词源

源自中古英語 ，源自古法語 、（→法語 ），源自、coe (“尾巴”) + (贬义施动者名词后缀)。其中，、coe，源自拉丁語 。可能指的是动物“转尾巴的方向或夹着尾巴（逃跑）”，尤其是狗。与英語 无关。取代了本土词古英語 。

发音

• (英國) 英語發音：kou'əd、國際音標^(幫助)：/ˈkaʊəd/

  • （英国）音频：

    (檔案)

• (美國) 英語發音：kou'ərd、國際音標^(幫助)：/ˈkaʊɚd/

  • （美国）音频：

    (檔案)

• 斷字：co‧ward
• 同音词：

名词

(複數)

1. 懦夫，胆小鬼
   • c. 1599, , “”, 出自 , London: Printed by , and , 出版於 1623, →OCLC, Act II, scene ii，頁號 117, column 1:

     Cowards dye many times before their deaths, / The valiant neuer taſte of death but once: […]

     （請為本引文添加中文翻譯）

   • 1856: Gustave Flaubert, Madame Bovary, Part II Chapter IV, translated by Eleanor Marx-Aveling

     He tortured himself to find out how he could make his declaration to her, and always halting between the fear of displeasing her and the shame of being such a coward, he wept with discouragement and desire. Then he took energetic resolutions, wrote letters that he tore up, put it off to times that he again deferred.

形容词

(比較級，最高級)

A lion coward.

1. 胆小的，怯懦的

   近義詞：

   • Template:RQ:Montaigne Florio Essayes
   • 大約1605 William Shakespeare, King Lear, Act II, Scene 4,

     He rais’d the house with loud and coward cries.

   • 1709, Matthew Prior, “Celia to Damon” in Poems on Several Occasions, London: Jacob Tonson, 2nd edition, p. 89,

     Invading Fears repel my Coward Joy;

     And Ills foreseen the pleasant Bliss destroy.

2. (紋章學，指狮子图案) 在腿间有两条尾巴的

动词

(第三人稱單數簡單現在時，現在分詞，一般過去時及過去分詞)

1. (及物，棄用) 恫吓
   • 1820, John Chalkhill, Thealma and Clearchus:

     The first he coped with was their captain, whom / His sword sent headless to seek out a tomb. / This cowarded the valour of the rest, […]

     （請為本引文添加中文翻譯）

参考资料

• Template:R:Britannica 1911

词源 1

借自古法語 ，等价于古法語 (“尾巴”) +‎ 。对比。

词源 2