derring-do
Reckless brave action
Derring-do is daring action or feats of bravery, often with a swashbuckling or romantic quality.
The word appears almost exclusively in the phrase deeds of derring-do or feats of derring-do, evoking adventure stories and heroic exploits.
It has an old-fashioned, literary flavor and is frequently used with gentle irony to describe bold actions that may be more theatrical than genuinely dangerous.
Flamboyantly daring and heroic
- exploitsNotable daring actions
- escapadesReckless or mischievous adventures
- questSeeking journey for something
- expeditionOrganized exploratory journey
feats · stunts · odyssey · voyage · daring · escapade · cliffhanger · perilous
Fortitude facing danger
- valorCourage in danger
- fearlessnessComplete lack of dread
- intrepidityFearless courage
- boldnessFearless readiness to act
pluck · dauntlessness · mettle · guts · backbone · grit · nerve · fortitude
Fearless readiness to act
- daringAdventurous courage
- temerityReckless audacity
- brazennessShameless, defiant boldness
- recklessnessCareless disregard for danger
bravado · chutzpah · impudence · effrontery · brashness · foolhardiness · venturesomeness · devil-may-care
swashbuckling
Flamboyantly daring and heroic
- exploitsNotable daring actions
- escapadesReckless or mischievous adventures
- questSeeking journey for something
expedition · feats · stunts · odyssey · voyage · daring · escapade · cliffhanger · perilous · thrilling
courage
Fortitude facing danger
- valorCourage in danger
- fearlessnessComplete lack of dread
- intrepidityFearless courage
boldness · pluck · dauntlessness · mettle · guts · backbone · grit · nerve · fortitude · stout-heartedness
boldness
Fearless readiness to act
- daringAdventurous courage
- temerityReckless audacity
- brazennessShameless, defiant boldness
recklessness · bravado · chutzpah · impudence · effrontery · brashness · foolhardiness · venturesomeness · devil-may-care · risk-taking
chivalry
Knightly code of honor
honor · courtly · rescue · defender · champion · protector · damsel · jousting · romantic · self-sacrifice
- couragebravery, resilience, fearlessness, boldness, courage
- swashbucklersswashbuckler, swashbucklers, swashbuckling, pirate, pirates
- moxiespunk, guts, nerve, grit, pluck
derring-docowardice
Absence of bravery
timidity · pusillanimity · fearfulness · cowardliness · cravenness
derring-doovercaution
Excessive care, limiting action
hesitancy · tentativeness · playing it safe · cold feet · inaction