophisticated comedies (1899-1973)
    Noel Coward; Sir Noel Pierce Coward.

WordNet

Cow"ard adjective
Etymology
OF. couard, coard, coart, n. and adj., F. couard, fr. OF. coe, coue, tail, F. queue (fr. L. coda, a form of cauda tail) + -ard; orig., short-tailed, as an epithet of the hare, or perh., turning tail, like a scared dog. Cf. Cue, Queue, Caudal.
Definitions
  1. (Her.) Borne in the escutcheon with his tail doubled between his legs; -- said of a lion.
  2. Destitute of courage; timid; cowardly.
    Fie, coward woman, and soft-hearted wretch. Shak.
  3. Belonging to a coward; proceeding from, or expressive of, base fear or timidity.
    He raised the house with loud and coward cries. Shak.
    Invading fears repel my coward joy. Proir.
Cow"ard noun
Definitions
  1. A person who lacks courage; a timid or pusillanimous person; a poltroon.
    A fool is nauseous, but a coward worse. Dryden.
    Syn. -- Craven; poltroon; dastard.
Cow"ard transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To make timoroys; to frighten. Obs.
    That which cowardeth a man's heart. Foxe.

Webster 1913