·adj Cowardly; fainthearted; spiritless.
II. Craven ·vt To make recreant, weak, spiritless, or cowardly.
III. Craven ·noun A recreant; a coward; a weak-hearted, spiritless fellow. ·see Recreant, ·noun.
An old term synonymous with recreant (which see). ...
The Sailor's Word-Book