noun
- a mean, sneaking coward.
adjective
- of or befitting a dastard; mean, sneaky, and cowardly.
noun
- archaic a contemptible sneaking coward
mid-15c., “one who is lazy or dull;” an English formation on a French model, probably from *dast, “dazed,” past participle of dasen “to daze” (see daze (v.)) + deprecatory suffix -ard. Meaning “one who shirks from danger” is late 15c.