Link Centre Dictionary

shy

UK/ʃaɪ/ US/ˈʃaɪ/ common informal uk us
adjective (4) verb (2) noun (1)

adjective

1.

lacking self-confidence

  • “stood in the doorway diffident and abashed”
  • “problems that call for bold not timid responses”
  • “a very unsure young man”
Synonyms
Similar
2.
3.

short

  • “eleven is one shy of a dozen”
Similar
4.

wary and distrustful; disposed to avoid persons or things

  • “shy of strangers”
Similar

verb

1.

start suddenly, as from fight

2.

noun

1.

a quick throw

  • “he gave the ball a shy to the first baseman”

Origin

From Middle English shy (“shy”), from Old English sċēoh (“shy”), from Proto-West Germanic *skeuh (“shy, fearful”), from Proto-Germanic *skeuhaz (“shy, fearful”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian skjou (“shy”), Dutch schuw (“shy”), German scheu (“shy”), Danish sky (“shy”).

Phrases

  • coconut shy
  • crate shy of a load
  • few cards shy of a full deck
  • fight shy
  • fight shy of
  • have a shy
  • look shy
  • one card shy of a full deck
  • piss shy
  • shy away from
  • shy bairns get nowt

Related words

Broader terms

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.