Dictionary Definition
craven adj : 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: recreant]
n : an abject coward [syn: poltroon, recreant]
User Contributed Dictionary
English
Pronunciation
- ˈkreɪvən
- Rhymes: -eɪvən
Derived terms
Quotations
- 1609: William
Shakespeare,
The Tragedy of Cymbeline, Act III, Scene IV
- There is a prohibition so divine / That cravens my weak hand.
References
Extensive Definition
Craven is an area in North
Yorkshire, England. The name
Craven is Celtic (Cumbric) in origin
and is related to the Welsh word
craf, or 'garlic'. In the
middle ages, the area was known for its wild garlic.
Craven, or Cravenshire has been used as a name
for the area around Skipton for
centuries, although the boundaries have differed. Occasionally
Craven has included the local towns of Keighley (now part
of the City of
Bradford) and Barnoldswick
(now part of the Lancashire
borough of Pendle). There is a
Craven
ward in the borough of Bradford.
History
A Craven local government district of North Yorkshire came into being in 1974, centred on the market town of Skipton. In the changes to British local government of that year it was formed as the merger of Skipton urban district, Settle Rural District and most of Skipton Rural District, all in the West Riding of Yorkshire.Towns
craven in German: Craven (District)
craven in Italian: Craven
craven in Dutch: Craven
craven in Norwegian: Craven
craven in Romanian: Craven
craven in Swedish: Craven