shy as a noun: - 1
as a verb: - 1
- 2
as an adjective: - 1
- 2
- 3
shy
noun
1 shy
A quick throw.
Roget 284:
propulsion,
projection;
propelment†;
vis a tergo [Lat.],
force from behind;
push,
shove
etc.
(impulse)
276;
ejaculate;
ejection
etc.
297;
throw,
fling,
toss,
shot,
discharge,
shy;
launch,
release.
[Science of propulsion]
projectiles,
ballistics,
archery.
[devices to give propulsion]
propeller,
screw,
twin screws,
turbine,
jet engine.
[objects propelled]
missile,
projectile,
ball,
discus,
quoit,
brickbat,
shot;
[weapons which propel]
arrow,
gun,
ballista
etc.
(arms)
727†.
[preparation for propulsion]
countdown,
windup.
shooter;
shot;
archer,
toxophilite†;
bowman,
rifleman,
marksman;
good shot,
crack shot;
sharpshooter
etc.
(combatant)
726.
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Dutch: bleu
verb
1 shy
Start suddenly, as from fright.
Roget 860:
fear,
stand in awe of;
be afraid
etc.
adj.;
have qualms
etc.
n.;
apprehend,
sit upon thorns,
eye askance;
distrust
etc.
(disbelieve)
485.
hesitate
etc.
(be irresolute)
605;
falter,
funk,
cower,
crouch;
skulk
etc.
(cowardice)
862;
let 'I dare not' wait upon 'I would'"
[Macbeth]
take fright,
take alarm;
start,
wince,
flinch,
shy,
shrink;
fly
etc.
(avoid)
623.
tremble,
shake;
shiver,
shiver in one's shoes;
shudder,
flutter;
shake like an aspen leaf,
tremble like an aspen leaf,
tremble all over;
quake,
quaver,
quiver,
quail.
grow pale,
turn pale;
blench,
stand aghast;
not dare to say one's soul is one's own.
inspire fear,
excite fear,
inspire awe,
excite awe;
raise apprehensions†;
be in a daze,
bulldoze [U.S.];
faze,
feeze [U.S.];
give an alarm,
raise an alarm,
sound an alarm;
alarm,
startle,
scare,
cry 'wolf',
disquiet,
dismay;
fright,
frighten,
terrify;
astound;
fright from one's propriety;
fright out of one's senses,
fright out of one's wits,
fright out of one's seven senses;
awe;
strike all of a heap,
strike an awe into,
strike terror;
harrow up the soul,
appall,
unman,
petrify,
horrify;
pile on the agony.
make one's flesh creep,
make one's hair stand on end,
make one's blood run cold,
make one's teeth chatter;
take away one's breath,
stop one's breath;
make one tremble
&c.;
haunt;
prey on the mind,
weigh on the mind.
put in fear,
put in bodily fear;
terrorize,
intimidate,
cow,
daunt,
overawe,
abash,
deter,
discourage;
browbeat,
bully;
threaten
etc.
909.
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Roget 279:
alter one's course,
deviate,
depart from,
turn,
trend;
bend,
curve
etc.
245;
swerve,
heel,
bear off;
gybe†,
wear.
intervert†;
deflect;
divert,
divert from its course;
put on a new scent,
shift,
shunt,
draw aside,
crook,
warp.
stray,
straggle;
sidle;
diverge
etc.
291;
tralineate†;
digress,
wander;
wind,
twist,
meander;
veer,
tack;
divagate;
sidetrack;
turn aside,
turn a corner,
turn away from;
wheel,
steer clear of;
ramble,
rove,
drift;
go astray,
go adrift;
yaw,
dodge;
step aside,
ease off,
make way for,
shy.
fly off at a tangent;
glance off;
wheel about,
face about;
turn to the right about,
face to the right about;
waddle
etc.
(oscillate)
314;
go out of one's way
etc.
(perform a circuit)
629;
lose one's way.
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Roget 862:
quail
etc.
(fear)
860;
be cowardly
etc.
adj.,
be a coward
etc.
n.;
funk;
cower,
skulk,
sneak;
flinch,
shy,
fight shy,
slink,
turn tail;
run away
etc.
(avoid)
623;
show,
the white feather.
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Roget 623:
abstain,
refrain,
spare,
not attempt;
not do
etc.
681;
maintain the even tenor of one's way.
eschew,
keep from,
let alone,
have nothing to do with;
keep aloof keep off,
stand aloof,
stand off,
hold aloof,
hold off;
take no part in,
have no hand in.
avoid,
shun;
steer clear of,
keep clear of;
fight shy of;
keep one's distance,
keep at a respectful distance;
keep out of the way,
get out of the way;
evade,
elude,
turn away from;
set one's face against
etc.
(oppose)
708;
deny oneself.
shrink back;
hang back,
hold back,
draw back;
recoil
etc.
277;
retire
etc.
(recede)
287;
flinch,
blink,
blench,
shy,
shirk,
dodge,
parry,
make way for,
give place to.
beat a retreat;
turn tail,
turn one's back;
take to one's heels;
runaway,
run for one's life;
cut and run;
be off like a shot;
fly,
flee;
fly away,
flee away,
run away from;
take flight,
take to flight;
desert,
elope;
make off,
scamper off,
sneak off,
shuffle off,
sheer off;
break away,
tear oneself away,
slip away,
slink away,
steel away,
make away from,
scamper away from,
sneak away from,
shuffle away from,
sheer away from;
slip cable,
part company,
turn one's heel;
sneak out of,
play truant,
give one the go by,
give leg bail,
take French leave,
slope,
decamp,
flit,
bolt,
abscond,
levant,
skedaddle,
absquatulat [U.S.],
cut one's stick,
walk one's chalks,
show a light pair of heels,
make oneself scarce;
escape
etc.
671;
go away
etc.
(depart)
293;
abandon
etc.
624;
reject
etc.
610.
lead one a dance,
lead one a pretty dance;
throw off the scent,
play at hide and seek.
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Roget 284:
propel,
project,
throw,
fling,
cast,
pitch,
chuck,
toss,
jerk,
heave,
shy,
hurl;
flirt,
fillip.
dart,
lance,
tilt;
ejaculate,
jaculate†;
fulminate,
bolt,
drive,
sling,
pitchfork.
send;
send off,
let off,
fire off;
discharge,
shoot;
launch,
release,
send forth,
let fly;
put in orbit,
send into orbit,
launch into orbit dash.
put in motion,
set in motion;
set agoing†,
start;
give a start,
give an impulse to;
impel
etc.
276;
trundle
etc.
(set in rotation)
312;
expel
etc.
297.
carry one off one's legs;
put to flight.
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Roget 283:
recede,
regrade,
return,
revert,
retreat,
retire;
retrograde,
retrocede;
back out;
back down;
balk;
crawfish [U.S.],
crawl [Slang];
withdraw;
rebound
etc.
277;
go back,
come back,
turn back,
hark back,
draw back,
fall back,
get back,
put back,
run back;
lose ground;
fall astern,
drop astern;
backwater,
put about;
backtrack,
take the back track;
veer round;
double,
wheel,
countermarch;
ebb,
regurgitate;
jib,
shrink,
shy.
turn tail,
turn round,
turn upon one's heel,
turn one's back upon;
retrace one's steps,
dance the back step;
sound a retreat,
beat a retreat;
go home.
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2 shy
adjective
1 shy
Lacking self-confidence.
synonyms: diffident, timid, unsure.
Roget 881:
modest,
diffident;
humble
etc.
879;
timid,
timorous,
bashful;
shy,
nervous,
skittish,
coy,
sheepish,
shamefaced,
blushing,
overmodest.
unpretending†,
unpretentious;
unobtrusive,
unassuming,
unostentatious,
unboastful†,
unaspiring;
poor in spirit.
out of countenance
etc.
(humbled)
879.
reserved,
constrained,
demure.
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Roget 623:
unsought,
unattempted;
avoiding
etc.
v.;
neutral,
shy of
etc.
(unwilling)
603;
elusive,
evasive;
fugitive,
runaway;
shy,
wild.
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Roget 862:
coward,
cowardly;
fearful,
shy;
timid,
timorous;
skittish;
poor-spirited,
spiritless,
soft,
effeminate.
weak-minded;
infirm of purpose
etc.
605;
weak-hearted,
fainthearted,
chickenhearted,
henhearted†,
lilyhearted,
pigeon-hearted;
white-livered†,
lily-livered,
milk-livered†;
milksop,
smock-faced;
unable to say 'boo' to a goose.
dastard,
dastardly;
base,
craven,
sneaking,
dunghill,
recreant;
unwarlike,
unsoldier-like.
in face a lion but in heart a deer. "
unmanned;
frightened
etc.
860.
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2 shy
3 shy
Wary and distrustful; disposed to avoid persons or things.
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