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Glite Dictionary
dastardliness

dastardliness

9.9
Being very cowardly in a shameful way
  • noun
  • /ˈdæstərdlinəs/
  • Archaic
translation icon : cobardía
  • His dastardliness was evident when he betrayed his closest friend for personal gain.

Examples

  • The villain's dastardliness shocked the audience, as he plotted to frame an innocent man.

  • People despised her for her dastardliness, especially when she used deception to avoid responsibility.

  • Lack of proof notwithstanding, several professors made comments throughout the seminar revealing their assumption of sub rosa corporate dastardliness.

    Academic text (1991)

Synonyms

cowardice
vsdastardliness
46 5.5

Lack of courage to face danger or difficulty

is like this but carries stronger contempt and moral condemnation
cowardliness
vsdastardliness
1 6.6

Lack of courage when facing danger or difficulty

is similar but judged as contemptible or despicable rather than neutral
cravenness
vsdastardliness
  • Formal
9.9

A shameful fear that makes a person avoid danger and refuse to stand up for others

is considered morally more despicable than being merely mean-spirited
poltroonery
vsdastardliness
  • Archaic
9.9

A complete lack of courage that makes someone act shamefully

is viewed as contemptible but not necessarily an utterly complete lack of nerve
pusillanimousness
vsdastardliness
  • Formal
9.9

A lack of courage that makes a person afraid to act

is morally condemned as despicable rather than only being fearful

Antonyms

courage
∞ 1.4

Doing something even if you feel afraid or are in danger

bravery
104 2.3

A person's willingness to face danger or pain without fear

How Cowardly

dastardliness
  • Archaic
9.9
cowardice
46 5.5
timidity
7 5.8

Surface Forms

dastardliness singular
dastardlinesses plural

Morphology

dastardliness = dastardly (transparent) = dastard + ly + ness

Formed by adding the noun-forming suffix '-ness' to the adjective 'dastardly', producing the quality/state meaning in a regular way.

Etymology

The word dastardliness comes from the old word dastard, which meant a 'coward' and gave us dastardly plus -ness. So, dastardliness means the 'shameful' quality of being a coward.