From Middle English coward, from Old French coart, cuard ( > French couard), from coue (“tail”), coe + -ard (pejorative agent noun suffix); coue, coe is in turn from Latin cauda.
The reference seems to be to an animal "turning tail", or having its tail between its legs, especially a dog. Compare the expression tail between one's legs. Displaced native Old English earg (surviving in northern dialect English argh).
Unrelated to cower, which is of Germanic origin.
Meanings
Cowardly.
c. 1605, William Shakespeare, King Lear, Act II, Scene 4,
He rais’d the house with loud and coward cries.
It is a coward and servile humour, for a man to disguise and hide himselfe under a maske, and not dare to shew himselfe as he is. 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 17, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
Invading Fears repel my Coward Joy;
And Ills foreseen the pleasant Bliss destroy. 1709, Matthew Prior, “Celia to Damon”, in Poems on Several Occasions, 2nd edition, London: Jacob Tonson, page 89:
(of a lion) Borne in the escutcheon with his tail doubled between his legs.
From Middle English coward, from Old French coart, cuard ( > French couard), from coue (“tail”), coe + -ard (pejorative agent noun suffix); coue, coe is in turn from Latin cauda.
The reference seems to be to an animal "turning tail", or having its tail between its legs, especially a dog. Compare the expression tail between one's legs. Displaced native Old English earg (surviving in northern dialect English argh).
Unrelated to cower, which is of Germanic origin.
Meanings
A person who lacks courage.
Cowards dye many times before their deaths, / The valiant neuer taſte of death but once: […] c. 1599, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Ivlivs Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies, London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, act II, scene ii, page 117, column 1:
Near-synonyms: big baby, baby
1856: Gustave Flaubert, Madame Bovary, Part II Chapter IV, translated by Eleanor Marx-Aveling
He tortured himself to find out how he could make his declaration to her, and always halting between the fear of displeasing her and the shame of being such a coward, he wept with discouragement and desire. Then he took energetic resolutions, wrote letters that he tore up, put it off to times that he again deferred.
pl bojaźliwiec (a person who lacks courage) · sv fegis (a person who lacks courage) · cmn 孬種 /孬种 (a person who lacks courage) · vo dredajijiedan (a person who lacks courage) · nn feiging (a person who lacks courage) · ilo natakrot (a person who lacks courage) · pam bayugin (a person who lacks courage) · pdt Schietstremp (a person who lacks courage) · ccc s̈hamle'c̈homa (a person who lacks courage) · ja 臆病者 (a person who lacks courage) · ro laș (a person who lacks courage) · is bleyða (a person who lacks courage) · ba ҡурҡаҡ (a person who lacks courage) · tg тарсу (a person who lacks courage) · fy leffert (a person who lacks courage) · es gallina (a person who lacks courage) · ko 겁부 (a person who lacks courage) · ko 겁쟁이 (a person who lacks courage) · sh ку̏кавица (a person who lacks courage) · hi कायर (a person who lacks courage) · fr poltron (a person who lacks courage) · el φοβητσιάρης (a person who lacks courage) · bg страхли́вка (a person who lacks courage) · sh kȕkavica (a person who lacks courage) · sl strahopetnež (a person who lacks courage) · ro lașă (a person who lacks courage) · mi tautauā (a person who lacks courage) · sq frikacak (a person who lacks courage) · ka მხდალი (a person who lacks courage) · sk ustrašenec (a person who lacks courage) · kmr bêcesaret (a person who lacks courage) · it vile (a person who lacks courage) · nl watje (a person who lacks courage) · fy fiich (a person who lacks courage) · fa ترسو (a person who lacks courage) · id pengecut (a person who lacks courage) · th ขี้ขลาด (a person who lacks courage) · grc δειλός (a person who lacks courage) · uk боягу́з (a person who lacks courage) · ru ссыку́н (a person who lacks courage) · yi פּחדן (a person who lacks courage) · ja 卑怯者 (a person who lacks courage) · ht kapon (a person who lacks courage) · be баязлі́вец (a person who lacks courage) · sv mes (a person who lacks courage) · cs posera (a person who lacks courage) · kmr bêkulek (a person who lacks courage) · ang earg (a person who lacks courage) · vi người nhát gan (a person who lacks courage) · te పిరికివాడు (a person who lacks courage) · vi người nhút nhát (a person who lacks courage) · cmn 孱頭 /孱头 (a person who lacks courage) · lb Feigling (a person who lacks courage) · grc δειλή (a person who lacks courage) · kmr tirsoke (a person who lacks courage) · cs zbabělkyně (a person who lacks courage) · be баязлі́ўка (a person who lacks courage) · el κιοτής (a person who lacks courage) · cs zbabělec (a person who lacks courage) · sk bojazlivec (a person who lacks courage) · fo rædduskítur (a person who lacks courage) · nn reddhare (a person who lacks courage) · ccp 𑄛𑄘𑄢 (a person who lacks courage) · bg страхли́вец (a person who lacks courage) · mi hukehuke (a person who lacks courage) · it fifona (a person who lacks courage) · nb reddhare (a person who lacks courage) · af lafaard (a person who lacks courage) · it pusillanime (a person who lacks courage) · cy cachadur (a person who lacks courage) · ky коркок (a person who lacks courage) · el κότα (a person who lacks courage) · fo bloyta (a person who lacks courage) · uz qoʻrqoq (a person who lacks courage) · tt куркак (a person who lacks courage) · cy cachgi (a person who lacks courage) · de Feigling (a person who lacks courage) · lv gļēvulis (a person who lacks courage) · mi tautauwhea (a person who lacks courage) · shn ၵူၼ်းၶီႈယၢၼ်ႈ (a person who lacks courage) · fr couard (a person who lacks courage) · eu koldar (a person who lacks courage) · io deskurajozo (a person who lacks courage) · da bangebuks (a person who lacks courage) · ga cladhaire (a person who lacks courage) · es cobarde (a person who lacks courage) · lo ຄົນຂີ້ຢ້ານ (a person who lacks courage) · uk страхополо́х (a person who lacks courage) · ru трус (a person who lacks courage) · tg буздил (a person who lacks courage) · sw mwoga (a person who lacks courage) · ru боя́ка (a person who lacks courage) · eo poltrono (a person who lacks courage) · et argpüks (a person who lacks courage) · cmn 懦夫 (a person who lacks courage) · fr lâche (a person who lacks courage) · kmr tirsok (a person who lacks courage) · cs bázlivec (a person who lacks courage) · enm coward (a person who lacks courage) · ceb talawan (a person who lacks courage) · kk қорқақ (a person who lacks courage) · it fifone (a person who lacks courage) · ru труси́ха (a person who lacks courage) · vo hidredöfan (a person who lacks courage) · ru ссыкло́ (a person who lacks courage) · yi פּחדנטע (a person who lacks courage) · af papbroek (a person who lacks courage) · vo dredahijiedan (a person who lacks courage) · az qorxaq (a person who lacks courage) · ja 怖がり (a person who lacks courage) · cy llyfrgi (a person who lacks courage) · da kryster (a person who lacks courage) · pam galgawu (a person who lacks courage) · gv aggleydagh (a person who lacks courage) · gl cagainas (a person who lacks courage) · hi बुज़दिल (a person who lacks courage) · ivv matahaw (a person who lacks courage) · gd cladhaire (a person who lacks courage) · kmr tirsonek (a person who lacks courage) · ca covard (a person who lacks courage) · pam mataloti (a person who lacks courage) · ms pengecut (a person who lacks courage) · hi डरपोक (a person who lacks courage) · tr korkak (a person who lacks courage) · eo timemulo (a person who lacks courage) · de Schisserin (a person who lacks courage) · km អ្នកកំសាក (a person who lacks courage) · ur ڈرپوک (a person who lacks courage) · mk кука́вица (a person who lacks courage) · ug قورقۇنچاق (a person who lacks courage) · fa نامرد (a person who lacks courage) · eo timulo (a person who lacks courage) · ur بزدل (a person who lacks courage) · ka მშიშარა (a person who lacks courage) · nb feiging (a person who lacks courage) · de Hosenscheißer (a person who lacks courage) · km កំសាក (a person who lacks courage) · ka ლაჩარი (a person who lacks courage) · ru бздун (a person who lacks courage) · eo malkuraĝulo (a person who lacks courage) · mi poromataku (a person who lacks courage) · mrw talaw (a person who lacks courage) · ko 겁꾸러기 (a person who lacks courage) · cmn 膽小鬼 /胆小鬼 (a person who lacks courage) · kmr newêrek (a person who lacks courage) · he פחדנית (a person who lacks courage) · vo jidredöfan (a person who lacks courage) · fr couarde (a person who lacks courage) · fa بزدل (a person who lacks courage) · cy llwfrgi (a person who lacks courage) · it coniglio (a person who lacks courage) · de Angsthase (a person who lacks courage) · ru боягу́зка (a person who lacks courage) · mi tautauhea (a person who lacks courage) · ar جَبَان (a person who lacks courage) · de Schisser (a person who lacks courage) · ka ჯაბანი (a person who lacks courage) · fr poltronne (a person who lacks courage) · lv gļēvule (a person who lacks courage) · ckt айыԓгыԓьын (a person who lacks courage) · fo ónytta (a person who lacks courage) · he מוּג לֵב (a person who lacks courage) · sk zbabelec (a person who lacks courage) · mi whiore hume (a person who lacks courage) · nl slapjanus (a person who lacks courage) · mg fananga (a person who lacks courage) · mn аймхай хүн (a person who lacks courage) · hy ղզիկ (a person who lacks courage) · ru трусишка (a person who lacks courage) · mn хулчгар хүн (a person who lacks courage) · he פַּחְדָן (a person who lacks courage) · ja 腰抜け (a person who lacks courage) · oc coard (a person who lacks courage) · it codardo (a person who lacks courage) · tg номард (a person who lacks courage) · myv тандаль (a person who lacks courage) · uk боягу́зка (a person who lacks courage) · tr tabansız (a person who lacks courage) · pt covarde (a person who lacks courage) · ko 겁보 (a person who lacks courage) · el δειλός (a person who lacks courage) · vo dredajiedan (a person who lacks courage) · fi pelkuri (a person who lacks courage) · it vigliacco (a person who lacks courage) · tr ödlek (a person who lacks courage) · mk страшливец (a person who lacks courage) · io poltrono (a person who lacks courage) · ml ഭീരു (a person who lacks courage) · ko 비겁자 (a person who lacks courage) · cy cilgi (a person who lacks courage) · el φοβιτσιάρης (a person who lacks courage) · fr froussard (a person who lacks courage) · cjs қортуқ (a person who lacks courage) · sl strahopetnica (a person who lacks courage) · yi טרוס (a person who lacks courage) · tl duwag (a person who lacks courage) · ka ქვეშაჯვია (a person who lacks courage) · ga meatachán (a person who lacks courage) · gd gealtaire (a person who lacks courage) · cmn 軟骨頭 /软骨头 (a person who lacks courage) · fo ræðuskítur (a person who lacks courage) · ja 弱虫 (a person who lacks courage) · fo bløka (a person who lacks courage) · ru боягу́з (a person who lacks courage) · hu gyáva (alak) (a person who lacks courage) · lo ຄົນຕາຂາວ (a person who lacks courage) · nl lafaard (a person who lacks courage) · de Warmduscher (a person who lacks courage) · be палахлі́ўка (a person who lacks courage) · sk zbabelkyňa (a person who lacks courage) · lt bailys (a person who lacks courage) · alt коркунчаак (a person who lacks courage) · hy վախկոտ (a person who lacks courage) · tg тарсончак (a person who lacks courage) · fr froussarde (a person who lacks courage) · ja 怖がり屋 (a person who lacks courage) · da kujon (a person who lacks courage) · th คนขี้ขลาด (a person who lacks courage) · cy cachwr (a person who lacks courage) · be палахлі́вец (a person who lacks courage) · vo dredöfan (a person who lacks courage) · el άνανδρος (a person who lacks courage) · gl covarde (a person who lacks courage) · pl tchórz (a person who lacks courage) · hi बुजदिल (a person who lacks courage) · pl strachajło (a person who lacks courage) · mi hamo pango (a person who lacks courage)
From Middle English coward, from Old French coart, cuard ( > French couard), from coue (“tail”), coe + -ard (pejorative agent noun suffix); coue, coe is in turn from Latin cauda.
The reference seems to be to an animal "turning tail", or having its tail between its legs, especially a dog. Compare the expression tail between one's legs. Displaced native Old English earg (surviving in northern dialect English argh).
Unrelated to cower, which is of Germanic origin.
Meanings
(obsolete, transitive) To intimidate.
The first he coped with was their captain, whom / His sword sent headless to seek out a tomb. / This cowarded the valour of the rest, […] 1820, John Chalkhill, Thealma and Clearchus: