English Vocabulary (A - D)

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coward

The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable | 2006 | | Copyright

coward cowards die many times before their death a comment on vividly imagined fears, often with allusion to Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, ‘Cowards die many times before their deaths: The valiant never taste of death but once.’ The saying is recorded from the late 16th century.
cowardy custard a cowardly person, often used as a taunt by children, and recorded as such from the mid 19th century. (Early forms also have costard, a kind of cooking apple which was humorously used to mean a person's head.)

See also a bully is always a coward.

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coward

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English | 2009 | Copyright

cow·ard / ˈkou-ərd/ • n. a person who lacks the courage to do or endure dangerous or unpleasant things. • adj. 1. poetic/lit. excessively afraid of danger or pain. 2. Heraldry (of an animal) depicted with the tail between the hind legs.

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coward

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | 1996 | | Copyright

coward XIII. ME. cu(e)ard — OF. cuard, later couard, f. Rom. *cōda, L. cauda, tail; see -ARD. In the OF. ‘Roman de Renart’, coart is the name of the hare.
So cowardice XIII. — OF. couardise.

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T. F. HOAD. "coward." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "coward." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-coward.html

T. F. HOAD. "coward." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-coward.html

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coward

Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes | 2007 | Copyright

coward •multi-layered •beard, weird •greybeard (US graybeard) •bluebeard • Iliad • Olympiad • myriad •period •hamadryad, jeremiad, semi-retired, underwired, undesired, unexpired, uninspired •coward, Howard, underpowered, unpowered •froward •leeward, steward •gourd, Lourdes, self-assured, uncured, uninsured, unobscured, unsecured •scabbard, tabard •halberd • starboard •unremembered • tribade • cupboard •unencumbered, unnumbered •good-natured, ill-natured •Richard • pilchard • pochard • orchard •unstructured • uncultured •standard, sub-standard •unconsidered • unhindered •unordered • Stafford • Bradford •Sandford, Sanford, Stanford •Hartford, Hertford •Bedford, Redford •Telford • Wexford • Chelmsford •Clifford • Pickford • Guildford •Linford • Mitford • Hereford •Longford • Oxford • Watford •Crawford • Salford • Rutherford •haggard, laggard •niggard • unsugared • sluggard •unmeasured • uninjured • tankard •becard • bewhiskered • unconquered •drunkard

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

	COWARD GOT BACK INTO MUSIC, "FULL THROTTLE".(NORFOLK COMPASS) Newspaper article from: The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA); 4/8/2004
	Considering Coward anew; Noel Coward's work, for all its delicacy and... Newspaper article from: Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN); 3/7/2010
	Noel Coward, not-so-blithe spirit in world he created.(Books) Newspaper article from: The Washington Times (Washington, DC); 9/1/1996