cowardly

English

Etymology

From coward +‎ -ly.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈkaʊədli/

Adverb

cowardly (comparative more cowardly, superlative most cowardly)

1. In the manner of a coward.
   • 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essays, Folio Society 2006, vol. 1 p. 48:

     I love to follow them, but not so cowardly, as my life remaine thereby in subjection.

Translations

in the manner of a coward

• Finnish: pelkurimainen (fi)
• Italian: vigliaccamente (it), pusillanimamente (it), vilmente (it)
• Japanese: へたれ (ja) (hetare)
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: feig (nb)

  Nynorsk: feig (nn)

• Russian: трусливо (ru) (truslivo), малодушно (ru) (malodušno)
• Volapük: dredöfo (vo), dredöfiko (vo), (male or female) dredöfaniko (vo), (male) hidredöfaniko (vo), (female) jidredöfaniko (vo)

Adjective

cowardly (comparative cowardlier or more cowardly, superlative cowardliest or most cowardly)

1. Showing cowardice; lacking in courage; basely or weakly fearful.
   • Shakespeare

     The cowardly rascals that ran from the battle.

   • Burke

     The cowardly rashness of those who dare not look danger in the face.

Related terms

• coward

Translations

showing cowardice

• Bulgarian: страхлив (bg) (strahliv)
• Czech: zbabělý (cs) m
• Dutch: laf (nl)
• French: lâche (fr), veule (fr), bas (fr)
• German: feige (de)
• Hungarian: gyáva (hu)
• Irish: meata (ga)
• Italian: codardo (it), pusillanime (it), vigliacco (it), vile (it)
• Japanese: へたれ (ja) (hetare)
• Jèrriais: lâche

• Manx: faitagh (gv)
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: feig (nb)

  Nynorsk: feig (nn)

• Old English: earg (ang)
• Polish: tchórzliwy (pl) m
• Romanian: laș (ro), fricos (ro), mișel (ro)
• Russian: трусливый (ru) (truslívyj), малодушный (ru) (malodušnyj)
• Spanish: vil (es), ruin (es)
• Volapük: dredöfik (vo)