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recreantmore about recreant

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}] 




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