shyshy1 /ʃaɪ/ ●●○ adjective (comparative shyer, superlative shyest) 
He was a quiet shy man.shy with She was very shy with strangers. a shy smile As a teenager, I was painfully shy (=extremely shy).shy to do something He was too shy to come and sit by me in class.go all shy British English (=to suddenly become very shy) Oh, have you gone all shy, Jenny?► see thesaurus at confident2somebody is not shy about (doing) something used to emphasize that someone is very willing to do something or get involved with something: John has strong opinions and he’s not shy about sharing them.3unwilling to do something or get involved in somethingbe shy about/of (doing) something Employees are urged not to be shy about reporting incidents of sexual harassment.4be shy (of something) especially American English to have less than a particular amount of something: The Democrats are three votes shy of a majority. Jessica died Monday. She was one week shy of her 13th birthday.5used to say that someone does not like something and therefore tries to avoid it: Although publicity-shy, he recently agreed to be interviewed. → camera-shy, work-shy6shy animals get frightened easily and are unwilling to come near people SYN timid: Deer are shy creatures.—shyly adverb: He grinned shyly.—shyness noun [uncountable]: I overcame my shyness. → fight shy of (doing) something at fight1(22), → once bitten, twice shy at bite1(14)THESAURUSbashful shy and not willing to say very muchself-conscious worried and embarrassed about what you look like or what other people think of youtimid not brave or confidentreserved not liking to express your emotions or talk about your problemsintroverted thinking a lot about your own interests, problems etc, and not liking to be with other peoplewithdrawn quiet and not wanting to talk to other people, especially because you are unhappyantisocial not liking to meet people and talk to themretiring formal not wanting to be with other people
WORD ORIGINshy1
Origin:
Old English sceohEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Because little Danny spent all his time with his mother, he was rather shy with men.
- Carl is a very quiet, shy boy.
- Carrie looked up at him and gave him a shy smile.
- David was always rather quiet and shy at school.
- He was painfully shy in public, but completely different at home with his family.
- I was too shy to ask her out on a date.
- Look, she's gone all shy - stop teasing her.
- A shy smile hinted that he did not entirely regret it.
- He was too shy to come sit by me in class.
- I think it will succeed although it will take ages, for he is fearfully shy, and I am likewise affected.
- Most are Type A personalities, very outgoing, although a few are very shy and express themselves through their cars.
- Perhaps his anxiety leads him to be excessively shy and almost apologise for his existence.
- We follow the railroad tracks a half-mile east of downtown, just shy of the train tunnel.
- You may be shy, but good oral communications are a key business skill.
THESAURUS
shy and not willing to say very much
worried and embarrassed about what you look like or what other people think of you
not brave or confident
not liking to express your emotions or talk about your problems
thinking a lot about your own interests, problems etc, and not liking to be with other people
quiet and not wanting to talk to other people, especially because you are unhappy
not liking to meet people and talk to them
formal not wanting to be with other people
Longman Language Activatornot confident about talking to people not confident about talking to people, especially people you do not know: · David was always rather quiet and shy at school.· Carrie looked up at him and gave him a shy smile.painfully shy (=extremely shy): · He was painfully shy in public, but completely different at home with his family.too shy to do something: · I was too shy to ask her out on a date.go all shy spoken (=suddenly become very shy): · Look, she's gone all shy - stop teasing her.shy with girls/boys/adults etc (=shy when you are talking to girls, boys etc): · Because little Danny spent all his time with his mother, he was rather shy with men.
frightened to talk to people or to give your opinion, because you have very little confidence: · Ralph's wife was a small, timid woman who hardly ever spoke.· "May I come in?" said a timid little voice.
someone who is bashful is unwilling to give their opinions or do something that they would enjoy, especially because they are embarrassed or afraid that they will look stupid: · Don't be bashful about telling your family how you feel.· Kirsty gave Willy a bashful grin.
someone who is coy deliberately behaves in a shy way because they think it is attractive: · Teresa blushed when she saw me and turned very coy.· Her mother encouraged her to use her feminine charm, to be coy and alluring.
formal someone who is diffident does not like talking about their achievements or is not confident of their abilities: · Shaun became noticeably diffident when the conversation turned to the subject of his promotion.diffident about: · Joe was humble and diffident about his own success.
not wanting to be too friendly or to show your feelings someone who is reserved tries not to show their feelings to other people and does not talk a lot: · English people have a reputation for being very reserved.· That shy reserved young man had turned into a confident adult.
not wanting to talk to anyone, especially because you are upset or unhappy: · Mike was silent and withdrawn that evening.· After her husband died Priscilla became very withdrawn and seldom left her home.· He'd always been an unhappy, withdrawn little boy.
someone who is introverted thinks too much about their own interests or problems and it is difficult for them to talk to people: · Peters is just too introverted to be a good manager.· The young girl, once so lively, became introverted and developed a nervous stammer.
shy and unwilling to express your feelings, especially feelings concerned with sex or with your own body: · I am far too inhibited to have rows with people.· He accused her of being snobbish and emotionally inhibited.inhibited about: · Young people of the nineteenth century were, in general, extremely inhibited about sex.
to stop being shy to become less shy and more willing to talk to people, especially as the result of an experience that has made you more confident: · When he first joined the company he was very quiet but now he's come out of his shell a lot.· Her manner is a little diffident, but she'll soon come out of her shell with a little encouragement.
to make someone less shy and more willing to talk to other people: · Emma was always such a shy girl, but these drama classes have really brought her out of her shell.· If Nick stayed with you this vacation, perhaps it would bring him out of his shell a little.
to gradually stop being shy, and become more willing to talk about yourself: · On our third date Melissa began to open up and told me about her family and about the years she spent in Italy.open up to: · Many people find it easier to open up to a trained professional, such as a counsellor.
shy feelings or behaviour · A course in assertiveness could help her overcome her shyness.· Greg wanted to ask Julie for a date, but shyness always held him back.
an uncomfortable feeling of shyness that makes it difficult for you to behave naturally, show your feelings, or do things that may be embarrassing: · I was amazed at Sam's lack of inhibition about singing in public.lose your inhibitions (=stop having inhibitions): · Alcohol can make you lose all your inhibitions - but you may regret this the next morning!
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY As a teenager, I was painfully shy (=extremely shy). He was too shy to come and sit by me in class. Although publicity-shy, he recently agreed to be interviewed. Deer are shy creatures. I overcame my shyness.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
As a teenager, I was painfully shy (=extremely shy). He was too shy to come and sit by me in class. British English (=to suddenly become very shy) Oh, have you gone all shy, Jenny?
Oh, have you gone all shy, Jenny? Although publicity-shy, he recently agreed to be interviewed. Deer are shy creatures. I overcame my shyness.· But he left school just shy of his fourteenth birthday.· Perhaps, I thought, he was just shy about the topic, the same as I had been around my parents.· But some children are just shy by nature and there's not much you can do about it.· Tiffani, born last October, weighed just shy of 6 pounds, but seemed so much bigger.· They say he's too strict; but I think he's just shy.· We follow the railroad tracks a half-mile east of downtown, just shy of the train tunnel.· I bet you're just shy.· He looked not just shy, but resentful.
· I retreated into my shell, being painfully shy in the first place.· Riddlesberger is particularly engaging as a painfully shy techno-nerd.· The result was that I was painfully shy.· I am considered to be fairly outgoing but as a teenager I was painfully shy.· From being a painfully shy, diffident recluse, he suddenly metamorphosed into a garrulous and sometimes painfully overbearing extrovert.
· They were feeding young, but were rather shy about having their photograph taken.· He was rather shy, and pulled back.· He looks a bit ill, smiles vaguely, and has a strange rather shy expression.· When we were alone together, we were rather shy with each other, tacitly agreeing to abandon the stand-up routine.· When Minton had first arrived at the College he had seemed to Elinor a rather shy individual.· She was by far the quietest, as well as much the nicest, of my four aunts, and normally a rather shy woman.· As these fish are rather shy, the tank needs to be densely planted to provide them with plenty of cover.· Nevertheless, it would appear that several local gentlemen are rather shy of investing their money in the three percent bonds.
· She's really quiet, and she's so shy with people.· He was so shy, he hid his smile behind the rug he wore when I asked if he were a mukki.· Her friend Sarah, although the same age, was so shy that she appeared much younger.· For one so shy, he nursed an extraordinary thirst for attention.· He won't be so shy there.· Anyway I must say that Arnold was so shy, it was adorable.· I wished later that I hadn't been so shy.
· But why are they too shy to look at each other?· I wonder if he feels the same way but I am way too shy to ask.· She wore this lovely flowery dress last week though I felt too shy to ask where she got it.· He was too shy to come sit by me in class.· Emily wanted to join in but with Hudson alongside she was too shy.· As a 5-year-old, I was too shy to stare.· If only some one would explain these things to me, but I was too shy and scared to ask.· With adults, some kids would be too shy to ask questions.
· I was very shy and never realised it.· Some defiant children are very shy.· They tried to see she didn't feel left out but Jean is very shy and sensitive.· He was a great guy, very shy and not bossy.· A very shy boy has gradually become chatty and lively.· His brother was very shy, and I never knew him as well.· I was very shy but his mischievous grin put me at my ease and we strolled along behind Sally and her beau.· Most are Type A personalities, very outgoing, although a few are very shy and express themselves through their cars.
NOUN· These shy creatures may sometimes be seen and have been known to stray on to the road, startling passing motorists.· Would such a shy creature really prey on human offspring?· The panda is a shy creature, not used to being in contact with other animals, particularly humans.· This simple test showed that all mankind was one; but it was difficult to do with exotic or shy creatures.· In the main they are shy creatures, though their speed, strength and agility demand a healthy respect.
· He may respond with a shy smile when mom or dad blows bubbles on his stomach.· A shy smile hinted that he did not entirely regret it.· With a shy smile, he greeted my guests, then handed me a gift.· Margaret offered Maura her little finger with a shy smile.· The faces of the twins, softer editions of her own, turned towards her questioningly then broke into shy smiles.· A shy smile, she said later.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► somebody is not shy about (doing) somethingPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► once bitten, twice shy► come over (all) shy/nervous etc► once bitten, twice shy
- She was one week shy of her twentieth birthday when she got married.
- The Democrats are three votes shy of a majority.
- Her eyes were shy and looked away from him as he took the paper.
- I was shy about meeting the man who had come to visit.
- I was shy of undressing in front of adults.
- It's no good taking a girl to bed if she is shy..
- Kritzer, however, said most of the mainstream media are shying away from it.
- We must also avoid branch meetings seem like a gathering of old chums into which an outsider might be shy of intruding.
- You may be shy, but good oral communications are a key business skill.
- After fighting shy of the idea, Mr Mandela, 82, agreed to it during a visit to London last year.
- In considering the right to live issue, there is a tendency to fight shy of the emotive word of murder.
- Over the years, courts and tribunals have fought shy of laying down detailed procedural guidance.
- This, he says, accounts for developers fighting shy of putting money into the city.
- Yet the 18 counties fight shy of the risk, but what are they frightened of?
- I was as angry as hell.
- Lucy was shy as hell, and Jay was sure and easy.
- She washed spiders down the plughole, and felt guilty as hell about it.
- Strong, dedicated, skilful, passionate, intelligent and as angry as hell.
- The Jaguar is reported to have crashed in a distant country, mad as hell.
- These people were mad as hell.
- Whenever her family had been mentioned she looked as guilty as hell.
WORD FAMILYnounshynessadjectiveshyverbshyadverbshyly
1nervous and embarrassed about meeting and speaking to other people, especially people you do not know: He was a quiet shy man.shy with She was very shy with strangers. a shy smile As a teenager, I was painfully shy (=extremely shy).shy to do something He was too shy to come and sit by me in class.go all shy British English (=to suddenly become very shy) Oh, have you gone all shy, Jenny?► see thesaurus at confident2somebody is not shy about (doing) something used to emphasize that someone is very willing to do something or get involved with something: John has strong opinions and he’s not shy about sharing them.3unwilling to do something or get involved in somethingbe shy about/of (doing) something Employees are urged not to be shy about reporting incidents of sexual harassment.4be shy (of something) especially American English to have less than a particular amount of something: The Democrats are three votes shy of a majority. Jessica died Monday. She was one week shy of her 13th birthday.5used to say that someone does not like something and therefore tries to avoid it: Although publicity-shy, he recently agreed to be interviewed. → camera-shy, work-shy6shy animals get frightened easily and are unwilling to come near people SYN timid: Deer are shy creatures.—shyly adverb: He grinned shyly.—shyness noun [uncountable]: I overcame my shyness. → fight shy of (doing) something at fight1(22), → once bitten, twice shy at bite1(14)THESAURUSbashful shy and not willing to say very muchself-conscious worried and embarrassed about what you look like or what other people think of youtimid not brave or confidentreserved not liking to express your emotions or talk about your problemsintroverted thinking a lot about your own interests, problems etc, and not liking to be with other peoplewithdrawn quiet and not wanting to talk to other people, especially because you are unhappyantisocial not liking to meet people and talk to themretiring formal not wanting to be with other people