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Abortive vs Coward - What's the difference?

abortive | coward |

As an adjective abortive

is (obsolete) produced by abortion; born prematurely .

As a noun abortive

is (obsolete) that which is born or brought forth prematurely; an abortion .

As a verb abortive

is (obsolete) to cause an abortion; to render without fruit .

As a proper noun coward is

.

abortive

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • (obsolete) Produced by abortion; born prematurely.
    • an abortive child
  • Coming to naught; failing in its effect; miscarrying; fruitless; unsuccessful.
    • an abortive attempt
  • * 1799 edition, , Paradise Lost :
    • and with utter loss of being
    Threatens him, plung'd in that abortive gulf.
  • * (rfdate),
    • An abortive enterprise.
  • (biology) Imperfectly formed or developed; rudimentary; sterile.
    • an abortive organ
    an abortive stamen
    an abortive ovule
  • (medicine, rare, attributive) Causing abortion; abortifacient
    • abortive medicines
  • * (Parr)
  • (medicine) Cutting short; acting to halt or slow the progress (of a disease).
    • abortive treatment of typhoid fever
  • Made from the skin of a still-born animal.
    • abortive vellum

    Derived terms

    * abortiveness

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) That which is born or brought forth prematurely; an abortion.
  • * "Thou elvish-mark'd, abortive , rooting hog!" - Shakespeare, Richard III, I-iii
  • (obsolete) A fruitless effort or issue.
  • (obsolete) A medicine to which is attributed the property of causing abortion, abortifacient.

    • Verb

    (abortiv)
  • (obsolete) To cause an abortion; to render without fruit.

    • References

    * ----

    coward

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A person who lacks courage.
  • * 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.

    Synonyms

    * chicken * See also

    Derived terms

    * cowardly * cowardice

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Cowardly.
  • *, II.17:
  • *:It is a coward and servile humour, for a man to disguise and hide himselfe under a maske, and not dare to shew himselfe as he is.
  • * Shakespeare
    • He raised the house with loud and coward cries.
  • * Prior
    • Invading fears repel my coward joy.
  • (heraldry, of a lion) Borne in the escutcheon with his tail doubled between his legs.
    • English words suffixed with -ard