coward
要点おくびょう者;
意味
- おくびょう者;ひきょう者
例文
The youngster resented being treated as a coward.
その若者は臆病者扱いをされて憤慨した。
He is not the coward that he was ten years ago.
彼は今や１０年前のような臆病者ではない。
I'm such a coward that I rarely visit the dentist.
私はとても臆病者なのでめったに歯医者に行かない。
語源
cow尾＋-ard〜な人（悪い意味）
古フランス語coue「尾」＋-ard。しっぽを巻いて逃げる動物にたとえて「臆病者」。
cow（牛）やcower（すくむ）とは別語源。-ardはdrunkard（大酒飲み）と同じ。
英語の原文（Wiktionary）
From Middle English coward, from Old French coart, cuard ( > French couard), from coue (“tail”), coe + -ard (pejorative agent noun suffix); coue, coe is in turn from Latin cauda. The reference seems to be to an animal "turning tail", or having its tail between its legs, especially a dog. Compare the expression tail between one's legs. Displaced native Old English earg (surviving in northern dialect English argh). Unrelated to cower, which is of Germanic origin.