Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Cowardly and malicious; base.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Characterized by gross cowardice; meanly timid; base; sneaking.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective Meanly timid; cowardly; base.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective in the manner of a
dastard ; marked bycowardice ;pusillanimous - adjective
treacherous ; given to backstabbing
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective despicably cowardly
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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British Ambassador to Afghanistan William Patey said that what he called a "dastardly, cowardly attack designed to attack British interests" had instead caused the deaths of many Afghans
Militants Storm British Council in Afghan Capital in Deadly Attack 2011
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British Ambassador to Afghanistan William Patey said that what he called a "dastardly, cowardly attack designed to attack British interests" had instead caused the deaths of many Afghans
Militants Storm British Council in Afghan Capital in Deadly Attack 2011
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Inkatha denied involvement in what it called a dastardly attack.
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Or am I the Chief Constable in dastardly disguise ….? on December 28, 2006 at 9: 21 am | Reply M&MBM
Largehearted Boy « POLICE INSPECTOR BLOG Inspector Gadget 2006
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In a nationwide address, President Jonathan said there will be a judicial commission of inquiry into what he calls "dastardly acts of violence" that recall the days before Nigeria's Biafran civil war, in the late 1960's."
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In a nationwide address, President Jonathan said there will be a judicial commission of inquiry into what he calls "dastardly acts of violence" that recall the days before Nigeria's Biafran civil war, in the late 1960's."
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Astonished at his own feelings, and indignant at what he termed a dastardly weakness, he found it necessary to argue with himself, and his rapid thoughts said, “Do I not feel the necessity of this act!
The Italian 2004
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Lord Methuen described as dastardly the firing by the enemy on ambulance waggons, the shooting of a British officer by a wounded Boer, and the use of Dum-Dum bullets; but he refused to believe that these acts were characteristic of the enemy; he would give them credit until he was convinced to the contrary that they wished to fight fair and square.
South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. 2 (of 6) From the Commencement of the War to the Battle of Colenso, 15th Dec. 1899 Louis Creswicke
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But do not accelerate it; thou wilt not be called dastardly if thou honorably preservest thy life -- and Erinnys, [153] with her murky tempest, enters not the dwelling where the gods receive a sacrifice from the hands [of the inmates].
Aeschylus' Prometheus Bound and the Seven Against Thebes 525 BC-456 BC Aeschylus 1840
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I wouldn't call her dastardly, but there's a good bit of cruelty to the narrator of
MetaFilter Projects 2008
danieleo commented on the word dastardly
Beautifully used by Franklin Delano Roosvelt, in the 7th of December 1941 declaration of war of the USA against the Emire of Japan:
"I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7th, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire."
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/fdrpearlharbor.htm
December 24, 2008
yarb commented on the word dastardly
Great citation; thanks DanieleO.
December 24, 2008