Forms: 4–7 corage, curage, (4–6 corrage, 5 curag, coreage, 6 currage, courra(d)ge, 7 corege), 5– courage. [ME. corage, a. OF. corage, curage, later courage = Pr. and Cat. coratge, Sp. corage, It. coraggio, a Common Romanic word, answering to a L. type *corāticum, f. cor heart. Cf. the parallel ætāticum from ætāt-em (AGE); and see -AGE.]
† 1. The heart as the seat of feeling, thought, etc.; spirit, mind, disposition, nature. Obs.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 3559. Archelaus, of proud corage.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Prol., 11. Smale fowles maken melodie … So priketh hem nature in here corages.
c. 1430. Pilgr. Lyf Manhode, I. xxxiii. (1869), 20. What thinkest in thi corage?
c. 1430. Stans Puer, 5. To all norture thi corage to enclyne.
c. 1500. Knt. Curtesy, 407, in Ritson, Met. Rom., III. 213. In his courage he was full sad.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., II. ii. 57. This soft courage makes your Followers faint.
1638. Drumm. of Hawth., Irene, Wks. (1711), 163. Men’s courages were growing hot, their hatred kindled.
1659. B. Harris, Parival’s Iron Age, 41. The Spaniards … attacked it with all the force and maistry the greatest courages were able to invent.
† b. transf. Of a plant. Obs. (Cf. ‘To bring a thing into good heart.’)
c. 1420. Palladius on Husb., XI. 90. In this courage Hem forto graffe is goode.
† c. Applied to a person: cf. spirit. Obs.
1561. T. Hoby, trans. Castiglione’s Courtyer (1577), V j b. The prowes of those diuine courages [viz. Marquesse of Mantua, etc.].
1647. W. Browne, Polex., II. 197. These two great courages being met, and followed by a small companie of the most resolute pirates.
† 2. What is in one’s mind or thoughts, what one is thinking of or intending; intention, purpose; desire or inclination. Obs. (Cf. ‘To speak one’s mind,’ ‘to tell all one’s heart.’)
c. 1320. Seuyn Sag. (W.), 2446. Lo her, sire, a litel page! That schal sai the thi corage.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Merch. T., 10. Swich a greet corage Hadde this knyght to been a wedded man.
1484. Caxton, Chivalry, 7. Fayr frend what is your corage or entent.
c. 1530. Ld. Berners, Arth. Lyt. Bryt. (1814), 277. Ye mayster dyscouered to her all his courage, how that he loued her.
1557. North, trans. Gueuara’s Diall Pr., 93 b/1. The romaines had a great corage to conquere straunge realmes.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 289. Many were taken of their owne courage, which might have scaped if they had list.
1607. Shaks., Timon, III. iii. 24. I’de such a courage to do him good.
a. 1626. Bacon, Max. & Uses Com. Law, xxii. 81. The law … shall … make construction that my minde and courage is not to enter into the greater bond for any menace.
† 3. Spirit, liveliness, lustiness, vigor, vital force or energy; also fig. Obs.
a. 1498. Warkw., Chron. (Camden), 2. Thei … were greved with colde and rayne, that thei hade no coreage to feght.
1565. Jewel, Def. Apol. (1611), 505. In the Cardinals of Rome, Pride, Auarice, and Lechery are in their greatest Courage.
1630. R. Johnson’s Kingd. & Commw., 249. They have horses of excellent courage.
1705. Lond. Gaz., No. 4182/4. A Chesnut Mare … of great Courage.
† b. Anger, wrath; c. Haughtiness, pride; d. Confidence, boldness. Obs.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Knt.’s T. (Harl.), 1154. The hunt[e] strangled with wilde bores corage.
1483. Caxton, G. de la Tour, F iij b. [She] became … so grete of courage that also to the kynge her lord she bare not so grete reuerence as she ought.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 285. Every man cryed and besought the king to have mercy … for Gods sake refraine your courage, ye have the name of sovereigne noblenesse.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., III. x. 30. Trompart … Besought him his great corage to appease, And pardon simple man.
1608. Middleton, Trick to Catch Old One, I. i. I will … set so good a courage on my state, That I will be beleeued.
† e. Sexual vigor and inclination; lust. Obs.
1541. Barnes, Wks. (1573), 329/1. By the reason that priestes are so hoate of courage, and can not keepe theyr chastitie.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., III. (1586), 129. If the Bull be not lusty enough about his businesse … his courage is also stirred up by the like odours.
1606. G. W[oodcocke], trans. Justin, 56. Darius horse … by reason of the courage had to the Mare, forthwith neighed alowde.
1615. Crooke, Body of Man, 45. If they be taken away, the iollity and courage of the Creature is extinguished.
4. That quality of mind which shows itself in facing danger without fear or shrinking; bravery, boldness, valor.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, V. 208. A knycht off gret corage … That thaim comfort with all hys mycht.
1382. Wyclif, Isa. xxxv. 3. Seith ȝee of litil corage, taketh coumfort.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. lxv. § 10. The faith of Christ … armeth us with patience, constancy, and courage.
1667. Milton, P. L., I. 108. Courage never to submit or yield.
1783. Watson, Philip III. (1793), II. v. 99. He possessed … the virtues of political and martial courage.
1839. Thirlwall, Greece, IV. 409. Evagoras … had raised himself by his courage and prudence to the throne.
1841–4. Emerson, Ess., Love, Wks. (Bohn), I. 75. Courage to defy the world.
1887. T. Fowler, Princ. Mor., II. i. 24. We speak of a man’s courage in undertaking some financial, literary, or political enterprise, or in sustaining some misfortune, or in braving public opinion where he believes himself to be in the right. In this application the term is often qualified as Moral Courage. Ibid., 25. Courage in the original sense of the term (the readiness to face physical dangers), that is, Physical Courage.
† b. Formerly also in pl. in reference to a number of persons. (Cf. hearts.) Obs.
1545. Raynold, Byrth Mankynde, D 2. The gud courages of al honest enterpreysers in those matters & al other.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turks (1621), 1191. Euery man … gaue God the praise, for taking away the Turkes courages.
1675. Shadwell, Psyche, III. If danger cou’d our courages remove.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Æneid, V. (1806), III. 107. Their drooping courages he cheer’d.
1847. Emerson, Poems (1857), 98. Undaunted are their courages, Right Cossacks in their forages.
c. (with a and pl.) A kind or species of courage; an instance of courage. rare.
1886. Tupper, My Life as Author, 92. But there is nothing like flight; it is easy and speedy, and more a courage than a cowardice.
1888. Wolseley, in Sat. Rev., 4 Aug., 136/1. As for Charles Gordon, he had all the courages—the courage of instinct, of religion, of contempt of life.
d. Phrases, as To take courage, be of good c. (obs. or arch.), pluck up c., lose c., etc., Dutch courage: bravery induced by drinking (colloq.). The courage of one’s convictions or opinions [F. le courage de son opinion, cited 1864]: courage in action equal to the courageousness of one’s opinion; courage to act consistently with one’s opinions.
c. 1490. Caxton, Blanchardyn, xli. (1890), 154. Bycause they sholde take a better corage for the persone & sight of her.
1535. Coverdale, 1 Chron. xix. 13. Take a good corage vnto the, and let us quyte oure selues manly.
1611. Bible, Josh. i. 9. Be strong, and of a good courage. Ibid., 2 Chron. xv. 8. He tooke courage, and put away the abominable idoles.
1728. Adv. Capt. R. Boyle, 42–3. I pluck’d up (with much ado) Courage enough to speak to her.
1826. Scott, Woodst., xii. Laying in a store of what is called Dutch Courage.
1841. Lane, Arab. Nts., I. 104. He took courage, and entered.
1873. H. Spencer, Stud. Sociol., viii. 188. A dose of brandy, by stimulating the circulation, produces ‘Dutch courage.’
1878. Huxley, Physiogr., Pref. p. viii. I never could muster up the courage, or find the time, to undertake the business.
1878. Morley, Diderot, II. 12. He is one of Swift’s Yahoos, with the courage of its opinions.
1883. J. Payn, Thicker than Water, xxxviii. (1884), 306. That courage of his opinions which he never failed to display against any odds.
1887. Hall Caine, Life Coleridge, i. 21. [He] believed in the efficacy of the birch, and had the courage of his convictions.
e. As an exclamation: = Take courage! Cheer up!
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., IV. i. 111. What man, corage yet.
1784. Cowper, Tirocinium, 787. But courage, man! methought the muse replied.
1855. Tennyson, Maud, II. III. Courage, poor heart of stone!
† 5. To the courage of: so as to awaken or increase the courage of, to the encouragement of.
1495. Act 11 Hen. VII., c. 7. To the great corage, boldnesse, and comforte of the seid evyll doers.
1531. Act 23 Hen. VIII., c. 1. Many clerkes conuicte were … suffered to make their purgacions, to the greate corage of euyll doers.
1659. Vulgar Errours Censured, 5–6. To the cowardise of themselves, or the courage of their enemies.
