a. [ OF. couard, coard, coart, n. and adj., F. couard, fr. OF. coe, coue, tail, F. queue (fr. L. coda, a form of cauda tail) + -ard; orig., short-tailed, as an epithet of the hare, or perh., turning tail, like a scared dog. Cf. Cue, Queue, Caudal. ]
Fie, coward woman, and soft-hearted wretch. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
He raised the house with loud and coward cries. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
Invading fears repel my coward joy. Proir. [ 1913 Webster ]
v. t. To make timorous; to frighten. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]
That which cowardeth a man's heart. Foxe. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. A person who lacks courage; a timid or pusillanimous person; a poltroon. [ 1913 Webster ]
A fool is nauseous, but a coward worse. Dryden.
n. [ F. couardise, fr. couard. See Coward. ] Want of courage to face danger; extreme timidity; pusillanimity; base fear of danger or hurt; lack of spirit. [ 1913 Webster ]
The cowardice of doing wrong. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]
Moderation was despised as cowardice. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ OF. couardie. ] Cowardice. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]
a. Cowardly. [ Obs. ] “A base and a cowardish mind.” Robynson (More's Utopia). [ 1913 Webster ]
v. t. To render cowardly. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]
God . . . cowardizeth . . . insolent spirits. Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. Cowardice. [ 1913 Webster ]
a.
The cowardly rascals that ran from the battle. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
The cowardly rashness of those who dare not look danger in the face. Burke.
adv. In the manner of a coward. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]