gun-shy

The definition of gun shy is a person or animal that is afraid of loud noises or is distrustful.

(adjective)

  1. An example of gun shy is a dog that hides in the bathtub on 4th of July because of the sound of fireworks.
  2. An example of gun shy is a woman who carries pepper spray in her hand whenever she walks alone.

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See gun-shy in Webster's New World College Dictionary

adjective

  1. easily frightened at the firing of a gun: a gun-shy dog
  2. frightened, wary, mistrustful, etc., as because of a previous experience

Related Forms:

See gun-shy in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective
  1. Afraid of loud noise, such as that of gunfire.
  2. Extremely distrustful or wary.
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