doughty
adjective

- brave and persistent

- determined, brave, and unwilling ever to stop trying to achieve something

- marked by fearless resolution

Oxford Languages / Cambridge Dictionary / Merriam-Webster

—
WORD ORIGIN

From Middle English doughty meaning "valiant, stalwart" - this came from Old English dohtig meaning "strong, sturdy, vigorous".

Over time it evolved beyond just a physical sense of strength and sturdiness, also taking on connotations of bravery, boldness and prowess in battle as well as mental toughness.

By the 1600s, doughty maintained the sense of bravery and valour, but more in a general sense rather than limited to battle or physical might.

—
EXTREME DOUGHTINESS

The Battle of Thermopylae (480 BC): the 300 Spartan warriors, led by King Leonidas, defended the narrow pass of Thermopylae against a much larger Persian army. They fought valiantly and held their ground, ultimately sacrificing their lives to delay the enemy's advance.

Joan of Arc (1412-1431): a French peasant girl led the French army to several victories during the Hundred Years' War against the English. Her unwavering faith and determination inspired her troops and contributed to her country's eventual success.

Nelson Mandela (1918-2013): was imprisoned for 27 years for his anti-apartheid activism. Upon his release, he continued to advocate for peace and reconciliation, ultimately leading South Africa out of apartheid and into a new era.

—
SYNONYMS

backbone, ballsy, brave, bravehearted, brassy, bulldog, courageous, dauntless, dogged, DOUGHTY, fearless, gallant, gutsy, hardy, indomitable, intrepid, iron, lionhearted, plucky, resolute, spunky, staunch, steadfast, unafraid, unbending, undaunted, unflinching, unfrightened, unyielding, valorous

—
SMUGGLE OWAD into a conversation, say something like:

“The success of a startup invariably depends upon the DOUGHTY efforts of its founders.”

—
HERZLICHEN DANK to all readers helping me keep OWAD alive with single or monthly donations.

Every month, I spend evening and weekend hours with my family researching and writing your daily OWAD. It remains FREE, AD-free, and ALIVE thanks to voluntary donations from appreciative readers.

If you aren’t already, please also consider supporting us - even the equivalent of a single cup of coffee a month will help us cover mailing, site hosting, and maintenance costs. Just head over to our DonorBox page:

https://donorbox.org/please-become-a-friend-of-owad-5-3

or bank transfer to Paul Smith
IBAN: DE75 7316 0000 0002 5477 40
Please use your email-address as ‘Verwendungszweck’

Thank you,

Paul