courage

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noun cour·age \ˈkər-ij, ˈkə-rij\

Simple Definition of courage

: the ability to do something that you know is difficult or dangerous

Full Definition of courage

: mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty

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Examples of courage

Sometimes when I debate whether to risk my individuality or conform, the memory of my son's picture brings me courage. —Sue Monk Kidd, Reader's Digest, August 1990
But as long as your courage holds out you may as well go right ahead making a fool of yourself. All brave men are fools. —Robert Frost, 17 Apr. 1915, in Selected Letters of Robert Frost , 1964
Eunice Kennedy Shriver … didn't buy into the propaganda of her day that women had to be soft and submissive. That took courage back then, because she grew up in a family that expected a lot from the boys and very little from the girls. —Maria Shriver, Time, 26 Oct. 2009
She has the courage to support unpopular causes.
It takes courage to stand up for your rights.

Origin of courage

Middle English corage, from Anglo-French curage, from quer, coer heart, from Latin cor — more at heart

First Known Use: 14th century

Synonym Discussion of courage

courage, mettle, spirit, resolution, tenacity mean mental or moral strength to resist opposition, danger, or hardship. courage implies firmness of mind and will in the face of danger or extreme difficulty <the courage to support unpopular causes>. mettle suggests an ingrained capacity for meeting strain or difficulty with fortitude and resilience <a challenge that will test your mettle>. spirit also suggests a quality of temperament enabling one to hold one's own or keep up one's morale when opposed or threatened <her spirit was unbroken by failure>. resolution stresses firm determination to achieve one's ends <the resolution of pioneer women>. tenacity adds to resolution implications of stubborn persistence and unwillingness to admit defeat <held to their beliefs with great tenacity>.