Timorous

a. Forms: α. 5–6 tymerous(e, (5 tumerous), 6–8 timerous, (6 -ouse). (β. 6 temerous.) γ. 5–6 timorouse, 6 tymorous, 6–8 timourous, (6 -ouse, 7 timrous, 7–8 tim’rous), 6– timorous. [= OF. temeros, -ous (14th c. in Godef.), later timoureus, timoreux, OSp., Pg. temeroso, It. timoroso, med.L. timōrōsus (11th c. in Du Cange, and prob. in late L.), f. L. timōr-em fear.

  The existence of the forms timerous, temerous brought this word into formal confusion with TEMEROUS rash; whence temerity, properly n. of quality from TEMEROUS, was also used as deriv. of timorous in sense ‘timidity’: see TIMERITY.]

  1.  Full of or affected by fear (either for the time or habitually); fearful. a. Feeling fear; frightened, apprehensive, afraid. (Sometimes const. of, or with inf. or clause.) Now rare.

c. 1450.  Mankind, 805, in Macro Plays, 30. He ys so tymerouse; me semyth hys vytall spryt doth expyre.

c. 1530.  Crt. Love, 1. With timerous [ed. 1561 temerous] herte, and trembling hand of drede.

c. 1555.  Harpsfield, Divorce Hen. VIII. (Camden), 185. The King’s doings … may seem … to have proceeded from a tymerous fearful conscience to offend God.

1613.  W. Browne, Brit. Past., II. v. Timerous of death.

a. 1631.  Donne, Holy Sonnets, xii. 10. You have not sinned nor need be timourous.

1707.  Reflex. upon Ridicule, II. 269. Our Friends are for the most part timerous.

1750.  Johnson, Rambler, No. 75, ¶ 15. He is now more timorous lest his freedom should be thought rudeness.

1840.  Dickens, Barn. Rudge, lxxii. He … was rather timorous of venturing on Joe.

  b.  Subject to fear; of a fearing disposition; easily frightened; timid. † In early use sometimes in good sense: Modest, reverential.

1474.  Caxton, Chesse, II. ii. (1883), 32. A Quene ought to be well manerd & amonge alle she ought to be tumerous and shamefast. Ibid., III. ii. Maysters and marroners on the see … yf they be tumerous and ferdful they shold make aferde them that ben in theyr shippis.

1502.  Atkynson, trans. De Imitatione, II. x. 189. The grace wherby we may be made humble & tymerous to God.

1534.  More, Comf. agst. Trib., II. Wks. 1182/1. Thys faute of pusillanimitye and tymorous mynde.

a. 1557.  Mrs. M. Basset, trans. More’s Treat. Passion, ibid., 1358/1. O temerous & weake sely shepe, thynke yt sufficient for thee, onely to walke after me, which am thy shepehearde.

1600.  Holland, Livy, II. lv. 81. Their own timerous conceits & imaginations.

1774.  Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), IV. 3. Animals of the hare kind … are inoffensive and timorous.

1855.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xvi. III. 636. Conjunctures such as have often inspired timorous and delicate women with heroic courage.

  c.  Indicating or proceeding from fear; characterized by timidity. Also fig.

1581.  J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 477 b. Tymerous feare of men hath straightened it.

1603.  H. Crosse, Vertues Commw. (1878), 139. The linke of wofull wretchednes maketh his death timerous and fearfull by his leaud life.

1652.  Crashaw, Carmen Deo Nostro, 79.

1701.  C. Wolley, Jrnl. New York (1860), 60. There is the timorous objection: the Ship may founder by springing a Leak.

1781.  Gibbon, Decl. & F., xxvi. (1869), II. 48. I shall proceed with doubtful and timorous steps.

1838.  Prescott, Ferd. & Is. (1846), I. iii. 151. His troops murmured at this timorous policy.

  † 2.  Causing fear or dread; dreadful, terrible. Obs.

1455.  Rolls of Parlt., V. 281/1. In as rigorous and timorouse manere as the Chirche wol suffre it.

1513.  Bradshaw, St. Werburge, II. 766. They set theyr ordinaunce agaynst the towne … timorous for to se.

1608.  R. Johnson, Seven Champions, 45. I grant thee … by the law of arms to choose thy death, els hadst thou suffered a timorous torment.

1632.  Lithgow, Trav., VI. 262. Wee came to the most scurrile and timorous Discent of the whole passage.

  3.  dial. (See quots.)

1691.  Ray, N. C. Words, Timorous, by the Vulgar is here used for furious or passionate.

1828.  Craven Gloss., Timorous, difficult to please, fretful; also, nice, particular in dress.