释义
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( tɪ mɪd )
1. adjective Timid people are shy, nervous, and have no courage or confidence in themselves.
A timid child, Isabella had learned obedience at an early age.
Synonyms: nervous, shy, retiring, modest More Synonyms of timid
timidity ( tɪmɪ dɪti ) uncountable noun She doesn't ridicule my timidity.
timidly adverb [ usually ADVERB with verb] The little boy stepped forward timidly and shook Leo's hand.
2. adjective If you describe someone's attitudes or actions as timid , you are criticizing them for being too cautious or slow to act, because they are nervous about the possible consequences of their actions.
[ disapproval] The President's critics say he has been too timid in responding to changing internationaldevelopments.
The newspaper called the plan timid and unimaginative.
timidity uncountable noun He was soon disillusioned by the government's timidity on social reform.
timidly adverb [ ADVERB with verb] A number of these states are moving timidly towards multi-party democracy.
( ˈtɪmɪd )
adjective 1. easily frightened or upset, esp by human contact; shy
2. indicating shyness or fear
Derived forms
timidity ( tiˈmidity) or timidness ( ˈtimidness) noun
timidly ( ˈtimidly) adverb
Word origin
C16: from Latin
timidus, from
timēre to fear
timid in American English ( ˈtɪmɪd )
adjective 1. easily frightened; lacking self-confidence; shy; timorous
2. showing fear or lack of self-confidence; hesitant
a timid reply
SIMILAR WORDS: aˈfraid
Derived forms
timidity ( tiˈmidity) ( təˈmɪdəti ) noun or ˈtimidness
timidly ( ˈtimidly) adverb
Word origin
L
timidus <
timere , to fear
Examples of 'timid' in a sentence timid
But progress has been timid and slow. Warm weather is thought to bring the otherwise shy and timid snakes out of the undergrowth. The magazine was for people who were a little bit timid and wanted to learn more things. How nervous and timid they seem. We must always avoid using the pulpit to say the pointedly personal things we are too timid to say to an individual. For most of its life the regulator has seemed slow, timid and out of touch. She was timid and shy, and a little awkward. He has admitted in the past that he was painfully shy, timid and geeky. He was timid and shy. British English :
timid ADJECTIVE Timid people are shy, nervous, and have no courage or confidence in themselves.
A timid child, she had learned obedience at an early age.
American English : timid Brazilian Portuguese : tímido Chinese : 羞怯的 European Spanish : tímido French : timoré German : schüchtern Italian : timoroso Japanese : おどおどした Korean : 소심한 European Portuguese : tímido Latin American Spanish : tímido Chinese translation of 'timid' adj [person, animal] 胆(膽)小的 (dǎnxiǎo de)
Definition
indicating shyness or fear
A timid child, she had learnt obedience at an early age.
Synonyms
Opposites
confident
, brave
, daring
, bold
, forward , aggressive
, fierce
, arrogant
, forceful
, fearless
, shameless
, self-confident
, unabashed
, self-assured
, presumptuous
, ballsy (taboo , slang)
Additional synonyms Definition
feeling fear or apprehension
She did not seem at all afraid. He's afraid to sleep in his own bedroom.
Synonyms
scared ,
frightened ,
nervous ,
anxious ,
terrified ,
shaken ,
alarmed ,
startled ,
suspicious ,
intimidated ,
fearful ,
cowardly ,
timid ,
apprehensive ,
petrified ,
panicky ,
panic-stricken ,
timorous (literary) ,
faint-hearted ,
scared shitless (taboo , slang) ,
shit-scared (taboo , slang)
Definition
fearful or anxious about the future
People are still terribly apprehensive about the future.
Synonyms
anxious ,
concerned ,
worried ,
afraid ,
alarmed ,
nervous ,
suspicious ,
doubtful ,
uneasy ,
fearful ,
disquieted ,
foreboding ,
twitchy (informal) ,
mistrustful ,
antsy (informal)
Definition
shy or modest
a bashful child
Synonyms
shy ,
reserved ,
retiring ,
nervous ,
modest ,
shrinking ,
blushing ,
constrained ,
timid ,
self-conscious ,
coy ,
reticent ,
self-effacing ,
aw-shucks (slang , US) ,
diffident ,
sheepish ,
mousy ,
timorous (literary) ,
abashed ,
shamefaced ,
easily embarrassed ,
overmodest
Additional synonyms I was too cowardly to complain.
Synonyms
faint-hearted ,
scared ,
spineless ,
gutless (informal) ,
base ,
soft ,
yellow (informal) ,
weak ,
chicken (slang) ,
shrinking ,
fearful ,
craven ,
abject ,
dastardly (old-fashioned) ,
boneless ,
timorous (literary) ,
weak-kneed (informal) ,
pusillanimous ,
chickenshit (US , slang) ,
recreant (archaic) ,
caitiff (archaic) ,
chicken-hearted ,
lily-livered (old-fashioned) ,
white-livered ,
sookie (New Zealand)
Definition
affectedly shy and modest
a coy smile
Synonyms
modest ,
retiring ,
shy ,
shrinking ,
arch ,
timid ,
self-effacing ,
demure ,
flirtatious ,
bashful ,
prudish ,
aw-shucks ,
skittish ,
coquettish ,
kittenish ,
overmodest
Definition
lacking self-confidence
The new employee was diffident and reserved in meetings.
Synonyms
shy ,
reserved ,
withdrawn ,
reluctant ,
modest ,
shrinking ,
doubtful ,
backward ,
unsure ,
insecure ,
constrained ,
timid ,
self-conscious ,
hesitant ,
meek ,
unassuming ,
unobtrusive ,
self-effacing ,
sheepish ,
aw-shucks ,
bashful ,
timorous (literary) ,
unassertive Definition
lacking courage and confidence
The voters may be ready to punish the politicians who devised a faint-hearted solidarity pact.
Synonyms
timid ,
weak ,
cowardly ,
diffident ,
spineless ,
boneless ,
timorous (literary) ,
irresolute ,
half-arsed (British , slang) ,
chickenshit (US , slang) ,
half-assed (US , Canadian , slang) ,
half-hearted ,
yellow (informal)
Definition
afraid and full of fear
I had often been very fearful and isolated.
Synonyms
timid ,
afraid ,
frightened ,
scared ,
alarmed ,
wired (slang) ,
nervous ,
anxious ,
shrinking ,
tense ,
intimidated ,
uneasy ,
hesitant ,
apprehensive ,
jittery (informal) ,
panicky ,
nervy (British , informal) ,
diffident ,
jumpy ,
timorous (literary) ,
pusillanimous (formal) ,
faint-hearted Definition
shy or easily embarrassed
He's modest, as well as being a great player.
Synonyms
unpretentious ,
simple ,
reserved ,
retiring ,
quiet ,
shy ,
humble ,
discreet ,
blushing ,
self-conscious ,
coy ,
meek ,
reticent ,
unassuming ,
self-effacing ,
demure ,
diffident ,
bashful ,
aw-shucks
Definition
shy or ineffectual
He remembered her as a small, mousy woman, invariably worried.
Synonyms
shy ,
quiet ,
timid ,
ineffectual ,
self-effacing ,
diffident ,
timorous (literary) ,
unassertive Definition
timid and cowardly
The authorities are too pusillanimous to deal with this situation.
Synonyms
cowardly ,
timid ,
spineless ,
craven ,
yellow (informal) ,
weak ,
fearful ,
feeble ,
abject ,
gutless (informal) ,
timorous ,
faint-hearted ,
recreant (archaic) ,
chicken-hearted ,
lily-livered (old-fashioned)
Definition
very shy
I'm still that shy, retiring little girl.
Synonyms
shy ,
reserved ,
quiet ,
modest ,
shrinking ,
humble ,
timid ,
coy ,
meek ,
reclusive ,
reticent ,
unassuming ,
self-effacing ,
demure ,
diffident ,
bashful ,
aw-shucks ,
timorous (literary) ,
unassertive Definition
not at ease in the company of others
He is painfully shy when it comes to talking to new people.
Synonyms
timid ,
self-conscious ,
bashful ,
reserved ,
retiring ,
nervous ,
modest ,
aw-shucks ,
shrinking ,
backward ,
coy ,
reticent ,
self-effacing ,
diffident ,
mousy
Additional synonyms Definition
lacking courage or self-confidence
He is a reclusive, timorous creature.
Synonyms
timid ,
nervous ,
shy ,
retiring ,
frightened ,
shrinking ,
fearful ,
trembling ,
cowardly ,
apprehensive ,
coy ,
diffident ,
bashful ,
mousy ,
pusillanimous (formal) ,
faint-hearted ,
irresolute ,
afraid