Although bravery and courage are often used synonymously today, the history of the word brave has some interesting differences from courage. The older meanings of brave include some that are far from virtuous: “cutthroat,” “villain,” “crooked,” and “depraved.”1 The current meaning of brave is closely allied to the word bold, which isn’t attached to virtue or vice. Boldness can be bad just as it can be good. In a culture as fragmented as ours, nearly anyone who takes a stand on something can find support somewhere. Right or wrong, anyone who is bold will be considered brave by someone.
