Cow"ard , v. t. To make timorous; to frighten. [Obs.]
That which
cowardeth a man's heart.
Foxe.
Cow"ard , n. 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 (kou"?rd), a.
[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.]
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.
Hear it pronounced