No poll–it’s really just a yes/no thing.
I’ve been having an OCD internal dialog about this for a while now, and I’m just curious if anyone else sees a difference. Are they synonyms? Or do they have a subtly different meaning to you. No need to defend what you believe here, just, “Is there a difference, and if so what is it?”
Yes, I think. Courage is an internal quality. Bravery is an external action.
I looked for bravery at http://www.onelook.com/
Out of the first four definitions for bravery, only one did not define bravery by using the word courage. It used brave.
Looks like they’re synonymous from here.
Yes…but if you were to choose between the two to describe something would you prefer one over the other depending on the subject at hand, or would you say “bravery” or “courage” simply based on which one popped into your head first? Do they mean the same thing to you, or do you find a subtle difference between the two? For instance as Alessan pointed out.
If I were forced to make a subtle distinction I’d say maybe that bravery related to the action taken and that courage was the internal quality that made one act with bravery, but by and large I would consider them synonyms.
I think they are pretty much the same thing. If there’s a context where one concept is substantively different from the other, I can’t think of it at the moment.
Maybe I’d be more likely to use the word “courage” to describe the strength needed to get through long-term fears and “bravery” for something more specific and short term.
For example, I’d be more inclined to say it takes courage to say in public what you know will make you very unpopular with many people, and even risk assassination for saying it. And I’d say it takes bravery to actually get up on a stage and talk about it in a specific situation where you might get shot or something.
Though that’s more my inclination than a distinction I necessarily feel exists.
In my mind, bravery, valor and courage all can be used to mean virtually the same thing; but I have to admit that bravery seems more a transitory state and courage often has a long term quality. Valor seems reserved for acts of self-sacrifice.
I know that the OP did not mention valor, but for me it is closely tied to the other two.
If I were pressed for definitions, or to say yes/no whether they were synonyms or not, I would say yes.
But thinking about using them, I find that I tend to use brave when talking about physical stuff, and courage when dealing with emotional/metaphysical stuff.