Dutch courage

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Dutch courage … John le Carré's Toby Bell takes to a cafe to prepare himself to steal an illicit recording back from his employer.

From The Guardian • Apr. 12, 2013

Cowardice -- N. cowardice, pusillanimity; cowardliness &c. adj.; timidity, effeminacy. poltroonery, baseness; dastardness†, dastardy†; abject fear, funk; Dutch courage; fear &c.

From Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases by Roget, Peter Mark

I won’t act like a sham, even if I am where there’s so much Dutch courage.

From Charge! A Story of Briton and Boer by Fenn, George Manville

Running gives Dutch courage, so we dropped from our wall, and we, too, began running—towards the deserters.

From Indiscreet Letters From Peking Being the Notes of an Eye-Witness, Which Set Forth in Some Detail, from Day to Day, the Real Story of the Siege and Sack of a Distressed Capital in 1900—The Year of Great Tribulation by Putnam Weale, B. L. (Bertram Lenox)

I would not have my wig box snatched away; and there is no limit to the audacity of those bully beaux when they have drunk enough to give them Dutch courage.

From Tom Tufton's Travels by Everett-Green, Evelyn