Dictionary

gunshy en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈɡʌn.ʃaɪ/

Etymology

From gun + shy.

Meanings

1. Afraid to use a gun.
2. Frightened by the sound of gunfire.
   • But very few dogs become gunshy if they are introduced to the bang while they are overcome with the delight of chasing game, particularly if the trainer begins with a light noise and works up to louder noises in easy stages 2007, Paul Long, Training Pointing Dogs, 2nd edition, page 38:
3. (figuratively) Fearing the consequences of repeating an act, especially after being reprimanded.
   • After his last suggestion was laughed at by his colleagues, he was gunshy about making another suggestion.
   • You're gun shy / So am I / I understand with what you've been through 2018, Mark Oliver Everett, “There I Said It”, in The Deconstruction, performed by Eeels:
   • However, some people are gun-shy about like and engage in the hoity toity lingo that's called “hypercorrection.” 2013, Ben Yagoda, How to Not Write Bad: The Most Common Writing Problems and the Best Ways to Avoid Them, Penguin, →ISBN:

Forms

Deriveds

are the Kennedys gun-shy

Relateds

once bitten, twice shy