bravado

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

bravado
    n 1: a swaggering show of courage [syn: {bravado}, {bluster}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Bravado \Bra*va"do\, n., pl. {Bravadoes}. [Sp. bravada, bravata,
   boast, brag: cf. F. bravade. See {Brave}.]
   Boastful and threatening behavior; a boastful menace.
   [1913 Webster]

         In spite of our host's bravado.          --Irving.
   [1913 Webster]

from Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

79 Moby Thesaurus words for "bravado":
      adventuresomeness, adventurousness, arrogance, audaciousness,
      audacity, balls, bluff, bluster, bluster and bluff, blustering,
      boast, boastfulness, boasting, bold front, boldness, bombast, brag,
      braggadocio, braggartism, bragging, brash bearing, brashness,
      brassiness, bravura, brazenness, bullying, bumptiousness, bustle,
      cheekiness, cockiness, conceit, contempt, contemptuousness, daring,
      daringness, defial, defiance, defying, derision, derring-do,
      despite, disdain, disregard, enterprise, fanfaronade, flurry,
      fluster, foolhardiness, front, fuss, gasconade, gasconism,
      hectoring, heroics, impertinence, impudence, insolence,
      intimidation, jactation, jactitation, machismo, overboldness,
      pertness, pretentiousness, rant, rodomontade, sauciness,
      self-assurance, side, splutter, sputter, swagger, swashbucklery,
      vanity, vaunt, vauntery, vaunting, venturesomeness,
      venturousness