Courage
/ˈkɜːrɪdʒ/
nounB1
Definition
Courage means having the strength to do something even when it is scary or hard. It is not about not feeling fear, but about acting in spite of fear or danger. People show courage when they try new things, stand up for what is right, or keep going during tough times.
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⚡ See It in Action
The ability to face danger or fear
- •She showed great courage when she saved the child from the fire.
- •It takes courage to speak in front of a large audience.
- •Soldiers need courage to go into battle.
The quality of continuing despite difficulty or pain
- •He had the courage to keep working even after many failures.
- •Facing illness with courage helps people feel stronger.
- •It requires courage to admit your mistakes.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "courage" like "brave" (A2 word), but as a noun that describes the feeling or quality inside a person
- ✓Picture a small child crossing a big, dark room alone even though they feel scared
- ✓It's the feeling you get when you try something new even if you might fail or get hurt
- ✓Sounds like "COUR-age" → imagine a "court" where people decide if you are strong inside, showing your inner power
- ✓Remember heroes in stories who face dragons or hard challenges without running away
- ✓NOT like "fear" (being scared), courage is about moving forward even when scared
- ✓NOT like "strength" (physical power), courage is about mental or emotional power to face hard things
- ✓NOT like "luck" (good chance), courage comes from inside, not from chance or outside help
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Bravery: the quality of being brave (Use when focusing on specific brave actions)
- •Boldness: willingness to take risks (Use when the action is more about risk-taking than fear)
- •Fearlessness: lack of fear (Use when someone feels no fear, but courage can exist even with fear)
- •Fortitude: strength to face pain or trouble (Use in formal or serious contexts about mental strength)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: "cour-" (from Latin "cor" meaning heart) + "-age" (a suffix forming nouns)
- •Etymology: From Old French "corage," from Latin "cor" meaning heart, originally meaning "heart, spirit, or inner strength"
- •Historical development: The word evolved to mean mental strength and bravery over time, focusing on the heart as the center of courage
- •Modern usage: Used to describe mental or emotional strength to face fear, danger, or difficulty in many situations
💭 Reflect & Connect
•Can courage exist without fear? How do you think people feel when they are courageous?
•What are some situations in your life where you needed courage? How did it help you?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.People need courage to ___ difficult or scary situations without giving up.
2.Showing courage often means acting even when you feel ___ inside.
3.Courage is different from luck because it comes from ___, not chance.
4.When someone faces danger with courage, they do not ___ even if they are afraid.
5.The soldier’s courage helped him ___ his fear and continue fighting.
6.Courage can help people keep going during ___ or pain.
7.Unlike fearlessness, courage means you can feel fear but still ___ action.