Dictionary Home » Dictionary Definitions » shy

shy

Listen See in Thesaurus See in a sentence

Shy describes someone who lacks in confidence or who is nervous or quiet in social situations.

(adjective)

An example of shy is a person who stands by herself at the back wall of a party and is too frightened to talk to anyone.

Shy is defined as refraining from doing something, often out of fear or nervousness.

(verb)

An example of shy is when you are scared to talk in public.

Shy means something that happens shortly before, or that is just short of.

(adjective)

An example of shy is when you drop out of school right before you graduate.
An example of shy is when you have $1 and you need $2.

See shy in Webster's New World College Dictionary

adjective shyer or shier, shyest or shiest

easily frightened or startled; timid
not at ease with other people; extremely self-conscious; bashful
showing distrust or caution; wary
not bearing or breeding well, as some plants; unproductive
☆ Slang
1. not having paid money due, as one's poker ante
2. lacking; short (on or of)

Origin: ME schei, dial. development < OE sceoh, akin to Ger scheu, shy, prob. < IE *skeuk-, harassed (> OSlav ščuti, to pursue); akin to *skeub- > scoff

intransitive verb shied, shying

to move suddenly as when startled; jump; start; recoil: the horse shied at the gunshot
to react negatively; be or become cautious or unwilling; draw back: often with at or from

noun pl. shies

an act of shying; start, as of a horse

Related Forms:

shyer noun
shyly adverb
shyness noun

transitive verb, intransitive verb shied, shying

to throw or fling, esp. sideways with a jerk: shying stones at a target

Origin: < ?

noun pl. shies

the act of shying; fling
Informal a try or attempt
Informal a gibe

See shy in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective shi·er (shīˈər) or shy·er, shi·est (shīˈĭst) or shy·est

Easily startled; timid.
a. Drawing back from contact or familiarity with others; retiring or reserved.
b. Marked by reserve or diffidence: a shy glance.
Distrustful; wary: shy of strangers.
Not having paid an amount due, as one's ante in poker.
Short; lacking: Eleven is one shy of a dozen.