cow·ard·ly

[kou-erd-lee]
adjective
1.
lacking courage; contemptibly timid.
2.
characteristic of or befitting a coward; despicably mean, covert, or unprincipled: a cowardly attack on a weak, defenseless man.
adverb
3.
like a coward.

Origin:
1275–1325; Middle English (adv.); see coward, -ly

cow·ard·li·ness, noun


1. craven, poltroon, dastardly, pusillanimous, fainthearted, white-livered, lily-livered, chicken-hearted, fearful, afraid, scared. Cowardly, timid, timorous refer to a lack of courage or self-confidence. Cowardly means weakly or basely fearful in the presence of danger: The cowardly wretch deserted his comrades in battle. Timid means lacking in boldness or self-confidence even when there is no danger present: a timid person who stood in the way of his own advancement. Timorous suggests a timidity based on an exaggeration of dangers or on an imaginary creation of dangers: timorous as a mouse.


1. brave.
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Cowardly is always a great word to know.
So is ort. Does it mean:
the offspring of a zebra and a donkey.
a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.
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cowardly (ˈkaʊədlɪ) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
adj
of or characteristic of a coward; lacking courage
 
'cowardliness
 
n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

cowardly
early 14c. (adv.); 1550s (adj.), from coward (q.v.). The adv. is much older than the adj.
"Yit had I levir do what I may Than here to dye thus cowerdelye" ["Le Morte d'Arthur," c.1450]
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Spotted hyenas are sometimes portrayed as cowardly scavengers, always laughing,
  always up to some kind of mischief.
These cowardly acts are outrageous and will not be tolerated.
The technology is good, but its intended uses are cowardly, dangerous and
  misanthropic.
What a cowardly belief to wager gods existence and your own eternal salvation
  based upon mathematical reasoning.
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