Middle English Dictionary Entry
cǒuardīse n.
Entry Info
| Forms | cǒuardīse n. |
| Etymology | OF co(u)ardise |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Cowardice, cowardliness; (b) cowardly or unchivalrous behavior.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.217 : A knyȝt of Rome..was repreved of kowardyse [L timiditate].
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)10915 : Kowardyse hyt ys, and foule maystry, To þrowe a faucoun at euery flye.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)3062 : Now he is ful of cowardise, Þat woldest ȝiue vile trowage.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)2518 : Yf þai be many and mekil of pryse, I sal let for no kouwardise.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.412 : The folk wol wene that thow, for cowardise, The feynest sik.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.372 : Among alle cowardisis, cowardise of richesse is þe moste..Þis is more þan cowardise of bodi.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)4/22 : Þe prest durst not for cowardyse speke wyth her but seldom.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.150 : Antonius..made his knyghtes full of cowardise Þat wiþ þeire swerdes all þei schulde hym [Papynian] sleen.
b
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2273 : Such cowardise of þat knyȝt cowþe I neuer here.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)4118 : It wer a cowardyse, That hegh emprise..For drede of deth so sodeynly forsake.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)42a : Worschepful men þouȝte it schameful, as it were a cowardise, asking of leue to wende out of þe oost.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)103/29 : Sometym he was bolde as longyth to a knyght..but aftyr, he yafe hym [more] to cowardyse than to knyght-hode.
2.
Stupidity, folly; sluggishness, slackness, sloth.
Associated quotations
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Job 8.14 : To hym shal not plese his couwardise [WB(2): cowardise; L vecordia].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)149b/a : For his feintnesse [L pusillanimitatem] & cowardise [L segniciem] he is ouercome of a bridde þat is lasse þan he.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Josh.18.3 : Hou longe faden ȝe bi cowardise [WB(1): with slewth; L ignavia] ethir slouthe, and entren not to welde the lond.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)68a/b : Vecordia: cowerdyse.
- ?a1475 PParv.(Win)97 : Cowardysse [KC: cowardise]: Vecordia, Inercia.