shy adj

1 lacking self-confidence; "stood in the doorway diffident and abashed"; "problems that call for bold not timid responses"; "a very unsure young man" [syn: diffident, timid, unsure]

2 easily startled or frightened

3 short; "eleven is one shy of a dozen" [syn: shy(p)]

4 wary and distrustful; disposed to avoid persons or things; "shy of strangers" n : a quick throw; "he gave the ball a shy to the first baseman"

1 start suddenly, as from fight

2 throw quickly [also: shied, shyest, shyer, shiest, shier]

English

Etymology

Old English sceoh

Pronunciation

• /ʃaɪ/
• Rhymes with: -aɪ

Adjective

1. Easily frightened; timid; as, a shy bird.
2. Reserved; coy; disinclined to familiar approach.
3. Cautious; wary; suspicious.
4. Short, insufficient or less than.

   It is just shy of a mile from here to their house.

Usage notes

• Often used in combination with a noun to produce an adjective .
• Adjectives are usually applicable to animals ("leash-shy") or to children. Usage is comparable in meaning to words formed using -phobic or phrases using anxiety ("leash anxiety").

Derived terms

• -shy
• bird-shy
• boy-shy
• car-shy
• cat-shy
• camera-shy
• cover-shy
• girl-shy
• gun-shy
• hand-shy
• man-shy
• mouse-shy
• noise-shy
• people-shy
• water-shy
• woman-shy
• work-shy

Synonyms

• reserved
• bashful
• timid
• demure

Antonyms

• brazen
• bold
• audacious

Translations

• Arabic: (xajūl)
• Czech: plachý
• Chinese: 害羞的 (hàixiū de), 腼腆的 (miǎntian de)
• Danish: sky (1), genert (2), undselig (2), vagtsom (3)
• Dutch: verlegen, schuchter, schuchtere, gegeneerd, gegeneerde
• Finnish: arka (1), ujo (2), vajaa (3)
• French: timide
• German: schüchtern
• Greek: ντροπαλός , ντροπαλή
• Hungarian: félénk
• Hebrew: ביישן (bayshan)
• Italian: timido
• Japanese: 恥ずかしがりの (hazukashi gari no)
• Korean: 수줍은 (sujubeun)
• Kurdish:
• Portuguese: tímido
• Russian: застенчивый (zasténčivyj)
• Somali: xishood
• Spanish: tímido
• Swedish: blyg

Verb

1. To avoid due to timidness or caution.

   I shy away from investment opportunities I don't understand.

2. To jump back in fear.

   The horse shied away from the rider, which startled him so much he shied away from the horse.

3. to throw a ball or other missile at a target

Translations

checktrans-top intransitive

• Danish: vige

Noun

1. act of throwing
2. place for throwing

   coconut shy

Translations

Shyness is a feeling of insecurity. Shy may also refer to:

• Shy (band), a British classic rock band
• Shy (company), an Italian high end women's shoe brand
• Shy (song), a single by The Glue

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