English Explanatory Dictionary

dastard

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A malicious coward; a dishonorable sneak.
adj
  1. Meanly shrinking from danger, cowardly, dastardly.
verb
  1. To dastardize.

Pronunciation

/ˈdɑːstəd/ /ˈdæstəd/ /ˈdæstɚd/ En-us-dastard.oga

Word forms

dastard dastards more dastard most dastard dastarding dastarded

Etymology

From Middle English dastard (“a dullard”), most likely formed from *dast, a base derived from Old Norse dæstr (“exhausted, breathless”) + -ard. Compare Icelandic dasaður (“exhausted”), dialectal Swedish däst (“weary”), Middle Dutch dasaert, daasaardt (“a fool”), English dazed (“stupefied”).

Synonyms

poltroon craven

Derived words

dastardling dastardy dastardly dastardness
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