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Fainthearted vs Coward - What's the difference?

fainthearted | coward |

As an adjective fainthearted

is faint of heart; irresolute; fearful.

As a proper noun coward is

.

fainthearted

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Faint of heart; irresolute; fearful.
  • * 1719: Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe [http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/ot2www-pubeng?specfile=/texts/english/modeng/publicsearch/modengpub.o2w&act=text&offset=193841263&textreg=2&query=+fainthearted&id=DefCru1]
    • Upon this, our guide, who, by the way, was but a fainthearted fellow, bid us keep in a ready posture, for he believed there were more wolves a-coming. We kept our arms ready, and our eyes about us...
  • * 1866: Louisa May Alcott, Behind a Mask: or, A Woman's Power [http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/ot2www-pubeng?specfile=/texts/english/modeng/publicsearch/modengpub.o2w&act=text&offset=59916136&textreg=1&query=+fainthearted&id=AlcBehi]
    • "Fainthearted knight! You should have stayed and covered my retreat. Hark! they are coming! Hide! Hide!" she panted, half in fear, half in merriment, as the gay pursuers rapidly drew nearer.

    Synonyms

    * afraid * cowardly * meek * timid

    Antonyms

    * brave * determined * steadfast * stouthearted

    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