Courage

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: cour=age

CIDE DICTIONARY

Courage, n. [OE. corage heart, mind, will, courage, OF. corage, F. courage, fr. a LL. derivative of L. cor heart. See Heart.].

•  The heart; spirit; temper; disposition.  [1913 Webster]

  "So priketh hem nature in here corages."  [1913 Webster]

  "My lord, cheer up your spirits; our foes are nigh,
  and this soft courage makes your followers faint."  [1913 Webster]
•  Heart; inclination; desire; will.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]

  "I'd such a courage to do him good."  [1913 Webster]
•  That quality of mind which enables one to encounter danger and difficulties with firmness, or without fear, or fainting of heart; valor; boldness; resolution.  [1913 Webster]

  "The king-becoming graces . . .
  Devotion, patience, courage, fortitude,
  I have no relish of them."  [1913 Webster]

  "Courage that grows from constitution often forsakes a man when he has occasion for it."

Syn. -- Heroism; bravery; intrepidity; valor; gallantry; daring; firmness; hardihood; boldness; dauntlessness; resolution.

Courage, v. t. 

 To inspire with courage; to encourage.  [1913 Webster]
"Paul writeth unto Timothy . . . to courage him."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Courage, n. the ability to disregard fear; bravery.

Idiom

courage of one's convictions the courage to act on one's beliefs. lose courage become less brave. pluck up (or take) courage muster one's courage. take one's courage in both hands nerve oneself to a venture.

Etymology

ME f. OF corage, f. L cor heart

THESAURUS

Courage

arrogance, assurance, assuredness, audacity, backbone, balls, belief, boldness, bottle, bottom, bravery, certitude, cocksureness, confidence, confidentness, conviction, daring, dauntlessness, determination, doughtiness, faith, fearlessness, firmness, fortitude, gallantry, gameness, grit, guts, heart, heroism, hubris, intrepidity, mettle, mettlesomeness, moxie, nerve, overconfidence, oversureness, overweening, overweeningness, persistence, pith, pluck, pluckiness, poise, pomposity, positiveness, pride, resolution, sand, security, self-assurance, self-confidence, self-importance, self-reliance, settled belief, spirit, spunk, spunkiness, stamina, subjective certainty, sureness, surety, tenacity, toughness, true grit, trust, valor

ROGET THESAURUS

Courage

Courage

N courage, bravery, valor, resoluteness, boldness, spirit, daring, gallantry, intrepidity, contempt of danger, defiance of danger, derring-do, audacity, rashness, dash, defiance, confidence, self-reliance, manliness, manhood, nerve, pluck, mettle, game, heart, heart of grace, spunk, guts, face, virtue, hardihood, fortitude, intestinal fortitude, firmness, heart of oak, bottom, backbone, spine, resolution, bulldog courage, prowess, heroism, chivalry, exploit, feat, achievement, heroic deed, heroic act, bold stroke, man, man of mettle, hero, demigod, Amazon, Hector, lion, tiger, panther, bulldog, gamecock, fighting-cock, bully, fire eater, courageous, brave, valiant, valorous, gallant, intrepid, spirited, spiritful, high-spirited, high-mettled, mettlesome, plucky, manly, manful, resolute, stout, stout-hearted, iron-hearted, lion-hearted, heart of oak, Penthesilean, bold, bold-spirited, daring, audacious, fearless, dauntless, dreadless, aweless, undaunted, unappalled, undismayed, unawed, unblanched, unabashed, unalarmed, unflinching, unshrinking, unblanching, unapprehensive, confident, self-reliant, bold as a lion, bold as brass, enterprising, adventurous, venturous, venturesome, dashing, chivalrous, soldierly, heroic, fierce, savage, pugnacious, strong-minded, hardy, doughty, firm, determined, dogged, indomitable, up to, up to the scratch, upon one's mettle, reassured, unfeared, undreaded, one's blood being up, courage sans peur, fortes fortuna adjuvat, have I not in my time heard lions roar, I dare do all that may become a man, male vincetis sed vincite, omne solum forti patria, self-trust is the essence of heroism, stimulos dedit oemula virtus, strong and great, a hero, teloque animus proestantior omni, there, is always safety in valor, virtus ariete fortier.