I. brəˈvä(ˌ)dō, -vȧ- noun
( -es )
Etymology: Middle French, Old Spanish & Old Italian; Middle French bravade & Old Spanish bravata, from Old Italian bravata, from feminine of bravato, past participle of bravare to threaten, challenge, provoke, show off, from bravo courageous, wild — more at brave
1.
a. : showy or demonstrative conduct or action often characterized by bluster and swagger
morale is not based on bravado but on deadly competence — Coast Artillery Journal
also : an instance of such conduct or action
retreating with face-saving bravadoes
b. : the psychological quality or state conducive to or responsible for perversely capricious, ostentatiously overbearing, or noisy bluffing behavior
to perform idiotic tricks out of sheer bravado
2. obsolete : swaggerer
II. intransitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-es )
: swagger , bluster
bravadoing ward bosses
: put on a show of bravado
the mob bravadoed a while but never got really violent