Cowed

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /kaʊd/

Definitions

1. To experience a state of fear that leads to submission or compliance To be overwhelmed by intimidation resulting in a loss of assertiveness To be compelled to behave submissively due to the influence of fear or coercion
2. To find oneself in a position of weakness characterized by fear-induced submission To be brought to a state of subservience due to the pressure of threats or intimidation To react in a fearful manner that leads to acquiescence or surrender
3. Made fearful to the point of backing down or yielding under pressure

Etymology: "Cowed" is the past participle of "cow," used as an adjective. The verb "cow" is the older, more basic form: it means to intimidate someone, to frighten them into submission. Its ancestry is less obvious than the word suggests, since it has no connection to the animal. Here the animal is a coincidence, and the modern sense of the adjective is simply the state of having been overawed by that intimidation. Because "cowed" is formed directly from the verb, its history is the verb's history. The adjective carries the sense of someone who has already been beaten into timidity, so "cowed" describes the result of the pressure rather than the pressure itself.

Synonyms: frightened, intimidated, scared, terrified, subdued

Antonyms: brave, confident, courageous, unafraid, bold