POLTROON, or POLTRON, a coward or dastard, wanting courage to perform any thing great or noble. The word is borrowed from the French, who according to Salmasius, derived it à pollice truncata; because anciently those who would avoid going to the wars cut off their thumb. But Menage, with more probability, derives it from the Italian poltrone and that from poltra a "bed;" because timorous, pusillanimous people take pleasure in lying a-bed. Others derive the word from the Italian poltro, a "colt," because of that creature's readiness to run away.