While I was reading one-word substitutions in R.S. Agarwal's General English book, I came across the following question:
One who always runs away from danger
a) escapist
b) timid
c) coward
d) shirker
They have given b as the correct answer. I reckoned that timid and coward both are the same. Can you please tell me the difference between timid and coward?
Best Answer
Actually the thing is, timid means lack of courage and frightening easily. Not specifically like avoiding danger. While a coward is someone who always runs away from danger, and is excessively afraid of danger.
The common thing is lack of courage and the difference is like not having a backbone or having a weak backbone.
You could say the degree of afraidness is more in a coward. And since the question contains the word "always", we can go for 'coward' as the answer.
I think your book is showing the wrong answer.