_shy_
Adjective.
Pronunciation: ʃaɪ.
Etymology: from Middle
English schey.
Comparative form: shier,
or shyer.
Superlative form: shiest,
or shyest.
It is dated from
the beginning of 1100.
1. (Of certain animals,
like birds, etc.) difficult of approach by a human or another animal; easily frightened
away.
Antonyms: familiar, domesticated, tamed.
The shyest birds may be
caught napping.
Samuel Richardson… Clarissa
Those [birds] that congregate in
large flocks are always remarkably shy, suffer persons to
approach with difficulty, and have a sentinel or watch on the look out, to warn
them of danger.
Alexander Wilson… American Ornithology
[…] now these shy and wary birds, that commonly
avoid the haunts of man, constrained by hunger, will approach our dwellings, to
feed upon the ripe berries of the ivy.
John Knapp… The journal of a naturalist
The zebra […] is chiefly a native of the Cape of Good Hope. […] In those
boundless forests it has nothing to restrain its liberty; it is too shy to be caught in traps, and
therefore seldom taken alive.
Oliver Goldsmith… A history of the Earth…
[The gazelles] bound with such swiftness, and are so very shy, that dogs or men vainly
attempt to pursue them.
Oliver Goldsmith… A history of the Earth…
2. (Of a person) fearing another person, from timidity or
caution.
Translation: tímido, in Spanish; timido, in Italian; timide, in French.
Antonyms: forward, immodest, pert, bold, assured,
confident, obtrusive.
Synonyms: reserved,
modest, shy, timid.
Specifically: a. Easily
frightened by a certain human presence; who fears to meet another person, as not
being in confidence with him/her, or as being mistrusted. Hence, timidly
cautioning himself from becoming acquainted with another person, as if
frightened.
During our stay, we had at various times, visits from the natives. They
were all at first very shy, but after they
found our friendly disposition towards them, they became more sociable and
confiding.
Charles Wilkes… Narrative…
I became shy and unsociable, and when I
heard the shouts of the Ovsyanikov children I had no desire to go to them.
Maxim Gorky… My
childhood
The lad appeared so shy as even to shrink
from this slight approach to familiarity.
Walter Scott… The Fortunes of Nigel
-) With the
preposition of + a
noun or a pronoun:
After
the accounts I had read and heard of this country, I expected to meet with a
people shy of strangers and difficult of
access.
David Garrick… The private correspondence
The natives at first were shy
of
us.
James Knowles… Memoir of Roger Williams
We presently after discovered four horsemen, from the body of the caravan,
approaching toward us, which we soon perceived to be a reconnoitring party; upon this our sheik sent
four horsemen to speak to them, which they did, neither party being shy
of each other.
Abraham Parsons… Observations and Reflections
[…] when he found, in spite of the hunch on his back —that hunch which
had always made him so shy
of
women, lest they should laugh at his deformity— that she took pleasure in his
society, that she listened with interest to the glowing tales […] he seemed to
acquire a new life.
Charles Mackay… Longbeard
-) To look shy on or at: to regard shyly. Hence, to regard or
look with distrust.
[…] she looked very shy at me; but it suited my
convenience to coax her into good-humour, for I had just then no one else with
whom I liked to be better.
Alicia Moore… The
sisters
[…] a large spaniel which will look shy at the most dainty meal, and after smelling, will retire
from it.
Thomas Thacker… The courser’s companion
Every one began to look shy
on
Jenny.
Chamber’s miscellany…, vol. 8
Ned Archer came this morning and wanted to ride with them, but Matilda
looked shy on him, and said she
had promised to walk to Hereford to call at the deanery, so Ned Archer was
huffed, and rode off.
Floyd Tayleure… Professions
b. Hesitating to do something, or to behave in a certain manner, before
someone, from a fear of shame. Particularly, hesitating to
talk to another person; reserved.
Both
brothers seemed so astounded to see me that I felt shyer than usual.
Charles Dickens… George Silverman's Explanation
For
I was the shyest of children.
Thomas de Quincey… Autobiographic Sketches
For the first time in her life Jeannetta felt awkward and shy, and blushed and hesitated,
and was at a loss for words.
Harriet Gordon… Courtship and wedlock
Ben sits on the sofa, shy as always, and it is Helen who
moves in, kneels in front of him, unzips his fly and takes his penis in her
hand, puts it into her mouth.
Nancy Friday… My secret garden
[…] they only rallied me for having been shy and mute before the great Lincolnshire baronet.
Charles Dickens… Bleak
house
[…] she says, half bold and half shy, and half a laughing and half a crying, ‘Yes, uncle! If you please.’
Charles Dickens… David Copperfield
-) With the
preposition about + a
gerund, designative of what the shy person hesitates over:
[…] women can have sexual needs […] as powerful as men’s, even if they
are shy about insisting on them.
Rachel Swift… How to have an orgasm…
[…] if his method of rubbing your clitoris is painful, don’t be shy about telling him.
Rachel Swift… How to have an orgasm…
-) With the
preposition of + a gerund,
designative of what the shy person hesitates over:
I must confess, I am shy of letting people see me at this
exercise, because of my flannel waistcoat, and my spectacles, which I am forced
to fix on, the better to observe the posture of the enemy.
Tatler & Guardian
Entering
our village each evening, he announced his arrival by three blasts on his tin
horn; he was very shy of being
observed in this performance, and the people had to catch him as he passed and
hand him their letters.
Arthur Savory… Grain and Chaff…
-) With the
preposition in + a gerund,
designative of what the shy person hesitates over:
I found him by no means the reserved character he had been represented:
he is only shy in making and
beginning an acquaintance, not backward in supporting it.
Frances Burney… Diary and letters
It
may be remarked that Spanish robbers are very shy
in attacking
armed English travellers, and
particularly if they appear on their guard.
Richard Ford… Gatherings from Spain
c. (Of a personal action, posture, etc.) manifestative,
or suggestive, of shyness.
The
new and fair lady of Castlewood found the sad, lonely little occupant of this
gallery busy over his great book, which he laid down when he was aware that a
stranger was at hand. And, knowing who that person must be, the lad stood up
and bowed before her, performing a shy obeisance to the mistress of
his house.
Kate Sweetser… Boys and girls from Thackeray
3. Hence: (without implication of timidity): that fears to do something; hesitating doing something, as if from fear.
Synonyms: unwilling,
reluctant, fearful.
Particular syntax: with the prepositions of, about, at, in + a gerund, designative of what the fearful person
hesitates over:
[…]
they were very shy of trusting any of them to go
into their fort.
William Dampier… Voyage to New Holland
So shy indeed are we
English of letting a stranger
into our houses, that one would imagine we regarded all such as thieves.
Henry Fielding… Amelia
If a
puppy is shy at being taken up after a
course, and you have a dead hare in your hand, throw it down to the puppy, and
while it is mouthing the hare, you may secure it.
Thomas Thacker… The courser’s companion
4. That fears to consider a subject;
cautioning himself/herself against a subject; unwilling to become familiar with
something, as if from fear.
[…] Zaidee was quite as shy
of
the subject as Mary was.
Margaret Oliphant… Zaidee
Five years since, he would have been shy —very shy of the word “American.” He would have been
likely to avoid any sort of ware, with such a mark.
Museum of Foreign Literature and Science, vol. 8
Other
English words derived from SHY: shy (noun, verb), shying, shyer, shyish, shyly,
shyness, unshy, unshyly.
