shy
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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English [edit]
Etymology [edit]
From Middle English shy (“shy”), from Old English sċēoh (“shy”), from Proto-Germanic *skiuhwaz (“shy, fearful”). Cognate with Dutch schuw (“shy”), German scheu (“shy”), Danish sky (“shy”).
Pronunciation [edit]
Adjective [edit]
shy (comparative shier or shyer, superlative shiest or shyest)
- Easily frightened; timid.
- a shy bird.
- Reserved; disinclined to familiar approach.
- He is very shy with strangers.
- Cautious; wary; suspicious.
- Short, insufficient or less than.
- By our count your shipment came up two shy of the bill of lading amount.
- It is just shy of a mile from here to their house.
- Embarrassed.
See also [edit]
Usage notes [edit]
- Often used in combination with a noun to produce an adjective or adjectival phrase.
- Adjectives are usually applicable to animals (leash-shy "shy of leashes" or head shy "shy of contact around the head" (of horses)) or to children.
Synonyms [edit]
- See also Wikisaurus:shy
Antonyms [edit]
Derived terms [edit]
terms derived using shy as suffix
Translations [edit]
easily frightened
reserved
cautious
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embarrassed
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked
Verb [edit]
shy (third-person singular simple present shies, present participle shying, simple past and past participle shied)
- (intransitive) To avoid due to timidness or caution.
- I shy away from investment opportunities I don't understand.
- (intransitive) To jump back in fear.
- The horse shied away from the rider, which startled him so much he shied away from the horse.
- (transitive) to throw sideways with a jerk; to fling
- to shy a stone; to shy a slipper
- (Can we find and add a quotation of T. Hughes to this entry?)
Translations [edit]
to avoid due to timidness or caution — see shy away
to fling
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked
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Noun [edit]
shy (plural shies)
- An act of throwing.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Thackeray to this entry?)
- Punch
- If Lord Brougham gets a stone in his hand, he must, it seems, have a shy at somebody.
- 2008, James Kelman, Kieron Smith, Boy, Penguin 2009, p. 55:
- The game had started. A man was chasing the ball, it went out for a shy.
- A place for throwing.
- coconut shy
- A sudden start aside, as by a horse.
Derived terms [edit]
Translations [edit]
act of throwing
place for throwing
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