shy

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[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

Old English sceoh

[edit] Pronunciation

[edit] Adjective

shy (comparative shier or shyer, superlative shiest or shyest)

  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.
  5. Embarrassed

[edit] 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").

[edit] Synonyms

[edit] Antonyms

[edit] Derived terms

[edit] Translations

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.

[edit] Verb

Infinitive
to shy

Third person singular
shies

Simple past
shied

Past participle
shied

Present participle
shying

to shy (third-person singular simple present shies, present participle shying, simple past and past participle shied)

  1. (intransitive) To avoid due to timidness or caution.
    I shy away from investment opportunities I don't understand.
  2. (intransitive) To jump back in fear.
    The horse shied away from the rider, which startled him so much he shied away from the horse.
  3. (transitive) to throw a ball or other missile at a target

[edit] Translations

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.

[edit] Noun

Singular
shy

Plural
shies

shy (plural shies)

  1. act of throwing
  2. place for throwing
    coconut shy

[edit] Derived terms

[edit] Translations