To fight shy

To fight shy
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.

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  • fight shy of something — british phrase if you fight shy of something, you do not feel willing to do it because it might cause problems for you Thesaurus: unwillingness and to be unwillingsynonym Main entry: fight …   Useful english dictionary

  • fight shy of something — fight shy of (something/doing something) to try to avoid something. He fought shy of entering his poems in the competition, although everyone said he should. Ellen fights shy of parties she hates crowds …   New idioms dictionary

  • fight shy of doing something — fight shy of (something/doing something) to try to avoid something. He fought shy of entering his poems in the competition, although everyone said he should. Ellen fights shy of parties she hates crowds …   New idioms dictionary

  • fight shy of — (something/doing something) to try to avoid something. He fought shy of entering his poems in the competition, although everyone said he should. Ellen fights shy of parties she hates crowds …   New idioms dictionary

  • fight shy of something doing something — fight ˈshy of sth/of doing sth f20 idiom to be unwilling to accept sth or do sth, and to try to avoid it • Successive governments have fought shy of such measures. Main entry: ↑fightidiom …   Useful english dictionary

  • fight shy of of doing something — fight ˈshy of sth/of doing sth f20 idiom to be unwilling to accept sth or do sth, and to try to avoid it • Successive governments have fought shy of such measures. Main entry: ↑fightidiom …   Useful english dictionary

  • fight shy of — ► fight shy of avoid through unwillingness. Main Entry: ↑fight …   English terms dictionary

  • fight shy of — FLINCH FROM, demur from, recoil from; have scruples about, have misgivings about, have qualms about, be averse to, be chary of, be loath to, be reluctant to, be disinclined to, be afraid to, hesitate to, baulk at; informal boggle at; archaic… …   Useful english dictionary

  • fight shy — Synonyms and related words: avoid, blench, boggle, demur, falter, fight shy of, flinch, give place to, hang back, hang off, have qualms, hesitate, hold aloof, hold off, jib, jump, jump a mile, keep aloof, keep away from, keep clear of, keep from …   Moby Thesaurus

  • fight shy —    If you fight shy of something, such as a task, a problem or a duty, you want to avoid doing it or you are unwiling to confront it.     He had money problems for years but he fought shy of asking his children for help …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • fight shy of something — British if you fight shy of something, you do not feel willing to do it because it might cause problems for you …   English dictionary

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