bravery
Also found in: Thesaurus, Encyclopedia.
brav·er·y
(brā′və-rē, brāv′rē)brav•er•y
(ˈbreɪ və ri, ˈbreɪv ri)n., pl. -er•ies.
Bravery
as bold as Beauchamp Brave, courageous, daring. Some say this now little-heard phrase derives from the celebrated feat of Thomas Beauchamp, who in 1346 defeated 100 Normans with one squire and six archers. Almost 300 years later a play entitled The Three Bold Beauchamps was written, which is cited as another possible source for as bold as Beauchamp or bold Beauchamp.
derring-do Daring deeds, brave feats, acts of heroism. The term owes its existence to a series of repeated printing and copying errors which converted the original verb phrase daring to do to the now common noun derring-do.
Dutch courage A false sense of courage or bravery induced by alcohol; potvalor or pot-valiancy. This colloquial expression, in use since at least 1826, is an allusion to the heavy drinking for which the Dutch people were known. The term appeared in Herbert Spencer’s The Study of Sociology (1873):
A dose of brandy, by stimulating the circulation, produces “Dutch courage.”
fear no colors To be audacious; to be unflinching in the face of hostility or danger. In this expression, colors carries its early military meaning of ‘flag.’ In Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, Malvolio ascribes this military origin to the: phrase. The term was more figuratively used by Jonathan Swift in Tale of a Tub (1704):
He was a person that feared no colours, but mortally hated all.
geneva courage Courage produced by alcohol intoxication; foolhardy boasting triggered by drunkenness. The geneva of this expression has no connection with the Swiss city, but refers rather to a Dutch gin called Hollands or geneva. Geneva courage is thus virtually synonymous with Dutch courage or potvalor.
heart of oak A valiant, stalwart spirit; a man of great courage and endurance; a man of superior quality. The heart or core of a tree is literally ‘the solid central part without sap or albumen.’ The expression has been in figurative use since at least 1609.
Heart of oak are our ships, heart of oak are our men. (New Song in Universal Magazine, March, 1760)
| Noun | 1. |  bravery - a quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing fearspirit - a fundamental emotional and activating principle determining one's character mettle, nerve, spunk, heart - the courage to carry on; "he kept fighting on pure spunk"; "you haven't got the heart for baseball" gallantry, heroism, valiance, valiancy, valor, valorousness, valour - the qualities of a hero or heroine; exceptional or heroic courage when facing danger (especially in battle); "he showed great heroism in battle"; "he received a medal for valor" dauntlessness, intrepidity - resolute courageousness Dutch courage - courage resulting from intoxication stoutheartedness - the trait of having a courageous spirit fearlessness - the trait of feeling no fear fortitude - strength of mind that enables one to endure adversity with courage |
| 2. | bravery - feeling no fear feeling - the experiencing of affective and emotional states; "she had a feeling of euphoria"; "he had terrible feelings of guilt"; "I disliked him and the feeling was mutual" security - freedom from anxiety or fear; "the watch dog gave her a feeling of security" |
bravery
fright, cowardice, timidity, fearfulness, faint-heartedness
"They are surely to be esteemed the bravest spirits who, having the clearest sense of both the pains and pleasures of life, do not on that account shrink from danger" [Thucydides The Peloponnesian War]