Word of the Day: Coward
A coward is a person who loses courage in the face of danger. It’s also a person who harms innocent people or attacks someone without warning.
- The man who killed innocent people at a nightclub was a coward.
- His family has to live with the knowledge that he was a coward.
- The young men who left their country without fighting for it were called cowards.
- The cowards brought dishonor to their people and their nation.
- The coward ran from the fight with his tail between his legs. (tail between one’s legs = This is an expression. It’s a reference to a dog that runs away in fear.)
- The children on the playground called the boy a coward because he backed away from a fight.
The word “cowardly” is an adjective. This is unusual because an “ly” ending usually goes at the end of an adverb.
- The cowardly and unprovoked attacks on the soccer fans were broadcast on television.
- It was a cowardly act to raid the village in the middle of the night.
- The Cowardly Lion, a character in the Wizard of Oz, is afraid of just about everything.
The word “cowardice” is a noun:
- The man who committed the crime was condemned for his cowardice.
- The men of the region have a reputation for cowardice.
Note: This is a word often used when describing a man’s behavior, but it can be applied to women as well. The expectations for men and women are different when it comes to fighting. Also, a woman is much less likely to attack or kill compared to man. Statistics and facts bear this out as truth.
Essential English Dictionary
Visit the Popular English Words Beginning with C page to see the list of all words starting with letter C. For seeing the HiCafe dictionary, visit the Popular English Words with Meaning page.