shyadjective
uk/ʃaɪ/us/ʃaɪ/shy adjective (NERVOUS)
B1 shyer, shyest nervous and uncomfortable with other people:
He was too shy to ask her to dance with him.
She gave a shy smile.
Children are often shy of/with people they don't know.
The deer were shy (= unwilling to be near people) and hid behind some trees.
More examples
- Underneath that shy exterior, she's actually a very warm person.
- Tom is very extrovert and confident while Katy's shy and quiet.
- He was shy and unassuming and not at all how you expect an actor to be.
- Paulo's very shy - he needs bringing out.
- Suddenly shy, our young daughter burrowed her head into my shoulder.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Shy and modest
- aw shucks
- backward
- bashful
- be backward in coming forward idiom
- coy
- efface
- inadequacy
- inadequate
- inhibited
- inhibition
- introvert
- modest
- reticent
- self-effacing
- selfless
- shrinking violet
- shyly
- shyness
- withdraw
- withdrawal
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shy adjective (LESS)
[ after noun ] less than:
We're only $100 shy of the total amount.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Lacking things
- bankrupt
- bankruptcy
- be hard up (for sth) idiom
- bereft
- catch
- cry out for sth
- demand
- hole
- lack
- lacking
- need
- need sth like you need a hole in the head idiom
- needful
- short
- shortage
- take
- the cupboard is bare idiom
- the UN
- unsatisfied
- vacuum
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Scarce, inadequate and not enough
shyverb
uk/ʃaɪ/us/ʃaɪ/shy verb (HORSES)
[ I ] (of a horse) to suddenly move sideways or backwards, especially because of fear:
The horse shied at the fence.
There's a lot of traffic on the road - I'm sure my horse is going to shy.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Animal (non-human) behaviour
- accidental
- eusocial
- fledge
- frisk
- gore
- lap
- maul
- migrant
- mob
- molt
- nest
- nuzzle
- perch
- prey
- ruminate
- scratch
- skitter
- slaver 1
- torpor
- trot
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shy verb (THROW)
[ T usually + adv/prep ] old-fashioned informal to throw something suddenly, often in a sideways movement:
Two small boys were shying stones at a tree.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Throwing
- cast
- chuck
- fling
- heave
- hurl
- overhand
- peg
- pelt
- precipitate
- project
- projectile
- sling
- slung
- stone
- throw
- throw-in
- thrown
- toss
- underarm
- underhand
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Phrasal verb(s)
shy away from sth