shyness
Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
shy 1
(shī)adj. shi·er (shī′ər), shi·est (shī′ĭst) or shy·er or shy·est
1. Easily startled; timid: a shy deer.
2.
a. Tending to avoid contact or familiarity with others; retiring or reserved: a shy student who stayed in the back of the room.
b. Characterized by reserve or diffidence: a shy glance.
3. Distrustful; wary: shy of strangers.
4. Not having a sufficient or specified amount, as of money: was shy $100 on his rent; was two victories shy of the school record.
intr.v. shied (shīd), shy·ing, shies (shīz)
1. To move suddenly or draw back, as if startled or afraid: The horse shied at the loud sound.
2. To avoid engaging in, treating, or discussing something: "a film adaptation that would not shy away from the novel's controversial themes" (Scot French).
n. pl. shies (shīz)
A sudden movement, as from fright; a start.
[Middle English schey, from Old English scēoh.]
shy′er n.
shy′ly adv.
shy′ness n.
shy 2
(shī)v. shied (shīd), shy·ing, shies (shīz)
v.tr.
To throw (something) with a swift motion; fling.
v.intr.
To throw something with a swift motion.
n. pl. shies (shīz)
1. A quick throw; a fling.
2. Informal A gibe; a sneer.
3. Informal An attempt; a try.
[Perhaps from shy.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Shyness
See Also: MEEKNESS, PERSONAL TRAITS
- Bashful as an egg at Easter —Sir John Denham
This has expanded with the seasons to include “Bashful as a turkey at Thanksgiving or Christmas.”
- Demure as an African violet —Maya Angelou
- Demure as an old whore at a christening —Thomas Fuller
- Demure as if butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth —Thomas Fuller
- Shy as a squirrel —George Meredith
- Shy as infants —Alice McDermott
- Shy as rabbits —Anon
- Shy, like a hospitable country hostess anxious to give pleasure, but afraid that she has not much to offer citizens of a larger world —Phyllis Bottome
- A shy man men is as a lonely man … between him and his fellowmen there runs an impossible barrier … a strong invisible wall —Jerome K. Jerome
Similes Dictionary, 1st Edition. © 1988 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  shyness - a feeling of fear of embarrassment |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
shyness
noun timidity, self-consciousness, bashfulness, modesty, nervousness, lack of confidence, reticence, diffidence, timorousness, mousiness, timidness Eventually he overcame his shyness.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
shyness
nounAn awkwardness or lack of self-confidence in the presence of others:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
خَجَل
nesmělost
generthedskyhed
bátortalanság
feimni
nesmelosť
plahost
çekingenlikmahcupluk
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
shyness
n → Schüchternheit f; (esp of animals) → Scheu f; his shyness at meeting people → seine Schüchternheit, wenn er andere Leute kennenlernt; her shyness of strangers → ihre Scheu vor Fremden
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
shy
(ʃai) – comparative ˈshyer or ˈshier: superlative ˈshyest or ˈshiest – adjective1. lacking confidence in the presence of others, especially strangers; not wanting to attract attention. She is too shy to go to parties.
2. drawing back from (an action, person etc). She is shy of strangers.
3. (of a wild animal) easily frightened; timid. Deer are very shy animals.
verb (of a horse) to jump or turn suddenly aside in fear. The horse shied at the strangers.
ˈshyly adverbˈshyness noun
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
shyness
n timidez f, retraimientoEnglish-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.