chickenhearted
Lacking any courage
Chickenhearted means cowardly or timid—lacking courage when it's needed.
The image is of a chicken, easily spooked and quick to flee.
He was too chickenhearted to ask for a raise.
The word is slightly old-fashioned; chicken alone now serves as the common insult for cowardice.
Contemptibly lacking nerve
- pusillanimousLacking courage or determination
- spinelessLacking courage or resolve
- gutlessLacking bravery or nerve
- yellow-belliedEasily frightened, timid
poltroon · dastardly · recreant · white-livered · milksop · yellow · unheroic · quailing
craven
Contemptibly lacking nerve
- pusillanimousLacking courage or determination
- spinelessLacking courage or resolve
- gutlessLacking bravery or nerve
yellow-bellied · poltroon · dastardly · recreant · white-livered · milksop · yellow · unheroic · quailing · cowering
timorous
Showing nervous apprehension
hesitant · unassertive · mousy · bashful · tentative · apprehensive · nervous · skittish · tremulous · irresolute
chickenheartedlionhearted
Exceptionally brave and bold
brave · courageous · fearless · valiant · intrepid
heart, chicken, cowardly, hearted, faint-hearted, chicken-hearted, fainthearted, chicken-livered, lily-livered