browse words by letter
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m
n
o
p
q
r
s
t
u
v
w
x
y
z
recreant |
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}]
more about recreant
This work is licensed under a
