A British informal adjective meaning cowardly — someone who's acting chicken, ducking out of a challenge, or showing a serious lack of backbone.
A British informal adjective meaning cowardly — someone who's acting chicken, ducking out of a challenge, or showing a serious lack of backbone. It's the kind of word you'd throw at a mate who refuses to do something mildly scary or backs out of a dare. More playful and teasing than a harsh insult, cowardy still lands as a clear signal that someone's not stepping up. It shows up in old British playground culture and informal speech.
Add your own interpretation of "cowardy".
UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.
See all British & Irish slang slang on Slangora.
Browse all slang words starting with C.
(US, childish) Cowardly.
American childish or playful slang meaning cowardly or easily scared — a kid's version of 'afraid' stripped back to its core sound. Calling someone a 'fraidy-cat' or just 'fraidy' is a classic playground taunt for anyone who won't jump off the diving board or go into the dark basement. Adults use it ironically or affectionately, and it retains its innocently mocking quality even when deployed by grown-ups who really should know better.
(prison slang) A coward.
(vulgar, slang) Cowardly.
Don't be so cowardy — it's just a fairground ride, it won't kill you.
(British) Cowardly.