craven

Etymology

From Middle English craven (adjective)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkɹeɪ.vən/
• Rhymes: -eɪvən

Adjective

craven (comparative more craven, superlative most craven)

1. Unwilling to fight; lacking even the rudiments of courage; extremely cowardly.
   • Sir Walter Scott

     The poor craven bridegroom said never a word.

Noun

craven (plural cravens)

1. A coward.
   • Shakespeare

     He is a craven and a villain else.

Verb

craven (third-person singular simple present cravens, present participle cravening, simple past and past participle cravened)

1. To make craven.
   • 1609: William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Cymbeline, Act III, Scene IV

     There is a prohibition so divine / That cravens my weak hand.

References

• craven in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• craven in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913

Anagrams

• carven, cavern

Etymology 1

From Old French cravanté (“defeated”), past participle of cravanter, from Latin crepare (“to crack", "creak”)

Etymology 2

Old English crafian, indicating Proto-Germanic *krabōną (compare related Old Norse krefja (“to demand”) > Danish kræve, Norwegian kreve (“to demand”)).