poor-spirited

/'puə'spiritid/

Thân thiện

A poor-spirited dog cowers in the corner during a thunderstorm.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Lacking courage, strength, and determination; contemptibly timid or fearful: Describes a person who is easily frightened, lacks resolve, and shows a weak or cowardly character.

Usage

• The adjective "poor-spirited" is used to describe a person's character or behavior. It is a formal and somewhat literary term, often implying criticism or contempt for a lack of bravery or moral strength.
• It typically precedes a noun (e.g., a poor-spirited individual) or follows a linking verb (e.g., He was poor-spirited).

Examples

Advanced Usage

• "to show a poor-spirited attitude": to demonstrate a cowardly or weak-willed approach.
  • Showing a poor-spirited attitude in negotiations will only lead to worse terms.

Variants and Related Words

• Poor-spiritedness (n): The state or quality of being poor-spirited.
  • His poor-spiritedness was evident in his unwillingness to take any risk.

Synonyms

• Cowardly: lacking courage.
• Timorous: showing or suffering from nervousness or a lack of confidence.
• Faint-hearted: lacking conviction or courage; timid.
• Craven: contemptibly lacking in courage; cowardly.

Antonyms

• Courageous: not deterred by danger or pain; brave.
• Bold: showing a willingness to take risks; confident and courageous.
• Spirited: full of energy, enthusiasm, and determination.

Related Idioms

• To have no stomach for (something): to lack the courage or desire to face something difficult.
  • He had no stomach for the fight, proving himself to be rather poor-spirited.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. lacking in courage and manly strength and resolution; contemptibly fearful

Từ đồng nghĩa

• pusillanimous
• unmanly