First published 1893; not yet revised More entries for "craven"

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cravenadjective & noun

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Earlier version

craven, a. and n. in OED Second Edition (1989)

In other dictionaries

crāvant, adj. in Middle English Dictionary

adjective
1. 1.
  †
  1. 1.a.
    a1225
    
    Vanquished, defeated; or, perhaps, confessing himself or herself vanquished. Obsolete.
    a1225
    Ich am kempe ant he is crauant þet me wende to ouercumen.
    St. Marher. 11
    a1225
    Al ha icneowen ham crauant & ourcumen, & cweðen hire þe meistrie & te menske al up.
    Legend of St. Katherine 133
    the world action or operation failure or lack of success defeat or overthrow [adjectives]
    cravena1225
    
    Vanquished, defeated; or, perhaps, confessing himself or herself vanquished. Obsolete.
    matec1225–1500
    
    Overcome, vanquished, defeated, confounded. to make mate: to overcome, render powerless.
    to yield oneself creanta1250–1480
    
    In phrases to yield oneself creant, to cry (or say) creant: To acknowledge oneself vanquished; to surrender oneself to an antagonist.
    confounded1362–
    
    Discomfited, abashed, put to shame or mental confusion; confused, disordered, etc.: see the verb.
    checkmate?c1370–1605
    
    In the position of a chess-player to whom checkmate has been given, and who is therefore defeated; beaten, undone.
    convictc1430–1545
    
    Overcome, vanquished, subdued.
    superatec1460–1521
    
    As past participle: surpassed, overcome, conquered.
    beaten1550–
    
    Conquered, defeated.
    frustrate1588–1876
    
    Of a desire, hope, purpose, etc.: Balked, defeated, disappointed, futile.
    convicteda1616
    
    Overcome, vanquished. Obsolete.
    skinned1897–
    
    colloquial (originally and chiefly U.S.). Beaten, bested, overcome completely; esp. in to have a person or thing skinned (to death). Now rare.
    stonkered1925–
    
    Rendered useless or ineffectual; confounded, defeated; ruined.
    View in Historical Thesaurus
  2. 1.b.
    a1634–1869
    
    to cry craven: to acknowledge oneself vanquished, to give up the contest, surrender. Also figurative.
    a1634
    If he become recreant, that is, a crying Coward or Craven he shall for his perjury lose liberam legem.
    E. Coke, Institutes of Lawes of England (1648) iii. 221
    1639
    He had been visited with a desperate sicknesse, insomuch that all art cried craven, as unable to help him.
    T. Fuller, Historie of Holy Warre iv. xi. 186
    1768
    Or victory is obtained, if either champion proves recreant, that is, yields, and pronounces the horrible word of craven.
    W. Blackstone, Commentaries on Laws of England vol. III. 340
    1805
    I..will make That wretched man cry craven in the dust.
    R. Southey, Madoc i. xv. 154
    1869
    Neither King nor Duke was a man likely to cry craven.
    E. A. Freeman, History of Norman Conquest vol. III. xv. 448
    society armed hostility defeat [intransitive verbs] be defeated surrender
    to cry (or say) creanta1250–1480
    
    In phrases to yield oneself creant, to cry (or say) creant: To acknowledge oneself vanquished; to surrender oneself to an antagonist.
    to yield oneself creanta1250–1480
    
    In phrases to yield oneself creant, to cry (or say) creant: To acknowledge oneself vanquished; to surrender oneself to an antagonist.
    to do (also put) oneself in (also to) a person's mercya1325–
    
    The clemency or forbearance which may be exercised by a conqueror or absolute ruler (or later, in extended use, by God), esp. to a prisoner or…
    yieldc1330–
    
    intransitive. To give oneself up, surrender, submit (as overcome in fight). Also with up (obsolete rare).
    recray1340–1500
    
    transitive. To tire or wear out. Chiefly in past participle.
    summisec1450–75
    
    transitive. To submit (in various senses). Also reflexive. Cf. submise, v.
    render1523–1688
    
    intransitive in same sense. Obsolete.
    amain1540–1728
    
    intransitive. Nautical. To lower the topsail as a sign of surrender; to yield.
    surrender1560–
    
    intransitive for reflexive = 3; chiefly Military (said of a body of men, a town or fortress, etc.); also figurative.
    to throw down one's arms (also weapons, etc.)1593–
    
    transitive. to throw down one's arms (also weapons, etc.): to stop fighting; to surrender.
    articulate1595–1643
    
    intransitive. To come to terms of agreement. Obsolete.
    to yield (also bow oneself) to (also upon) mercy1595
    
    The clemency or forbearance which may be exercised by a conqueror or absolute ruler (or later, in extended use, by God), esp. to a prisoner or…
    to give grass1597–
    
    †to give grass: to yield, surrender. Obsolete. rare.
    capitulate1601–
    
    intransitive. Of a general, force, garrison, fortress, town, etc.: to surrender, esp. on stated conditions.
    to cry cravena1634–1869
    
    to cry craven: to acknowledge oneself vanquished, to give up the contest, surrender. Also figurative.
    to lower or strike one's flag1644–
    
    In various nautical phrases, as to give (deny, refuse, etc.) the honour of the flag: to make (or refuse) an acknowledgement of supremacy by striking…
    bail1840–
    
    (Originally said of Australian bushrangers.) To ‘stick up’ travellers in order to rob them; to ‘corner’ a wild boar (or other hunted animal); (in…
    hands-up1879–
    
    intransitive. To put up one's hands in token of surrender; to surrender. Cf. hands up, int. 2. Now chiefly South African.
    kamerad1914–
    
    Comrade, companion: the exclamation used as an appeal for quarter by a German-speaking soldier on surrendering. Hence jocularly as v. intransitive…
    View in Historical Thesaurus
    the world action or operation failure or lack of success defeat or overthrow [intransitive verbs] be defeated or overthrown confess oneself beaten
    to cry creak?1562–1609
    
    to cry creak: to confess oneself beaten or in error; to give up the contest; to give in. Obsolete. (Cf. to cry craven at craven, adj. A.1b, to cry…
    to give, lay down, yield the bucklers1592
    
    Phrases (sense 1): to play at bucklers, at sword and buckler: to fence; see also sword, n. to take up the bucklers: to enter the lists, present…
    to cry cravena1634–1869
    
    to cry craven: to acknowledge oneself vanquished, to give up the contest, surrender. Also figurative.
    holler1845–
    
    intransitive. To cry out loud, to shout; to complain. In a fight: to give up, to cry ‘enough’. Also: to sing a ‘holler’ (see holler, n.¹)…
    View in Historical Thesaurus
    the mind will decision irresolution or vacillation [intransitive verbs] be irresolute or vacillate give way or give in
    benda1400–
    
    figurative. To submit, to bow; to yield, give way to; to prove pliant, tractable, or subservient.
    sink?a1513–
    
    intransitive. Of a person, group, etc.: to give way under (also beneath) misfortune, affliction, etc.; to be weighed down or crushed.
    to give over1530–69
    
    To give in, yield (to). Obsolete.
    to cry creak?1562–1609
    
    to cry creak: to confess oneself beaten or in error; to give up the contest; to give in. Obsolete. (Cf. to cry craven at craven, adj. A.1b, to cry…
    yield1576–
    
    In wider sense: To give way, be subjected, submit (cf. III.17); occasionally to break down, succumb.
    to hold up1596–
    
    To give in, submit, surrender (obsolete); to check oneself, refrain, ‘pull up’ (U.S. colloquial).
    to pull (also take down, vail) one's top1596–1654
    
    †to pull (also take down, vail) one's top and variants: (of a ship) to lower the topsails as a sign of submission or respect. Chiefly figurative: to…
    succumb1604–
    
    To sink under pressure or give way to superior force, authority, etc.: originally said of persons or communities, and transferred of conditions…
    to give in1616–
    
    intransitive. To yield; to give up the contest; to acknowledge oneself beaten; occasionally (colloquial) to admit under pressure of argument (that).
    to cry cravena1634–1869
    
    to cry craven: to acknowledge oneself vanquished, to give up the contest, surrender. Also figurative.
    to give up or cross the cudgels1654–
    
    figurative, esp. in to take up the cudgels: to engage in a vigorous contest or debate (for, in defence of, on behalf of). So †to give up or cross t…
    incumb1656
    
    To lie down; to succumb, yield.
    to fall in1667
    
    intransitive. Of a person: to give in, yield, submit. Obsolete. rare.
    to knock under1670–
    
    intransitive. Short for to knock under board, under (the) table at sense 5c. To acknowledge oneself beaten; to give in, yield, submit, ‘knuckle…
    to lower (also strike) a person's topsail1682–1837
    
    to lower (also strike) a person's topsail and variants: to bring a person to a state of submission or deference. Chiefly in to lower (or strike) one…
    to knock under board, under (the) table1692–1716
    
    to knock under board, under (the) table: to succumb in a drinking-bout; to give in, submit, yield; = to knock under at phrasal verbs. Obsolete.
    to strike underc1730–
    
    intransitive. To give in. Scottish.
    knuckle down1735–
    
    intransitive (figurative) To acknowledge oneself beaten; to give way, give in, submit. Usually knuckle down or knuckle under.
    to throw (also chuck) up the sponge1860–
    
    to throw (also chuck) up the sponge: to abandon a contest or struggle; to submit, give in. colloquial.
    chuck up (the sponge)1864–
    
    In colloquial use with adverbs away, down, over, up, etc. chuck up (the sponge), said of a second in a prize-fight; hence, to give in, give up…
    to throw in one's hand1893–
    
    to throw in one's hand. Cards (esp. Poker). To retire from a game or hand; to fold. Cf. to throw up one's hand at phrasal verbs, to throw in one's…
    to sky the wipe (or towel)1907–
    
    transitive. Boxing slang (originally and chiefly Australian). to sky the wipe (or towel): (of a boxer or his or her second) to throw (a sponge or…
    to drop one's bundle1915–
    
    to drop one's bundle: to give up hope, surrender, resist or compete no further. Australian and New Zealand slang.
    to throw (chuck, or toss) in the towel1915–
    
    to throw (chuck, or toss) in the towel: to admit defeat. Originally Boxing. Cf. sponge, n.¹ I.1c.
    to buckle up1927–
    
    to buckle up: to become warped and bent, to collapse. Also figurative (cf. III.7).
    View in Historical Thesaurus
2. 1. 2.a.
    ?a1400–
    
    That owns himself or herself beaten or afraid of his or her opponent; cowardly, weak-hearted, abjectly pusillanimous.
    ?a1400
    Haa! crauaunde knyghte! a cowarde þe semez!
    Morte Arthure 133
    1597
    When beggers-brats..Alie the kingdome to theyr crauand brood.
    M. Drayton, Englands Heroicall Epistles f. 19
    1604
    Some crauen scruple Of thinking too precisely on th' euent.
    W. Shakespeare, Hamlet iv. iv. 9 + 31
    1656
    Death is here out-braved, called craven to his face.
    J. Trapp, Comm. 1 Cor. xv. 55
    1808
    The poor craven bridegroom said never a word.
    W. Scott, Marmion v. xii. 259
    1849
    All other feelings had given place to a craven fear for his life.
    T. B. Macaulay, History of England vol. II. 592
    the mind emotion fear cowardice or pusillanimity [adjectives] abjectly cowardly
    recrayedc1330–1529
    
    Craven, cowardly; apostate; recreant.
    recreantc1330–1781
    
    Designating a person who admits to having been defeated or overcome; that yields or surrenders; in a… In predicative use, usually following a…
    craven?a1400–
    
    That owns himself or herself beaten or afraid of his or her opponent; cowardly, weak-hearted, abjectly pusillanimous.
    poor1425–
    
    †Mentally or morally inferior; lacking in courage or spirit (obsolete). Later more generally: low, mean, contemptible. Now rare or merged in other…
    currishc1460–
    
    figurative. Like a cur in nature; snappish, snarling, quarrelsome; mean-spirited, base, ignoble.
    fazart1508
    
    Cowardly, dastardly.
    soulless1568–
    
    Of a person: lacking spirit, sensitivity, or other qualities regarded as elevated or human; (now esp.) lacking in human warmth, feeling, or…
    dastardly1576–
    
    Like or characteristic of a dastard; showing mean or despicable cowardice.
    beastly1584
    
    Cowardly. Obsolete. rare.
    dastard1595–
    
    Characterized by mean shrinking from danger; showing base cowardice; dastardly.
    low-spirited1598–
    
    Mean-spirited; unpleasant, nasty. Now rare.
    peaking1611–
    
    Sickly, feeble, thin; pining, wasting; = peaky, adj.² Now chiefly English regional and U.S. regional.
    white meata1625
    
    attributive. Designating a weak or cowardly spirit or disposition. Obsolete. rare.
    cur-like1627–
    
    Like or after the nature of a cur.
    turntail1646–
    
    That deserts one’s friends or associates; that retreats from a position. Frequently with the implication of cowardly behaviour.
    snivelling1647–
    
    Displaying emotion or the semblance of it; mean-spirited, weak. Of persons.
    cravenly1653
    
    Of the nature of a craven, cowardly.
    base-mettled1681
    
    Forming parasynthetic adjectives and derived adverbs and nouns, esp. in sense A.II.10a, as base-hearted (also base-heartedly), base-mettled, base-spi…
    niding1755–70
    
    = nithing, adj.
    poltroonish1801–
    
    Fearful, timid, cowardly.
    niddering1819–
    
    Cowardly, base, despicable.
    turpid1867–
    
    Base, filthy, worthless.
    cold-footed1944–
    
    Timid, cowardly; also absol.
    Charlie1954–
    
    Used as adjective: Afraid, cowardly, esp. in to turn Charlie. slang.
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  2. 2.b.
    1578–1657
    
    † Applied to a cock: see B.2. Obsolete.
    1578
    Though he be a Cocke of the game, yet Euphues is content to bee crauen and crye creeke.
    J. Lyly, Euphues f. 38^v
    1609
    This Crauen Cocke, after a bout or two..crowing a Conquest, being ready presently to Cry Creake.
    Bishop W. Barlow, Answer to Catholike English-man 164
    a1640
    Oh craven-chicken of a Cock o' th' game.
    F. Beaumont et al., Loves Cure ii. ii, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher, Comedies & Tragedies (1647) sig. Rrrrr2/1
    a1657
    Red Craven Cocks come in.
    G. Daniel, Trinarchodia: Henry V xlix, in Poems (1878) vol. IV. 113
    birds
    the world animals birds order Galliformes (fowls) family Phasianidae (pheasants, etc.) hen or cock [adjectives] of or relating to or like a cock that does not fight
    craven1578–1657
    
    Applied to a cock: see B.2. Obsolete.
    View in Historical Thesaurus
noun
1. 1.
  1581–
  
  A confessed or acknowledged coward.
  1581
  Monckes and Friers, and that whole generation of Cowled Cravines.
  J. Bell, translation of W. Haddon & J. Foxe Against Jerome Osorius 349
  1610
  In regard of manhood a meere crauant.
  S. Rid, Martin Mark-all 53
  a1616
  Hee is a Crauen and a Villaine else.
  W. Shakespeare, Henry V (1623) iv. vii. 130
  1796
  Fly, cravens! leave your aged chief.
  R. Southey, Joan of Arc x. 458
  1860
  He climbed to the highest round of the political ladder, to fall and perish like a craven.
  J. A. Froude, History of England (ed. 2) vol. VI. 73
  the mind emotion fear cowardice or pusillanimity [nouns] coward(s) base or acknowledged coward
  nithingOld English–
  
  A coward, a villain; a person who breaks the law or a code of honour; an outlaw.
  crathona1400–00
  
  A term of depreciation: (apparently) Craven, caitiff.
  cradden1513–1825
  
  A craven, a coward.
  dastarda1529–
  
  One who meanly or basely shrinks from danger; a mean, base, or despicable coward; in modern use, esp. one who does malicious acts in a cowardly…
  poltroona1529–
  
  An utter coward; a mean-spirited person; a worthless wretch. Also used as a general term of abuse. Now chiefly archaic or humorous.
  sneaksby1580–
  
  A mean-spirited person; a paltry fellow.
  craven1581–
  
  A confessed or acknowledged coward.
  niddering1596–
  
  A coward, a villain; an outlaw. Cf. nithing, n. & adj. Now rare.
  fazart1597
  
  A coward, dastard.
  cur1600–
  
  figurative. As a term of contempt: a surly, ill-bred, low, or cowardly fellow.
  niding1605–1874
  
  = nithing, n.
  white-liver1614–
  
  A white-livered person; a coward; a flatterer.
  nidderling1664–
  
  = niddering, n.
  snool1718–
  
  A tame, abject, or mean-spirited person.
  dastardling1800–
  
  A contemptible dastard.
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2. 2.
  1611–
  
  A cock that ‘is not game’.
  1611
  Whereto the Pope, (no Crauant to bee dared on his owne dunghill) as stoutly answered.
  J. Speed, History of Great Britaine ix. iv. 436/1
  a1616
  No Cocke of mine, you crow too like a crauen.
  W. Shakespeare, Taming of Shrew (1623) ii. i. 225
  1826
  It is certainly a hard case that a fighting-cock should kill an unoffending craven.
  Gentleman's Magazine February 157/1
  birds
  the world animals birds order Galliformes (fowls) family Phasianidae (pheasants, etc.) hen or cock [nouns] cock fighting cock that will not fight
  craven1611–
  
  A cock that ‘is not game’.
  coward1684
  
  Applied to animals. A cock which will not fight. Obsolete.
  fugie1777–
  
  A cock that will not fight; a runaway. Hence as a term of abuse, a coward.
  View in Historical Thesaurus

Pronunciation

British English

/ˈkreɪv(ə)n/

KRAY-vuhn

U.S. English

/ˈkreɪvən/

KRAY-vuhn

Frequency

craven typically occurs about 0.2 times per million words in modern written English.

craven is in frequency band 4, which contains words occurring between 0.1 and 1 times per million words in modern written English. More about OED's frequency bands

Frequency data is computed programmatically, and should be regarded as an estimate.

Frequency of craven, adj. & n., 1750–2010

* Occurrences per million words in written English

Historical frequency series are derived from Google Books Ngrams (version 2), a data set based on the Google Books corpus of several million books printed in English between 1500 and 2010.

The overall frequency for a given word is calculated by summing frequencies for the main form of the word, any plural or inflected forms, and any major spelling variations.

For sets of homographs (distinct entries that share the same word-form, e.g. mole, n.¹, mole, n.², mole, n.³, etc.), we have estimated the frequency of each homograph entry as a fraction of the total Ngrams frequency for the word-form. This may result in inaccuracies.

Smoothing has been applied to series for lower-frequency words, using a moving-average algorithm. This reduces short-term fluctuations, which may be produced by variability in the content of the Google Books corpus.

Decade	Frequency per million words
1750	0.044
1760	0.051
1770	0.053
1780	0.062
1790	0.072
1800	0.12
1810	0.18
1820	0.26
1830	0.37
1840	0.5
1850	0.58
1860	0.63
1870	0.69
1880	0.7
1890	0.69
1900	0.66
1910	0.63
1920	0.56
1930	0.48
1940	0.41
1950	0.35
1960	0.29
1970	0.25
1980	0.24
1990	0.23
2000	0.22
2010	0.23

Frequency of craven, adj. & n., 2017–2023

* Occurrences per million words in written English

Modern frequency series are derived from a corpus of 20 billion words, covering the period from 2017 to the present. The corpus is mainly compiled from online news sources, and covers all major varieties of World English.

Period	Frequency per million words
Oct.–Dec. 2017	0.19
Jan.–Mar. 2018	0.2
Apr.–June 2018	0.2
July–Sept. 2018	0.2
Oct.–Dec. 2018	0.2
Jan.–Mar. 2019	0.2
Apr.–June 2019	0.21
July–Sept. 2019	0.2
Oct.–Dec. 2019	0.2
Jan.–Mar. 2020	0.19
Apr.–June 2020	0.19
July–Sept. 2020	0.21
Oct.–Dec. 2020	0.21
Jan.–Mar. 2021	0.21
Apr.–June 2021	0.21
July–Sept. 2021	0.21
Oct.–Dec. 2021	0.18
Jan.–Mar. 2022	0.17
Apr.–June 2022	0.17
July–Sept. 2022	0.16
Oct.–Dec. 2022	0.16
Jan.–Mar. 2023	0.15

Compounds & derived words

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dunghill craven, n. 1587–1908

A common domestic fowl, as distinguished from a gamecock bred for fighting (cf. dunghill, n. compounds C.1b); (in extended use) a contemptible or…

cravenly, adv. a1593–

In a craven manner.

craven-hearted, adj. 1615–

craven, v. a1616–

To make craven or cowardly, to render spiritless through fear.

cravenly, adj. 1653

Of the nature of a craven, cowardly.

craven-like, adj. & adv. 1705–

cravenness, n. 1850–

Abject or acknowledged cowardliness.

Personal account

cravenadjective & noun

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What does the word craven mean?

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How common is the word craven?

How is the word craven pronounced?

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Where does the word craven come from?

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Etymology

Summary

Notes

Meaning & use

Quotations

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Earlier version

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Pronunciation

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U.S. English

Consonants

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Consonants

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Consonants

Vowels

Forms

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Frequency

Frequency of craven, adj. & n., 1750–2010

Frequency of craven, adj. & n., 2017–2023

Compounds & derived words

Quotations

Earlier version

In other dictionaries

Factsheet

What does the word craven mean?

Entry status

How common is the word craven?

How is the word craven pronounced?

British English

U.S. English

Where does the word craven come from?

Nearby entries

Etymology

Summary

Notes

Meaning & use

Quotations

Contents

Earlier version

In other dictionaries

Pronunciation

British English

U.S. English

British English

Consonants

Vowels

Other symbols

U.S. English

Consonants

Vowels

Other symbols

Simple Text Respell

Consonants

Vowels

Forms

Variant forms

Frequency

Frequency of craven, adj. & n., 1750–2010

Frequency of craven, adj. & n., 2017–2023

Compounds & derived words