Word of the Day

: December 17, 2007

craven

adjective KRAY-vun

What It Means

: lacking the least bit of courage : contemptibly fainthearted

craven in Context

Lavinia thought it was craven of Alex to cave into pressure and retract his allegations instead of defending his position.

Did You Know?

"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'").