shy en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ʃaɪ/
- (US) audio
Etymology
From Middle English shy (“shy”), from Old English sċēoh (“shy”), from Proto-West Germanic *skeuh (“shy, fearful”), from Proto-Germanic *skeuhaz (“shy, fearful”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian skjou (“shy”), Dutch schuw (“shy”), German scheu (“shy”), Danish sky (“shy”).
Meanings
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Easily frightened; timid.
The horses of the army, and those of the royal stables, having been daily led before me, were no longer shy, but would come up to my very feet without starting.
1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, (please specify |part=I to IV):
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Reserved; disinclined to familiar approach.
Graham Norton: But the people coming up to you now, like the Americans, well, you know, the Americans, they're not shy, the Americans. / Maggie Smith: No. Well, no but I don't go anywhere where really they can get at me. It's usually in museums and art galleries and things, so that limits things. I keep away from there, and Harrod's I don't go near.
2015 October 30, The Graham Norton Show, season 18, episode 6:He is very shy with strangers.
VVhat makes you ſo ſhy of late, my good Friend? There's no Body loves you better than I, nor has taken more Pains in your Affairs: […]
1712, Humphry Polesworth [pseudonym; John Arbuthnot], “An Account of the Conference between Mrs. Bull and Don Diego Dismallo”, in John Bull in His Senses: Being the Second Part of Law is a Bottomless-Pit. […], Edinburgh: […] James Watson, […], →OCLC, page 25:
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Cautious; wary; suspicious.
We grant, although he had much wit, / H' was very shy of using it; / As being loth to wear it out, / And therefore bore it not about,
1662 (indicated as 1663), [Samuel Butler], “. Canto I.”, in Hudibras, London; republished in A[lfred] R[ayney] Waller, editor, Hudibras: Written in the Time of the Late Wars, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: University Press, 1905, →OCLC:Princes are, by wisdom of state, somewhat shy of their successors.
1641, Henry Wotton, The Characters of Robert Devereux and George Villiers:[…] I am very ſhy of building any thing of moment upon foundations that I eſteem ſo unſure, […]
1661, Robert Boyle, “A Proemial Essay, wherein, with Some Considerations Touching Experimental Essays in General, is Interwoven such an Introduction to All Those Written by the Author, as is Necessary to be Perus’d for the Better Understanding of Them”, in Certain Physiological Essays and Other Tracts; […], 2nd edition, London: […] Henry Herringman […], published 1669, →OCLC, page 33:
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(informal) Short, insufficient or less than.
It is just shy of a mile from here to their house.
By our count your shipment came up two shy of the bill of lading amount.
The year I turned 26, as the head of my own brokerage firm, I made $49 million, which really pissed me off because it was three shy of a million a week.
2013, Terence Winter, The Wolf of Wall Street, spoken by Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio):United move seventh - still six points off a Champions League place and a massive 16 shy of the lead held by rivals Manchester City.
2018 December 1, Tom Rostance, “Southampton 2 – 2 Manchester United”, in BBC Sport:
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(UK, US, of a voter) Less likely to reveal whom they will vote for than average, chiefly in the context of the collective effect this has on polling accuracy.
Pollsters need to remember the shy Tory factor.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most shy | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| shier | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| more shy | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| shyer | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| shiest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| shyest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Antonyms
bold · unshy · barefaced · unshy · confident · gregarious · bold · fearless · audacious · bold · cheeky · immodest · courageous · brazen · unblushing · forward · impudent · brazen · adventurous · brave · outgoing · confident · audacious · confident
Deriveds
shyshark · fight shy · shy Tory · shyness · mouse-shy · people-shy · gun-shy · boy-shy · crate shy of a load · shy bairns get nowt · shy bairns get noot · piss shy · shyster · shybie · cover-shy · call-shy · camera-shy · noise-shy · work-shy · workshy · shily · shy bladder · shyful · water-shy · -shy · hood-shy · shy greenhood · pee-shy · car-shy · gunshy · fight shy of · love-shy · shyly · cat-shy · shyish · one card shy of a full deck · cockshy · book-shy · head-shy · girl-shy · woman-shy · man-shy · nonshy · bird-shy · look shy · few cards shy of a full deck · hand-shy
Relateds
shy person · reserved · demure · timid · coy · wouldn't say boo to a goose · cautious · bashful · shyness
Synonyms
mousy · hesitant · bookish · bashful · distant · quiet · coy · submissive · sheep-faced · abashed · shy · sheepish · unassertive · uncommunicative · embarrassed · passive · shamefast · backward · retiring · timid · reclusive
Translations (244)
fr gêné (reserved) · pl strachliwy (easily frightened) · fr timide (easily frightened) · ko 수줍다 (easily frightened) · fi arka (easily frightened) · ru стесни́тельный (reserved) · ga cotúil (reserved) · hu kevesebb (short, less than) · cmn 怕羞 (easily frightened) · vi nhút nhát (easily frightened) · nl verstandig (cautious) · cmn 含蓄 (reserved) · ja 人見知りする (reserved) · mh jok (easily frightened) · uk страшли́вий (easily frightened) · cs plachý (easily frightened) · az utancaq (reserved) · it meno (short, less than) · ar مُوَرَّط (embarrassed) · jje 수좁다 (reserved) · es tímido (easily frightened) · pt pávido (easily frightened) · cmn 尷尬 /尴尬 (embarrassed) · ru стыдли́вый (reserved) · ru стыдли́вый (embarrassed) · pt avergonhado (embarrassed) · fr en moins (short, less than) · ja 寡黙 (reserved) · bg стесни́телен (reserved) · fi varovainen (cautious) · be страшлі́вы (easily frightened) · ca reservat (reserved) · vi nhát (easily frightened) · nl beschroomd (embarrassed) · bg предпазлив (cautious) · hu bátortalan (reserved) · uk боязки́й (cautious) · ar خَجُول (easily frightened) · hu szemérmes (reserved) · sv försiktig (cautious) · bg недостигащ (short, less than) · el ντροπαλός (easily frightened) · sk plachý (easily frightened) · gsw schüüch (reserved) · izh ujo (reserved) · ar خَجُول (reserved) · mk срамежлив (easily frightened) · mi pūihi (reserved) · nl schuw (easily frightened) · ang sċēoh (reserved) · lv kautrīgs (reserved) · km អៀន (reserved) · be пужлі́вы (easily frightened) · fr prudent (cautious) · ia timide (reserved) · as লাজুকা (easily frightened) · ru пугли́вый (easily frightened) · lad entravado (reserved) · ru смущённый (embarrassed) · de scheu (reserved) · ro timid (easily frightened) · ru пугли́вый (cautious) · bg срамежли́в (embarrassed) · fr timide (reserved) · gl medoso (easily frightened) · pt tímido (reserved) · ja 弱気 (easily frightened) · cmn 靦腆 /䩄腆 (easily frightened) · ro fricos (easily frightened) · chr ᎤᏕᎰᏌᏘ (reserved) · cmn 害羞 (easily frightened) · pdt bleed (nds) (easily frightened) · el ντροπαλός (reserved) · cs těsně před (short, less than) · pl nieśmiały (reserved) · cs nesmělý (easily frightened) · hu félénk (reserved) · ru расте́рянный (embarrassed) · cs stydící se (embarrassed) · hu félszeg (reserved) · hi लज्जावान (embarrassed) · gv faitagh (easily frightened) · hu feszélyezve érzi magát (embarrassed) · pl nieśmiały (easily frightened) · win hirošišik (easily frightened) · ru стесни́тельный (easily frightened) · hu híján (short, less than) · lv bikls (embarrassed) · be палахлі́вы (easily frightened) · cmn 持重 (cautious) · fr réservé (reserved) · win hirošišik (reserved) · uk несмі́лий (easily frightened) · pdt bescheiden (reserved) · jje 부치럽다 (reserved) · fr timoré (easily frightened) · ka ფრთხილი (cautious) · cmn 難為情 /难为情 (embarrassed) · cs stydlivý (embarrassed) · lv bikls (easily frightened) · ja 内気 (reserved) · cy swil (easily frightened) · win hirošišik (cautious) · sv blyg (reserved) · ru засте́нчивый (easily frightened) · yo tijú (reserved) · hu ijedős (easily frightened) · ka მორცხვი (reserved) · pl bojaźliwy (easily frightened) · pl wstydliwy (reserved) · unm tëtpasi (easily frightened) · ro prudent (cautious) · mi whakakōkiri (reserved) · vi ngại (reserved) · sv knapp (short, less than) · de scheu (easily frightened) · hu félős (easily frightened) · la pavidus (easily frightened) · ga cúthail (reserved) · hu szégyenlős (reserved) · mn ᠪᠦᠷᠦᠭ (reserved) · uk полохли́вий (easily frightened) · da genert (reserved) · lad arrezistado (reserved) · yo onítìjú (reserved) · hu szende (reserved) · ro timid (reserved) · ar خَجِل (easily frightened) · ro rușinos (easily frightened) · sk nesmelý (easily frightened) · bg плах (easily frightened) · cmn 腼腆 (easily frightened) · is feiminn (reserved) · tr utangaç (reserved) · pt assustado (easily frightened) · cmn 怕生 (reserved) · cy swil (reserved) · yo tì (reserved) · cs odměřený (reserved) · as লাজুকী (easily frightened) · sv skygg (reserved) · nl verlegen (embarrassed) · hu óvatos (cautious) · nl verlegen (reserved) · ang sċēoh (easily frightened) · cmn 羞澀 /羞涩 (easily frightened) · fr embarrassé (embarrassed) · tr ürkek (easily frightened) · gl reservado (reserved) · uk полохли́вий (cautious) · bg свенли́в (embarrassed) · cs opatrný (cautious) · ko 부끄럽다 (reserved) · ota محجوب (reserved) · ru несме́лый (reserved) · lv kautrīgs (easily frightened) · pt cuidadoso (cautious) · kix mìam (embarrassed) · be нясме́лы (easily frightened) · el φοβητσιάρης (easily frightened) · mn бүрэг (reserved) · be баязлі́вы (cautious) · mi memeke (reserved) · bg боязли́в (easily frightened) · sv skamsen (embarrassed) · be бая́зны (easily frightened) · nl voorzichtig (cautious) · nl schuchter (reserved) · as লাজকুৰীয়া (easily frightened) · ru боязли́вый (easily frightened) · hu óvakodik (cautious) · de schüchtern (easily frightened) · ru осторо́жный (cautious) · he בַּיְשָׁן (embarrassed) · uk боязки́й (easily frightened) · ja 恥ずかしがり屋 (reserved) · mn ᠪᠢᠰᠢᠭᠦᠷᠬᠡᠬᠦ (reserved) · lou timid (reserved) · pt medroso (easily frightened) · as লাজুৱা (easily frightened) · ro precaut (cautious) · oc timid (easily frightened) · nl bedeesd (embarrassed) · tr mahcup (embarrassed) · cs o něco méně než (short, less than) · ru засте́нчивый (reserved) · ro rușinat (embarrassed) · ru несме́лый (easily frightened) · he בַּיְשָׁן (easily frightened) · hu feszélyezett (embarrassed) · no sjenert (reserved) · ru боязли́вый (cautious) · uk соромли́вий (reserved) · lv bikls (reserved) · ga faiteach (easily frightened) · as লাজুক (easily frightened) · lv kautrīgs (embarrassed) · izh armolliin (reserved) · be сарамлі́вы (reserved) · unm kwitayasi (reserved) · ko 수줍다 (reserved) · ru ро́бкий (reserved) · de schüchtern (reserved) · es tímido (cautious) · fi nolo (embarrassed) · ro rezervat (reserved) · fi ujo (reserved) · sv skygg (cautious) · cs bázlivý (easily frightened) · ga coimhthíoch (reserved) · ja 慎重 (cautious) · ota اوتانغاچ (reserved) · pt reservado (reserved) · sv skygg (easily frightened) · la timidus (easily frightened) · ru ро́бкий (cautious) · pt envergonhado (embarrassed) · mn бишүүрхэх (reserved) · ca tímid (easily frightened) · ca vergonyós (embarrassed) · de verlegen (embarrassed) · ko 낯가리다 (reserved) · ru ро́бкий (easily frightened) · ru нереши́тельный (cautious) · la verēcundus (reserved) · lsd נכופא (reserved) · es reservado (reserved) · ja 恥ずかしい (embarrassed) · pl nieśmiały (cautious) · it schivo (reserved) · cmn 矜持 (reserved) · th อาย (easily frightened) · uk сором'язли́вий (reserved) · ja 引っ込み思案 (reserved) · it timido (reserved) · pl płochliwy (easily frightened) · nl klein (short, less than) · eo timema (easily frightened) · es vergonzoso (embarrassed) · hu gátlásos (reserved) · sv besvärad (embarrassed) · fi vajaa (short, less than) · fi arka (cautious) · ro jenat (embarrassed)