From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Recreant \Rec"re*ant\ (-ant), a. [OF., cowardly, fr. recroire,
recreire, to forsake, leave, tire, discourage, regard as
conquered, LL. recredere se to declare one's self conquered
in combat; hence, those are called recrediti or recreanti who
are considered infamous; L. pref. re- again, back + credere
to believe, to be of opinion; hence, originally, to disavow
one's opinion. See {Creed}.]
1. Crying for mercy, as a combatant in the trial by battle;
yielding; cowardly; mean-spirited; craven. "This recreant
knight." --Spenser.
[1913 Webster]
2. Apostate; false; unfaithful.
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Who, for so many benefits received,
Turned recreant to God, ingrate and false. --Milton.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Recreant \Rec"re*ant\, n.
One who yields in combat, and begs for mercy; a
mean-spirited, cowardly wretch. --Blackstone.
[1913 Webster]
You are all recreants and dastards! --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
recreant
adj 1: having deserted a cause or principle; "some provinces had
proved recreant"; "renegade supporters of the usurper"
[syn: {recreant}, {renegade}]
2: lacking even the rudiments of courage; abjectly fearful; "the
craven fellow turned and ran"; "a craven proposal to raise
the white flag"; "this recreant knight"- Spenser [syn:
{craven}, {recreant}]
n 1: an abject coward [syn: {poltroon}, {craven}, {recreant}]
2: a disloyal person who betrays or deserts his cause or
religion or political party or friend etc. [syn: {deserter},
{apostate}, {renegade}, {turncoat}, {recreant}, {ratter}]
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