shy
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Contents |
[edit] English
[edit] Etymology
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”).
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Adjective
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.
[edit] See also
[edit] Usage notes
- 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.
[edit] Synonyms
- See also Wikisaurus:shy
[edit] Antonyms
[edit] Derived terms
terms derived using shy as suffix
[edit] Translations
easily frightened
reserved
cautious
|
|
embarrassed
|
- 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
[edit] Verb
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 a ball or other missile at a target
[edit] Translations
to avoid due to timidness or caution — see shy away
to throw a ball
- 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
|
[edit] Noun
shy (plural shies)
- act of throwing
- 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.
- 2008, James Kelman, Kieron Smith, Boy, Penguin 2009, p. 55:
- place for throwing
- coconut shy
[edit] Derived terms
[edit] Translations
act of throwing
place for throwing
|
|
