bravado• As after all I was not a bad little boy but I was shy and covered it up by bravado.• Having gone that long undetected by the enemies sitting almost next to me, I'd got my over-confident bravado back with interest.• Other work-inhibited students express a falsebravado.• My bravadoemanated from the knowledge that a certainlady was looking out of her window.• But there was no bravado in it at the time.• Later, in the retelling, the act would take on a certain amount of bravado.• Alternatively, respondents may exaggerate their delinquencies out of bravado, especially likely with juveniles.• The snakes eat themselves at the top of the food-chain out of habit or boredom or sheerbravado.• The new recruits were full of youthfulbravado.
Originbravado
(1500-1600)Frenchbravade and Old Spanishbravata, from Old Italianbravata, from brava; → BRAVE1