Observe, too, that this is all a modern affair; belongs not to the old heroic times, but to these dastard new times. ‘Happiness our being’s end and aim’ is at bottom, if we will count well, not yet two centuries old in the world.
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Dastard — Das tard, a. Meanly shrinking from danger; cowardly; dastardly. Their dastard souls. Addison. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Dastard — Das tard (d[a^]s t[ e]rd), n. [Prob. from Icel. d[ae]str exhausted. breathless, p. p. of d[ae]sa to groan, lose one s breath; cf. dasask to become exhausted, and E. daze.] One who meanly shrinks from danger; an arrant coward; a poltroon. [1913… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Dastard — Das tard, v. t. To dastardize. [R.] Dryden. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
dastard — mid 15c., one who is lazy or dull; an English formation on a French model, probably from *dast, dazed, pp. of dasen to daze + (see DAZE (Cf. daze)) + deprecatory suffix ARD (Cf. ard). Meaning one who shirks from danger is late 15c … Etymology dictionary
dastard — [das′tərd] n. [ME, a craven, prob. < Scand base, as in ON dasast, to become exhausted (see DAZE) + ME ard, ARD] a sneaky, cowardly evildoer … English World dictionary
dastard — /das teuhrd/, n. 1. a mean, sneaking coward. adj. 2. of or befitting a dastard; mean, sneaky, and cowardly. [1400 50; late ME < ?.] * * * … Universalium
dastard — I noun a despicable coward • Derivationally related forms: ↑dastardly • Hypernyms: ↑coward II adjective despicably cowardly the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on...December 7th F.D. Roosevelt … Useful english dictionary
dastard plover — Lapwing Lap wing , n. [OE. lapwynke, leepwynke, AS. hle[ a]pewince; hle[ a]pan to leap, jump + (prob.) a word akin to AS. wincian to wink, E. wink, AS. wancol wavering; cf. G. wanken to stagger, waver. See {Leap}, and {Wink}.] (Zo[ o]l.) A small… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
dastard — noun Etymology: Middle English Date: 15th century 1. coward 2. a person who acts treacherously or underhandedly … New Collegiate Dictionary
dastard — (Roget s Thesaurus II) noun An ignoble, uncourageous person: coward, craven, funk, poltroon. Slang: chicken, yellow belly. See FEAR … English dictionary for students
