Definition

1. Noun:
   • A person who lacks courage in facing danger, difficulty, opposition, or pain; a person who shows fear or timidity. A coward is someone who avoids or retreats from a challenging or frightening situation due to fear.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • He was called a coward for refusing to defend his friend.
  • She felt like a coward for not speaking up during the meeting.
  • The bully is often a coward at heart.

Advanced Usage

• "To show a yellow streak": To display cowardice.
  • He showed a yellow streak when he ran from the argument.
• "Cowardly" (adj): Behaving like a coward.
  • It was a cowardly act to spread rumors anonymously.

Variants and Related Words

• Cowardice (n): The quality or state of being a coward; lack of bravery.
  • His cowardice in the face of danger disappointed everyone.
• Cowardly (adj): Exhibiting the characteristics of a coward.
  • The cowardly attack on an unarmed man was condemned.

Synonyms

• Craven: A complete coward; very cowardly.
• Poltroon: An utter coward (archaic/literary).
• Dastard: A malicious coward (archaic).

Antonyms

• Hero: A person admired for courage or noble qualities.
• Brave person: Someone who faces danger or difficulty without fear.

Related Idioms

• "To live to fight another day": Sometimes used to justify a strategic retreat that could be seen as cowardly by some.
  • He decided to run away, thinking it was better to live to fight another day.
• "Yellow-bellied": An informal term meaning cowardly.
  • Don't be so yellow-bellied; stand up for yourself!

Noun

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