cowardly meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

cowardly

adj

UK /ˈkaʊədli/

Etymology From Middle English *cowardly (adjective) and cowardly (adverb), equivalent to coward + -ly. Displaced native Old English earg.

Showing cowardice; lacking in courage; weakly fearful.

The cowardly rascals that ran from the battle.1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene vii]:
1780, Edmund Burke, speech at The Guildhall, in Bristol The cowardly rashness of those who dare not look danger in the face.

Synonyms: 69 terms
backboneless, base, bitch-ass, boneless, caitiff, candy-assed, chicken, chicken-hearted, chicken-livered, chickenshit, courageless, cowardish, cowardly, cowardy, cowhearted, cowish, craven, cravenhearted, cringey, dastard, dastardly, dickless, dough-faced, fainthearted, fearful, fraidy, gizzardless, heartless, invalorous, invertebrate, gutless, hen-hearted, kiasi, lily-livered, liver-faced, liver-hearted, low-hearted, miching, milky, milk-livered, mouse-hearted, mousy, nerveless, niddering, nidering, niding, nithing, nutless, pigeon-livered, poltroonish, poor-spirited, punk, pusillanimous, pussylike, ratlike, rabbit-hearted, recrayed, retromingent, sissy, spineless, timid, timorous, unhearty, weak-kneed, white-hearted, white-livered, wimpish, yellow, yellow-bellied
Antonyms: brave
Derived terms: cowardlily, cowardliness, cowardly lion, uncowardly
Related terms: shy, afraid, coward, cowardice

adv

Etymology From Middle English *cowardly (adjective) and cowardly (adverb), equivalent to coward + -ly. Displaced native Old English earg.

Archaic In the manner of a coward, cowardlily.

We will not ſteale vpon him cowardly, But giue him warning and more warriours.c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene v:
I love to follow them, but not so cowardly, as my life remaine thereby in subjection.1603, Michel de Montaigne, translated by John Florio, The Essayes […], book I, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC, page 48:

1 more example

[…] men who cowardly and hypocritically subscribe orthodox creeds, whilst they teach a different kind of doctrine!1828, John Paul, A Refutation of Arianism, page 20: