According to my American Heritage Dictionary calendar, craven means "lacking the least bit of courage: contemptibley faintheated" while pusilanimous suggests a contemptible lack of courage. When is it appropriate to use one word or the other? Can you give a sentence using each?
four feet six
Favorite Answer
craven
noun: an abject coward
adjective: lacking even the rudiments of courage; abjectly fearful
Example: "The craven fellow turned and ran"
pusillanimous
adjective
weak and cowardly; frightened of taking risks
Example: He's too pusillanimous to stand up to his opponents.
rebecca v d liep
good question. From an etymological point of view, I would use pusillanimous if I wanted to emphasize the origin of the contemptible lack of courage,namely being 'small-spirited' or 'small-souled'. I would use craven then just to describe the person or act, without emphasis on the reason for it. But I might just be making it up now that you've asked.