a. Forms: 3–5 corageus, coraious(e, (i = j), 4 koraious, curaiows, coragous, corrageous, 4–6 corageous(e, 5–6 cur-, curragious, coragiouse, coragyous, 5–7 coragious, 6 couragiouse, 6–8 couragious, 5– courageous. [a. AF. corageous, OF. corajus, -os, corageus, later courageux, f. corage, courage COURAGE: see -OUS. Cf. It. coraggioso.]
1. Having courage, full of courage; brave, fearless, valiant.
1297. R. Glouc. (1724), 359. Harald, a man wyþ grete herte corageus ynou.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 3318. So coraious a contenaunce þat kud kniȝt hadde.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 438. Hym dredeþ noþyng of Olyuer … For he was strong & coraious.
c. 1440. Generydes, 2093. A myghti prince in armys corageus.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. clxiv. 203. The prince of Wales … was coragious, and cruell as a lyon.
1611. Bible, Josh. i. 7. Bee thou strong, and very courageous.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., IV. 145. He was … of a sanguinicall complexion, and a couragious stomache.
1749. Smollett, Regicide, V. v. Couragious thane, Receive this dagger.
1885. F. Temple, Relat. Relig. & Sci., i. 4. Among religious men we ought to expect to find … the most courageous of men of science.
† 2. Desirous, eager (to do something). Obs.
c. 1290. S. Eng. Leg., I. 479/607. To witen hire stat euerechdel he was wel coraious.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 4416. Whanne … traitours … To noyen me be so coragious.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 1892. Made vs corageous and kene ȝoure clere gold to wyn.
† 3. Full of virile force; lively, lusty, vigorous.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Pars. T., 511. His conpleccion is so corageous that he may nat forbere.
1548. Hall, Chron., 176 b. The erle of Marche beyng lusty, and in the floure of his coragious yought [= youth].
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb. (1586), III. 116 b. They feede them [stallions] lustely, to make them more coragious, for the lustier they be the better coultes they bring.
