- Shyer
- Shy Shy (sh[imac]), a. [Compar. {Shier} (sh[imac]"[~e]r) or
{Shyer}; superl. {Shiest} or {Shyest}.] [OE. schey, skey,
sceouh, AS. sce['o]h; akin to Dan. sky, Sw. skygg, D. schuw,
MHG. schiech, G. scheu, OHG. sciuhen to be or make timid. Cf.
{Eschew}.]
1. Easily frightened; timid; as, a shy bird.
[1913 Webster]
The horses of the army . . . were no longer shy, but would come up to my very feet without starting. --Swift. [1913 Webster]
2. Reserved; coy; disinclined to familiar approach. [1913 Webster]
What makes you so shy, my good friend? There's nobody loves you better than I. --Arbuthnot. [1913 Webster]
The embarrassed look of shy distress And maidenly shamefacedness. --Wordsworth. [1913 Webster]
3. Cautious; wary; suspicious. [1913 Webster]
I am very shy of using corrosive liquors in the preparation of medicines. --Boyle. [1913 Webster]
Princes are, by wisdom of state, somewhat shy of thier successors. --Sir H. Wotton. [1913 Webster]
4. Inadequately supplied; short; lacking; as, the team is shy two players.[Slang] [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
5. (Poker), owing money to the pot; -- in cases where an opponent's bet has exceeded a player's available stake or chips, but the player chooses to continue playing the hand before adding the required bet to the pot. [Slang] [PJC]
{To fight shy}. See under {Fight}, v. i. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.