craven

This term carries a heavy weight of judgment, implying not just a lack of bravery but a shameful or contemptible failure of nerve. It suggests a level of cowardice that is viewed with disgust by others, often associated with betrayal or the abandonment of duty. When used as a noun, it identifies a person by their most negative trait, effectively reducing their identity to their cowardice. This usage is less common in modern speech than the adjective form but remains potent in literary or formal contexts.