Craven is an adjective meaning lacking the least bit of courage; contemptibly fainthearted. It suggests extreme defeatism and a complete lack of resistance, similar to 'dastardly' and 'pusillanimous'.
Craven es un adjetivo que significa la falta de coraje, cobardemente. Sugiere un extremado derrotismo y una completa falta de resistencia, similar a "dastardly" (vil) y "pusillanimous" (pusilánime).
| Word | craven |
|---|---|
| Date | December 17, 2007 |
| Type | adjective |
| Syllables | KRAY-vun |
| Etymology | "Craven" and its synonyms "dastardly" and "pusillanimous" are all basically fancy words for "cowardly." Don't be afraid to use them -- here's a little information to help you recognize the subtle distinctions in their connotations. "Craven" suggests extreme defeatism and complete lack of resistance. One might speak of "craven yes-men." "Dastardly" often implies behavior that is both cowardly and treacherous or skulking or outrageous, as in this example: "a dastardly attack on unarmed civilians." "Pusillanimous" suggests a contemptible lack of courage (e.g., "After the attack, one editorialist characterized the witnesses as 'the pusillanimous bystanders'"). |
| Examples | Lavinia thought it was craven of Alex to cave into pressure and retract his allegations instead of defending his position. |
| Definition | : lacking the least bit of courage : contemptibly fainthearted |
Tags: wordoftheday::adjective
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