pusillanimous

• I am always dumb, or pusillanimous or (if I speak) ridiculous, in the company of such a person. —  Life and Remains of John Clare
• Naturally dull and stupid; extremely illiterate; indecisive to a degree that would be incredible to one who did not know him; pusillanimous, and, of course, hypocritical; has no opinion on any subject, and will be always under the government of the worst men; pretends, as I am told, to some knowledge of military matters, but never commanded a platoon, nor was ever fit to command one. —  Memoirs of Aaron Burr
• Whereupon Suhm, in panic, fled over the marches to his Master; who bullied him for his pusillanimous terrors; and applied to Friedrich Wilhelm, in fine frenzy of indignant astonishment, "What, in Heaven's name, such meditated outrage on the law of nations, and flat insult to the Majesty of Kings, can have meant?" —  History of Friedrich II of Prussia
• It was well known that Dr. Ryerson had strenuously opposed any reference of the questions to the British Parliament as a pusillanimous, and yet an interested, party abnegation of Canadian rights. —  The Story of My Life Being Reminiscences of Sixty Years' Public Service in Canada
• 'pusillanimous,' 'cowardly,' and such like, — these I think are sufficient to make any true American's blood boil. —  Letters and Journals 01

Roget's II: The New Thesaurus

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