shy

I

adj

1. bashful, diffident, retiring, reserved, backward, unconfident, Archaic. verecund, Scot, and North Eng. blate; shrinking, withdrawn, distant, Inf. introverted, unsocial, unsociable; modest, meek, demure, coy; self-conscious, constrained; sheepish, shamefaced, blushing, embarrassed.

2. timid, timorous, tremulous, fearful, afraid, scared; apprehensive, anxious, nervous; cowardly, uncoura-geous.

3. reluctant, loath, averse, disinclined, indisposed; wary, heedful, cautious, careful, chary, leery, gingerly; suspicious, distrustful, cynical; precautious, prudent, circumspect, politic, guarded, noncommittal, evasive, discreet; demurring, grudging, unwilling, dissenting, opposing, adverse.

4. deficient, indebted, in debt, in arrears, behind, Inf. short.

5.(all of plants and animals) barren, unfruitful, infecund, unproductive, sterile, infertile, Bot. acarpous; scant, skimpy, meager, unprolific.

6. fight shy of

avoid, evade, shy away from, elude, dodge, shun; escape, save oneself from, keep away from, steer clear of, balk at, sidestep, get around.

v

7. start, jerk, draw back, recoil, take alarm, boggle; dodge, duck, dart, swerve, blench, flinch, quail; blink, Inf. bat, wince; react, rebound, spring back.

8. shrink, cower, cringe, Inf. get cold feet; waver, falter, hesitate, demur, scruple, stickle; avoid, evade, retreat.

n

9. start, jerk, duck, dodge, flinch; wince, blink; recoil, reaction, rebound, springing back

II

v

1. cast, toss, pitch, fling, sling, flip, jerk, flirt, cant, dart, chuck, bowl, hurl, shoot, throw, propel.

n

2. cast, toss, pitch, fling, flip, jerk, cant, chuck, sling, hurl, shot, heave, throw