3 definitions found
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Recreant \Rec"re*ant\ (-ant), a. [OF., cowardly, fr recroire
recreire to forsake, leave tire, discourage, regard as
conquered, LL recredere se to declare one's self conquered
in combat; hence those are called recrediti or recreanti who
are considered infamous; L. pref. re- again back + credere
to believe, to be of opinion; hence originally, to disavow
one's opinion. See {Creed}.]
1. Crying for mercy, as a combatant in the trial by battle;
yielding; cowardly; mean-spirited; craven. ``This recreant
knight.'' --Spenser.
2. Apostate; false; unfaithful.
Who for so many benefits received, Turned recreant
to God, ingrate and false. --Milton.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Recreant \Rec"re*ant\, n.
One who yields in combat, and begs for mercy; a
mean-spirited, cowardly wretch. --Blackstone.
You are all recreants and dastards! --Shak.
From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]:
recreant
adj 1: having deserted a cause or principle; "some provinces had
proved recreant"; "renegade supporters of the usurper"
[syn: {renegade}]
2: lacking even the rudiments of courage; abjectly fearful;
"the craven fellow turned and ran"; "a craven proposal to
raise the white flag"; "this recreant knight"- Spenser
[syn: {craven}]
n 1: an abject coward [syn: {poltroon}, {craven}]
2: a disloyal person who forsakes his cause or religion or
political party or friend etc [syn: {deserter}, {apostate},
{renegade}]
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