Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Courage and boldness, as in battle; bravery.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Strength of mind in resisting fear and braving danger; bravery; especially, courage and skill in fighting.
  • noun Value; worth.
  • noun A man of courage; a brave man.
  • noun Synonyms Courage, gallantry. See brave.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun obsolete Value; worth.
  • noun Strength of mind in regard to danger; that quality which enables a man to encounter danger with firmness; personal bravery; courage; prowess; intrepidity.
  • noun rare A brave man; a man of valor.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Value; worth.
  • noun Strength of mind in regard to danger; that quality which enables a person to encounter danger with firmness; personal bravery; courage; prowess; intrepidity.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the qualities of a hero or heroine; exceptional or heroic courage when facing danger (especially in battle)

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English valour, from Old French, from Late Latin valor, from Latin valēre, to be strong; see wal- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Anglo-Norman and Old French valor, valur, valour, from Latin valor. Compare Spanish valor and valer.

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Examples

  • As for myself, I was busy with my work, for now my superiors were good enough to advance me for what they called valor on the field.

    The Way of a Man Emerson Hough 1890

  • One of the first units in the United States armed forces to have Black officers in addition to its all-black enlisted corps, the 369th compiled an astounding war record, earning several unit citations along with many individual decorations for valor from the French government.

    A Memorial Day Celebration: The Harlem Hellfighters « 2010

  • It was used, by armies led by aristocrats against longbows, rifled muskets, and even by a King of Sparta, who, when shown the huge dart from then new catapult weapons exclaimed “woe to the virtuous, ... all valor is now vanquished, and cowards shall rule better men”.

    The Volokh Conspiracy » Drone Warfare, the CIA, and Charlie Savage’s NYT Article 2010

  • They said Jeff stole honor and valor from the real heroes.

    Jeffrey Morgan MULLER aka Jeffrey Carhoota 2010

  • And what the chickenhawks lack in valor, they make up for in volume!

    Those flag-draped coffins David 2006

  • I don't think any of our guys cloaked themselves in valor here tonight.

    USATODAY.com 2004

  • Indeed you might say to Canada and of all her sons that in valor and self-sacrifice, it has been "Canada first."

    The Record of the Canadian Cavalry Brigade 1920

  • In every decisive conflict of the world they win who are on the righteous side; and it matters not what skill of generalship, what prowess of concentrated hosts, what desperate valor is arrayed against the right.

    Victory and Mourning 1865

  • Gordon Shitstain even went so far as to use the word valor to describe O'Barry.

    WN.com - Photown News 2010

  • Gordon Shitstain even went so far as to use the word valor to describe O'Barry.

    WN.com - Photown News 2010

Comments

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  • WIZARD

    Well, you can't. As for you, my fine

    friend -- you're a victim of disorganized

    thinking. You are under the unfortunate

    delusion that simply because you run away

    from danger, you have no courage. You're

    confusing courage with wisdom. Back where

    I come from, we have men who are called

    heroes. Once a year, they take their

    fortitude out of mothballs and parade it

    down the main street of the city. And they

    have no more courage than you have. But!

    They have one thing that you haven't got!

    A medal! Therefore -- for meritorious....

    conduct, extraordinary valor, conspicuous

    bravery against wicked witches, I award you

    the Triple Cross.

    June 11, 2010

  • The mind of a man is capable of anything--because everything is in it, all the past as well as all the future. What was there after all? Joy, fear, sorrow, devotion, valor, rage--who can tell?--but truth, truth stripped of its cloak of time.

    -Heart of Darkness (Conrad)

    March 19, 2011