Definition of the Word Courage - Essay Example

The word courage is a term recognized by everyone in all languages. Where it differs in meaning is how individuals interpret it in certain situations. The exact definition of courage, as deemed by Merriam-Webster Dictionary, states: “mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.” The definition of courage is split into two categories. The first is that it is a mental thought or feeling. Therefore, it is not a concrete object or outward article as specified by the meaning of mental: “of, relating to, or being intellectual as contrasted with overt physical activity.

” The second half of the definition of courage dictates that the inner emotion is used as an adversary against negative forces due to the fact that together danger, fear and difficulty mean “exposure or liability to injury, pain, harm, or loss; hard to do or accomplish; a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc.” This is where the meaning of courage takes off into multiple different directions. The average person derives an image of a superhero when thinking about courage.

However, that a limited view of what courage means. This is because it can be applied to so many other aspects of life. The second half of the definition in regards to negative forces is what allows for individual perspective on the word. For example, courage can pertain to a person stopping a gunman from shooting another victim despite the immense danger he or she faces in possibly getting maimed or dying in the process. On the other hand, courage can be reflected in the depths of an individual who recently became crippled and has to face the pain, difficulty and fear of starting life in a new way with new challenges.

Both situations involve a form of evil to some extent and to be courageous is appropriately applied to the people involved. The situation also does not have to be a severe one that radically changes peoples’ lives. There is no indication in the definition of courage that there has to be a big or massive negative situation that happens to someone for it to maintain its context. Courage can be applied to as little a situation as giving a successful speech in front of a classroom of students or having the courage to try something new whether it is a type of food or a physical activity.

The definition is also not limited to who can have courage. The definition does not state that a particular kind of person can achieve this mental state. This is where it gets tricky. The definition does not say who can have courage, but does that mean an animal can? Can a dog have courage? Most would agree that animals or people who do not have a clear understanding of the term courage cannot be courageous. However, if you go by the actual definition, it fails to decipher whether having courage is a human attribute or not.

The fact is that that courage is a feat attributed to a mental or emotionally state of mind. Courage is then taken on and assigned to an individual based on his or her performance during a physical or outward activity that is negative in some fashion. A person cannot have courage in face of something that is not difficult or terrifying on some level. Works Cited"courage." Merriam-Webster. 2011. Web. 2 Nov. 2011. .“fear.” Merriam-Webster. 2011. Web. 2 Nov. 2011 http://www.merriam-webster.

com/dictionary/fear.“difficulty.” Merriam-Webster. 2011. Web. 2 Nov. 2011 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/difficulty.