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opposite of brave

English translation: cowardly

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:opposite of brave
Selected answer:cowardly
Entered by: Patsy Florit

15:28 Feb 22, 2009
English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
English term or phrase: opposite of brave
I need an adjective to define a person who`s not "brave" to face whatever happens to him.
I`m not sure if fearful can be used here.
Patsy Florit
Local time: 04:43
cowardly
Explanation:
There may be other possibilitirs, but I think this is the most obvious one.

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Note added at 59 mins (2009-02-22 16:28:12 GMT)
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"A person who is afraid to face what might happen to him" might be what you want.
Selected response from:

Jack Doughty
United Kingdom
Local time: 08:43
Grading comment
I think this is the most suitable answer. Thanks
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +15cowardly
Jack Doughty


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +15
cowardly


Explanation:
There may be other possibilitirs, but I think this is the most obvious one.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 59 mins (2009-02-22 16:28:12 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"A person who is afraid to face what might happen to him" might be what you want.

Jack Doughty
United Kingdom
Local time: 08:43
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 370
Grading comment
I think this is the most suitable answer. Thanks

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Egil Presttun
0 min
  -> Thank you.
agree  Andrew Fanko: Absolutely!
3 mins
  -> Thank you.
agree  William [Bill] Gray: Right on!
5 mins
  -> Thank you.
agree  Jeanette Phillips
20 mins
  -> Thank you.
agree  Maria Mandulova: "Fearful" is different - causing fear, not full of fear
24 mins
  -> Thank you. No, fearful, of a person, does normally mean having fear rather than causing it. But it can be used in the latter meaning in a fearful battle, for example.
agree  Sabine Akabayov, PhD
27 mins
  -> Thank you.
agree  Mark Nathan: agree with Nesrin too - "not brave enough/too cowardly to do something".
27 mins
  -> Thank you. Yes, it would be better to have the context.
agree  Kay Barbara: Yes, or "a chicken", not an adjective though ;)
28 mins
  -> Thank you. "Chicken" can be used as an adjective in this meaning, but it's a colloquialism.
agree  Suzan Hamer: And with Nesrin. Gutless, spineless, craven, pusillanimous, faint-hearted are other possibilities, depending on context and intention. After seeing your additional comment, I might say the person is in denial; refuses to admit there is a problem at all.
33 mins
  -> Thank you. Yes.
agree  Rosina Peixoto
36 mins
  -> Thank you.
agree  P Waters
48 mins
  -> Thank you.
agree  Patricia Townshend (X)
56 mins
  -> Thank you.
agree  Edith Kelly
3 hrs
  -> Thank you.
agree  Phong Le
9 hrs
  -> Thank you.
agree  Pham Huu Phuoc
17 hrs
  -> Thank you.
neutral  Dian Kjærgaard: Yes, cowardly is a good opposite of the adjective brave. But if we're talking about a verbal phrase (isn't brave enough to face up), then a good equivalent would be "doesn't have the courage to ...". See also Nesrin's and patsyarmondo's clarifications.
19 hrs
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