caitiff

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cai·tiff

(kā′tĭf)

A despicable coward; a wretch.

adj.

Despicable and cowardly.

[Middle English caitif, from Norman French, from Latin captīvus, prisoner; see captive.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

caitiff

(ˈkeɪtɪf)

a cowardly or base person

adj

cowardly; base

[C13: from Old French caitif prisoner, from Latin captīvus captive]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

cai•tiff

(ˈkeɪ tɪf)
Archaic. n.

1. a base person; villain.

adj.

2. base; despicable.

[1250–1300; Middle English < Anglo-French < Latin captīvus captive]

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Noun	1.	caitiff - a cowardly and despicable person archaicism, archaism - the use of an archaic expression cur - a cowardly and despicable person
Adj.	1.	caitiff - despicably mean and cowardly cowardly, fearful - lacking courage; ignobly timid and faint-hearted; "cowardly dogs, ye will not aid me then"- P.B.Shelley

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Down went Rocinante, and over went his master, rolling along the ground for some distance; and when he tried to rise he was unable, so encumbered was he with lance, buckler, spurs, helmet, and the weight of his old armour; and all the while he was struggling to get up he kept saying, "Fly not, cowards and caitiffs! stay, for not by my fault, but my horse's, am I stretched here."

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But be it known to you, brave knights, that certain murderous caitiffs, casting behind them fear of God, and reverence of his church, and not regarding the bull of the holy see, Si quis, suadende Diabolo ''

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"Learn, caitiff, the expediency of uncalculating zeal.

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I am Robin Hood, as thy caitiff carcase soon shall know."

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Failure was often the caitiff's portion, and disaster once; owing, ironically enough, to that very mist which should have served them.