The trait of lacking courage.

synonym: cowardliness.

Roget 605: irresolution, infirmity of purpose, indecision; indetermination, undetermination^†; unsettlement; uncertainty etc. 475; demur, suspense; hesitating etc. v., hesitation, hesitancy; vacillation; changeableness etc. 149; fluctuation; alternation etc. (oscillation) 314; caprice etc. 608.    fickleness, levity, legerete [Fr.]; pliancy etc. (softness) 324; weakness; timidity etc. 860; cowardice etc. 862; half measures.    waverer, ass between two bundles of hay; shuttlecock, butterfly; wimp; doughface [U.S.].    ... show more

Roget 862: cowardice, pusillanimity; cowardliness etc. adj.; timidity, effeminacy.    poltroonery, baseness; dastardness^†, dastardy^†; abject fear, funk; Dutch courage; fear etc. 860; white feather, faint heart; cold feet [U.S.], yellow streak [Slang].    coward, poltroon, dastard, sneak, recreant; shy cock, dunghill cock; coistril^†, milksop, white liver, lily liver, nidget^†, one that cannot say 'boo' to a goose; slink; Bob Acres, Jerry Sneak.    alarmist, terrorist^†, pessimist; runagate etc. (fugitive) 623.    ... show more

Dutch: lafhartigheid, lafheid