Courage is the quality shown by someone who decides to do something difficult or dangerous, even though they may be afraid.
He has impressed everyone with his authority and personal courage.
They do not have the courage to apologise for their actions.
Synonyms: bravery, nerve, fortitude, boldness More Synonyms of courage
2. See also Dutch courage
3.
See the courage of your convictions
4. to pluck up the courage
courage in British English
(ˈkʌrɪdʒ)
noun
1.
the power or quality of dealing with or facing danger, fear, pain, etc
2. the courage of one's convictions
3. take one's courage in both hands
4. obsolete
mind; disposition; spirit
Word origin
C13: from Old French corage, from cuer heart, from Latin cor
courage in American English
(ˈkɜrɪdʒ)
noun
1.
the attitude of facing and dealing with anything recognized as dangerous, difficult, or painful, instead of withdrawing from it; quality of being fearless or brave; valor
2. Obsolete
mind; purpose; spirit
Idioms:
the courage of one's convictions
Word origin
ME & OFr corage, heart, spirit < L cor, heart
More idioms containing
courage
Dutch courage
COBUILD Collocations
courage
immense courage
moral courage
physical courage
Examples of 'courage' in a sentence
courage
You have conducted yourself with great dignity and courage.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Your new love does work that takes courage and kindness.
The Sun (2017)
Your new love does a job that takes courage and has the kindest heart.
The Sun (2016)
It takes much more courage to take out the surgical knife and reduce them.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It takes courage to do that.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Stepping up to take on a new role at work or within the family takes courage but can give so much back.
The Sun (2016)
In a game where personal courage is required, it is pretty much mandatory.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Current ministers need to find their political courage now, not save it for retirement.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
If you struggle to find the courage, look back to work out why you settle for so little when you deserve so much better.
The Sun (2016)
Find courage to say:'Does anyone want a cup of tea?
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
The member of staff in question showed great integrity and courage in refusing to be bullied.
The Sun (2012)
There is no doubting his personal courage.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
You have the courage and confidence to share your hopes and dreams.
The Sun (2009)
It took me a long time to summon up the courage to ask her out though!
The Sun (2008)
You can only admire her courage and determination.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Your new love has a job that takes courage and kindness.
The Sun (2012)
It seems to me most important to emphasize this contagious quality of courage.
Christianity Today (2000)
Try to find the courage to tell your parents what has happened as he should be reported.
The Sun (2014)
It will have taken a great deal of courage.
The Sun (2012)
She exemplified an ethos of public service and personal courage.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They have given me courage and confidence.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Can our heroine summon her courage and save the day?
The Sun (2014)
Good on her for showing courage and determination.
The Sun (2011)
So take your courage and look at it.
Bethune, Helen Positive Parent Power (1991)
They should find the courage to make their case.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
It was great desire and great courage.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Hers is a triumph of personal courage and goodwill over anarchy.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
So much of acting is about courage and confidence.
The Sun (2010)
Can he finally summon up the courage to say what he really feels?
The Sun (2009)
They are the real heroes of this story by finding the courage to come forward.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
It took a great deal of courage simply to get into one.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
We have been proud to bring you their incredible stories of courage and determination for the past six years.
The Sun (2013)
The ability to channel power depends on personal integrity, courage and wholeness.
Crowley, Vivianne Phoenix From the Flame (1994)
If you have any courage or noble quality in you, go out and speak to them, man to man.
Elizabeth Gaskell North and South (1855)
Quotations
No one can answer for his courage when he has never been in dangerDuc de la RochefoucauldMaxims
Sometimes even to live is an act of courageSenecaLetters to Lucilius
Courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing pointC.S. Lewis
Screw your courage to the sticking placeWilliam ShakespeareMacbeth
As to moral courage, I have very rarely met with two o'clock in the morning courage: I mean instantaneous courageNapoleon Bonaparte
In other languages
courage
British English: courage /ˈkʌrɪdʒ/ NOUN
Courage is the quality shown by someone who does something difficult or dangerous, even though they may be afraid.
The girl had the courage to tell the police.
American English: courage
Arabic: إِقْدَام
Brazilian Portuguese: coragem
Chinese: 勇气
Croatian: hrabrost
Czech: odvaha
Danish: mod
Dutch: moed
European Spanish: coraje
Finnish: rohkeus
French: courage
German: Mut
Greek: θάρρος
Italian: coraggio
Japanese: 勇気
Korean: 용기
Norwegian: mot
Polish: odwaga
European Portuguese: coragem
Romanian: curaj
Russian: отвага
Latin American Spanish: coraje
Swedish: mod
Thai: ความกล้าหาญ
Turkish: cesaret
Ukrainian: хоробрість
Vietnamese: sự can đảm
All related terms of 'courage'
Dutch courage
Dutch courage is the courage that you get by drinking alcoholic drinks.
moral courage
Courage is the quality shown by someone who decides to do something difficult or dangerous , even though they may be afraid .
immense courage
Courage is the quality shown by someone who decides to do something difficult or dangerous , even though they may be afraid .
physical courage
Courage is the quality shown by someone who decides to do something difficult or dangerous , even though they may be afraid .
Star of Courage
a Canadian award for bravery
to pluck up the courage
If you pluck up the courage to do something that you feel nervous about, you make an effort to be brave enough to do it.
the courage of one's convictions
the confidence to act in accordance with one's beliefs
the courage of your convictions
If you have the courage of your convictions , you have the confidence to do what you believe is right, even though other people may not agree or approve .
take one's courage in both hands
to nerve oneself to perform an action
Chinese translation of 'courage'
courage
(ˈkʌrɪdʒ)
n(u)
勇气(氣) (yǒngqì)
to have the courage to do sth有勇气(氣)做某事 (yǒu yǒngqì zuò mǒushì)
(noun)
Definition
the ability to face danger or pain without fear
They do not have the courage to apologise for their actions.
Synonyms
bravery
You deserve the highest praise for your bravery.
nerve
I never got up enough nerve to tell him he was wrong.
If we keep our nerve, we might be able to bluff it out.
fortitude
He suffered his illness with dignity and fortitude.
boldness
balls (vulgar, slang)
bottle (British, slang)
Will anyone have the bottle to go through with it?
resolution
He implemented policy with resolution and single-mindedness.
daring
His daring nearly cost him his life.
guts (informal)
pluck
Cynics might sneer at him but you have to admire his pluck.
grit
He showed grit and determination in his fight back to health.
heroism
individual acts of heroism
mettle
It's the first real test of his mettle this season.
firmness
gallantry
He was awarded a medal for his gallantry.
valour
He was decorated for valour in the war.
spunk (informal)
I admired her independence and her spunk.
fearlessness
intrepidity
hardihood
developing hardihood of body
ballsiness (taboo, slang)
dauntlessness
lion-heartedness
Opposites
fear
,
cowardice
,
timidity
,
faint-heartedness
,
cravenness
Quotations
No one can answer for his courage when he has never been in danger [Duc de la Rochefoucauld – Maxims]Sometimes even to live is an act of courage [Seneca – Letters to Lucilius]Courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point [C.S. Lewis]Screw your courage to the sticking place [William Shakespeare – Macbeth]As to moral courage, I have very rarely met with two o'clock in the morning courage: I mean instantaneous courage [Napoleon Bonaparte]