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Courage vs. Brave — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Courage and Brave

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Definitions

Courage

Courage (also called bravery or valour) is the choice and willingness to confront agony, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation. Valour is courage or bravery, especially in battle.

Brave

Possessing or displaying courage.

Courage

The ability to do something that frightens one; bravery
She called on all her courage to face the ordeal

Brave

Making a fine display; impressive or showy
“a coat of brave red lipstick on a mouth so wrinkled that it didn't even have a clear outline” (Anne Tyler).

Courage

The state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face danger, fear, or vicissitudes with self-possession, confidence, and resolution; bravery.
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Brave

Excellent; great
“The Romans were like brothers / In the brave days of old” (Thomas Macaulay).

Courage

The quality of being confident, not afraid or easily intimidated, but without being incautious or inconsiderate.
It takes a lot of courage to be successful in business.

Brave

(used with a pl. verb) People who exhibit bravery or courage considered as a group
“O'er the land of the free / And the home of the brave” (Francis Scott Key).

Courage

The ability to overcome one's fear, do or live things which one finds frightening.
He plucked up the courage to tell her how he felt.

Brave

(Offensive) A Native American warrior.
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Courage

The ability to maintain one's will or intent despite either the experience of fear, frailty, or frustration; or the occurrence of adversity, difficulty, defeat or reversal. Moral fortitude.

Brave

(Archaic) A bully.

Courage

(obsolete) To encourage.

Brave

To endure or face courageously
“He remained in his tent on inclement mornings while others in the party braved the rain ... looking for birds” (Bert O. States). “Together they would brave Satan and all his legions” (Emily Brontë).

Courage

The heart; spirit; temper; disposition.
So priketh hem nature in here corages.
My lord, cheer up your spirits; our foes are nigh,and this soft courage makes your followers faint.

Brave

(Obsolete) To make showy or splendid.

Courage

Heart; inclination; desire; will.
I'd such a courage to do him good.

Brave

To make a courageous show or put up a stalwart front.

Courage

That quality of mind which enables one to encounter danger and difficulties with firmness, or without fear, or fainting of heart; valor; boldness; resolution.
The king-becoming graces . . . Devotion, patience, courage, fortitude,I have no relish of them.
Courage that grows from constitution often forsakes a man when he has occasion for it.

Brave

Strong in the face of fear; courageous.

Courage

To inspire with courage; to encourage.
Paul writeth unto Timothy . . . to courage him.

Brave

(obsolete) Having any sort of superiority or excellence.

Courage

A quality of spirit that enables you to face danger of pain without showing fear

Brave

Making a fine show or display.

Brave

Foolish or unwise.

Brave

(dated) A Native American warrior.

Brave

(obsolete) A man daring beyond discretion; a bully.

Brave

(obsolete) A challenge; a defiance; bravado.

Brave

(transitive) To encounter with courage and fortitude, to defy, to provoke.
After braving tricks on the high-dive, he braved a jump off the first diving platform.

Brave

To adorn; to make fine or showy.

Brave

Bold; courageous; daring; intrepid; - opposed to cowardly; as, a brave man; a brave act.

Brave

Having any sort of superiority or excellence; - especially such as in conspicuous.
Iron is a brave commodity where wood aboundeth.
It being a brave day, I walked to Whitehall.

Brave

Making a fine show or display.
Wear my dagger with the braver grace.
For I have gold, and therefore will be brave.In silks I'll rattle it of every color.
Frog and lizard in holiday coatsAnd turtle brave in his golden spots.

Brave

A brave person; one who is daring.
The star-spangled banner, O,long may it waveO'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Brave

Specifically, an Indian warrior.

Brave

A man daring beyond discretion; a bully.
Hot braves like thee may fight.

Brave

A challenge; a defiance; bravado.
Demetrius, thou dost overween in all;And so in this, to bear me down with braves.

Brave

To encounter with courage and fortitude; to set at defiance; to defy; to dare.
These I can brave, but those I can not bear.

Brave

To adorn; to make fine or showy.
Thou [a tailor whom Grunio was browbeating] hast braved meny men; brave not me; I'll neither be faced or braved.

Brave

A North American Indian warrior

Brave

People who are brave;
The home of the free and the brave

Brave

Face or endure with courage;
She braved the elements

Brave

Possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching;
Familiarity with danger makes a brave man braver but less daring
A frank courageous heart...triumphed over pain
Set a courageous example by leading them safely into and out of enemy-held territory

Brave

Invulnerable to fear or intimidation;
Audacious explorers
Fearless reporters and photographers
Intrepid pioneers

Brave

Brightly colored and showy;
Girls decked out in brave new dresses
Brave banners flying
`braw' is a Scottish word
A dress a bit too gay for her years
Birds with gay plumage

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