Shy Definition
shī
shied, shier, shies, shiest, shyer, shyest, shying, shier<sup>1</sup>
adjective
shier, shiest, shyer, shyest, shier<sup>1</sup>
Easily frightened or startled; timid.
Webster's New World
Not at ease with other people; extremely self-conscious; bashful.
Webster's New World
Tending to avoid contact or familiarity with others; retiring or reserved.
A shy student who stayed in the back of the room.
American Heritage
Characterized by reserve or diffidence.
A shy glance.
American Heritage
Showing distrust or caution; wary.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
verb
shied, shies, shying
To move suddenly as when startled; jump; start; recoil.
The horse shied at the gunshot.
Webster's New World
To throw or fling, esp. sideways with a jerk.
Shying stones at a target.
Webster's New World
To react negatively; be or become cautious or unwilling; draw back.
Webster's New World
To throw something with a swift motion.
American Heritage
To avoid engaging in, treating, or discussing something.
American Heritage
noun
shies
An act of shying; start, as of a horse.
Webster's New World
The act of shying; fling.
Webster's New World
A try or attempt.
Webster's New World
A gibe.
Webster's New World
A place for throwing.
Coconut shy.
Wiktionary
idiom
fight shy of
- to keep from; avoid; evade
Webster's New World
Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Shy
Origin of Shy
-
From Middle English shy (“shy"), from Old English sÄ‹Ä“oh (“shy"), from Proto-Germanic *skiuhwaz (“shy, fearful"). Cognate with Dutch schuw (“shy"), German scheu (“shy"), Danish sky (“shy").
From Wiktionary
Middle English schey from Old English scēoh
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Perhaps from shy
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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