Home / Dictionary / shy
shy
/ʃaɪ/
noun
An act of throwing.
A place for throwing.
"coconut shy"
A sudden start aside, as by a horse.
verb
To avoid due to timidness or caution.
"I shy away from investment opportunities I don't understand."
To jump back in fear.
"The horse shied away from the rider, which startled him so much he shied away from the horse."
To throw sideways with a jerk; to fling
"shy a slipper"
adjective
Easily frightened; timid.
Reserved; disinclined to familiar approach.
"He is very shy with strangers."
Cautious; wary; suspicious.
Practice "shy" in context
WordNote uses spaced repetition across multiple quiz levels, from recognizing the meaning to recalling it in active practice.
Save to WordNote — it's free →No credit card. No install required.