Poltroon' A coward. Menage derives it from the Italian poltro, a bed, because cowards feign
themselves sick a-bed in times of war. Saumaise says it means “maimed of the thumb,” because
in times of conscription those who had no stomach for the field disqualified themselves by
cutting off their right thumb. More probably apoltroon is a hawk that will not or cannot fly at game.