Obs. [f. COWARD a. + -NESS.]
1. = COWARDLINESS, COWARDICE.
a. 1400. Gloss., in Rel. Ant., I. 6. vecordia, cowardnes.
c. 1440. Hylton, Scala Perf. (W. de W., 1494), II. xlv. It is a grete cowardnesse that men dreden hym so moche.
1563. Homilies, II. Matrimony (1859), 503. It is a token of womanish cowardnes.
1603. H. Crosse, Vertues Commw. (1878), 16. Too much boldnesse, and too much cowardnesse.
1622. Peacham, Compl. Gentl. (1661), 80. [Poetry can] turn hatred to love, cowardness into valour.
2. Applied to a ‘company’ of curs.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, F vj b. A Cowardnes of curris.
