Select the option that is opposite in meaning to the English word "courage" and best expresses its antonym.

Introduction / Context:
Antonym questions test understanding of word meanings and the ability to distinguish between related but different concepts. Here, we are given the word courage, which refers to the quality of being brave and facing fear or danger. We must identify the option that expresses the direct opposite character quality.

Given Data / Assumptions:

The target word is courage.

The options are bravery, weakness, cowardice, fear and daring.

Courage is a positive trait involving firm resolve in the face of difficulty.

The correct answer must be a noun naming the opposite character trait, not simply a related feeling.

We focus on standard dictionary meanings used in general English.

Concept / Approach:
Courage is the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere and withstand danger or hardship. The well known opposite character trait is cowardice, which is the lack of courage and a tendency to be excessively afraid or to avoid danger. While fear is an emotion that can exist even in a courageous person, cowardice is the quality of being controlled by fear. Therefore, cowardice is the precise antonym.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify bravery and daring as near synonyms of courage because they also describe bold and fearless behaviour. Step 2: Examine cowardice, which is defined as failure to show courage when facing danger or difficulty. Step 3: Examine weakness. Weakness refers broadly to lack of strength, whether physical, emotional or moral, and may or may not involve fear. Step 4: Examine fear. Fear is a feeling of anxiety or dread but not a character trait by itself; a courageous person can still experience fear yet overcome it. Step 5: Conclude that cowardice is the clearest opposite character quality to courage.

Verification / Alternative check:
Use the words in similar sentence structures. For example, His courage impressed everyone and His cowardice disappointed everyone show parallel use of nouns. Replace courage with bravery: His bravery impressed everyone. Replace with daring: His daring impressed everyone. These are still positive traits, confirming that they are synonyms, not antonyms. Fear does not fit in the same way as a stable trait; we would normally say he was full of fear, not he had great fear as a character quality.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Bravery has almost the same meaning as courage and therefore cannot be an antonym. Weakness is too broad and may refer to physical limits or minor faults; it is not the standard word for the opposite of courage. Fear is an emotion that courageous people may also feel and overcome, so it is not necessarily the opposite of courage as a trait. Daring is another word for boldness and risk taking, very close to courage rather than opposite.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to choose fear because it seems naturally opposed to courage. However, language often distinguishes between temporary emotions and lasting personality traits. Courage opposes cowardice at the level of character, while fear is simply a feeling that may be present even when someone acts bravely. Careful reading of definitions can avoid this confusion.

Final Answer:
The correct antonym of courage is cowardice.