poltron

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See also: poltrón

English

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Noun

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poltron (plural poltrons)

  1. (obsolete) Alternative form of poltroon
    • 1716, Thomas Browne, edited by Samuel Johnson, Christian Morals[1], 2nd edition, London: J. Payne, published 1756, Part I, p. 35:
      Be not a Hercules furens abroad, and a poltron within thyself.
    • 1792, Thomas Holcroft, Anna St. Ives[2], London: Shepperson & Reynolds, Volume 4, Letter 71, p. 127:
      She shall find I am not the clay, but the potter. I will mould, not be moulded. Poltron as I was, to think of sinking into the docile, domesticated, timid animal called husband!
    • 1823, Edward Dillingham Bangs, An oration pronounced at Springfield, Mass., on the Fourth of July, 1823[3]:
      We were regarded as a nation of poltrons, without the spirit to resent insult, or the power to resist aggression.

French

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Etymology

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Inherited from Middle French poltron, ultimately borrowed from Italian poltrone.

Attested since 1509.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /pɔl.tʁɔ̃/
  • Audio:(file)

Noun

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poltron m or f by sense (plural poltrons)

  1. (derogatory) coward

Adjective

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poltron (feminine poltronne, masculine plural poltrons, feminine plural poltronnes)

  1. (derogatory) cowardly

Further reading

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Middle French

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Noun

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poltron m (plural poltrons)

  1. coward

Descendants

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  • English: poltroon
  • French: poltron

Norman

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Etymology

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Borrowed from French poltron (coward), from Italian poltrone (sluggard).

Noun

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poltron m (plural poltrons)

  1. (Jersey) thug

Romanian

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Etymology

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Borrowed from French poltron.

Noun

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poltron m (plural poltroni)

  1. coward

Declension

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