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View Full Version : Word of the DayTuesday, November 22, 2011: poltroon



Duke
11-22-2011, 03:10 AM
Word of the DayTuesday, November 22, 2011: poltroon
\pol-TROON\ , noun;

1. A wretched coward; craven.

adjective:

1. Marked by utter cowardice.

Definition of poltroon|See synonyms|Comment on today's word|Suggest tomorrow's word


Quotes:
By heavens, if, under the circumstances of the provocation which you gave him, and his whole family, he would be as mean and cowardly a poltroon as I find you be...”
-- William Carleton, Valentine M'Cultchy, the Irish Agent
“Poltroon, my dear, poltroon!” Moloch put in. “He has no sense of decency, no respect—for me, or for anything. He's a vulgar, coarse fool.”
-- Henry Miller, Moloch
Origin:
Poltroon originally came from the Latin pullus meaning “young animal.” It came to mean an idler or coward in Old French.

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