If you call someone a coward, you disapprove of them because they are easily frightened and avoid dangerous or difficult situations.
[disapproval]
She accused her husband of being a coward.
Synonyms: weakling, craven, skulker, faint-heart More Synonyms of coward
coward in British English
(ˈkaʊəd)
noun
a person who shrinks from or avoids danger, pain, or difficulty
Word origin
C13: from Old French cuard, from coue tail, from Latin cauda; perhaps suggestive of a frightened animal with its tail between its legs
Coward in British English
(ˈkaʊəd)
noun
Sir Noël (Pierce). 1899–1973, English dramatist, actor, and composer, noted for his sophisticated comedies, which include Private Lives (1930) and Blithe Spirit (1941)
Coward in American English
(ˈkaʊərd)
Sir Noel (Pierce)1899-1973; Eng. playwright, actor, and songwriter
coward in American English
(ˈkaʊərd)
noun
1.
a person who lacks courage, esp. one who is shamefully unable to control fear and so shrinks from danger or trouble
adjective
2.
cowardly
Word origin
ME & OFr couard, coward, lit., with tail between the legs < OFr coue, coe, tail < L cauda, tail
Examples of 'coward' in a sentence
coward
Priya is unsympathetic as she feels suicide is a betrayal - a coward's way out.
The Sun (2016)
The best defence she could offer was that she had been 'a coward '.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
When his friends called him a coward his resolve was only hardened.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Those cowards will not take us all on.
The Sun (2013)
We should be very careful who we call a coward.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
If you dived in my day you were called a coward.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
He called the bombers cowards and clowns.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
People called him a coward who put the lives of many of his fellow soldiers in danger with his actions.
The Sun (2016)
In reality they are spineless cowards.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He also branded Moat a coward for leaving him to take the rap.
The Sun (2011)
Telling you he wanted to be single was the coward's way out.
The Sun (2012)
It is sometimes said suicide is a coward's way out.
The Sun (2012)
He took the coward's way out.
The Sun (2013)
He should have been force fed and not allowed the coward's way out.
The Sun (2006)
He stood there, wiped it from his eyes and called me a coward.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
I wondered if doing so was the coward's way out.
Christianity Today (2000)
It's a coward's way to fight.
The Sun (2010)
From my armchair, it feels more like a coward's way out.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
He now admits that he was 'a coward' in not taking a tougher stand on player signings.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Unlike the cowards that avoid their neighbours, I like to face off in the street.
The Sun (2014)
A Labour colleague branded him a coward for failing to say sorry in front of MPs.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Or should I take the coward's approach?
The Sun (2015)
Where I come from, we call that a coward.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Quotations
Cowards die many times before their deathsWilliam ShakespeareJulius Caesar
coward: one who in a perilous emergency thinks with his legsAmbrose BierceThe Devil's Dictionary
May coward shame distain his name, The wretch that dares not die!Robert BurnsMcPherson's Farewell
All men would be cowards if they durstJohn WilmotA Satire against Mankind
In other languages
coward
British English: coward /ˈkaʊəd/ NOUN
A coward is someone who is easily frightened and avoids dangerous or difficult situations.
She accused him of being a coward.
American English: coward
Arabic: جَبَان
Brazilian Portuguese: covarde
Chinese: 胆小鬼
Croatian: kukavica
Czech: zbabělec
Danish: kujon
Dutch: lafaard
European Spanish: cobarde
Finnish: pelkuri
French: lâche peu courageux
German: Feigling
Greek: δειλός
Italian: codardo
Japanese: 臆病者
Korean: 겁쟁이
Norwegian: feiging
Polish: tchórz
European Portuguese: covarde
Romanian: laș
Russian: трус
Latin American Spanish: cobarde
Swedish: fegis
Thai: คนขี้ขลาด
Turkish: korkak
Ukrainian: боягуз
Vietnamese: người nhút nhát
Chinese translation of 'coward'
coward
(ˈkauəd)
n(c)
胆(膽)小鬼 (dǎnxiǎoguǐ) (个(個), gè)
(noun)
Definition
a person who is easily frightened and avoids dangerous or difficult situations
The man's just a lily-livered coward.
Synonyms
weakling
craven
skulker
faint-heart
poltroon
chicken (slang)
wimp (informal)
I'm a total wimp when watching horror films.
scaredy-cat (informal)
sneak
funk (informal)
pussy (slang, mainly US)
yellow-belly (slang)
recreant (archaic)
caitiff (archaic)
dastard (archaic)
Quotations
Cowards die many times before their deaths [William Shakespeare – Julius Caesar]coward: one who in a perilous emergency thinks with his legs [Ambrose Bierce – The Devil's Dictionary]May coward shame distain his name, The wretch that dares not die! [Robert Burns – McPherson's Farewell]All men would be cowards if they durst [John Wilmot – A Satire against Mankind]