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shyly

   Also found in: Medical, Legal, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.01 sec.
shy 1  (sh)
adj. shi·er (shr) or shy·er, shi·est (shst) or shy·est
1. Easily startled; timid.
2.
a. Drawing back from contact or familiarity with others; retiring or reserved.
b. Marked by reserve or diffidence: a shy glance.
3. Distrustful; wary: shy of strangers.
4. Not having paid an amount due, as one's ante in poker.
5. Short; lacking: Eleven is one shy of a dozen.
intr.v. shied (shd), shy·ing, shies (shz)
1. To move suddenly, as if startled; start.
2. To draw back, as from fear or caution; recoil.
n. pl. shies (shz)
A sudden movement, as from fright; a start.

[Middle English schey, from Old English scoh.]

shyer n.
shyly adv.
shyness n.
Synonyms: shy1, bashful, diffident, modest, coy, demure
These adjectives mean not forward but marked by a retiring nature, reticence, or a reserve of manner. One who is shy draws back from others, either because of a withdrawn nature or out of timidity: "The poor man was shy and hated society" (George Bernard Shaw).
Bashful suggests self-consciousness or awkwardness in the presence of others: "I never laughed, being bashful./Lowering my head, I looked at the wall" (Ezra Pound).
Diffident implies lack of self-confidence: He was too diffident to express his opinion.
Modest is associated with an unassertive nature and absence of vanity or pretension: Despite her fame she remained a modest, unassuming person.
Coy usually implies feigned, often flirtatious shyness: "yielded with coy submission" (John Milton).
Demure often denotes an affected shyness or modesty: Her assistant nodded in agreement, flashing a demure smile.

shy 2  (sh)
v. shied (shd), shy·ing, shies (shz)
v.tr.
To throw (something) with a swift motion; fling.
v.intr.
To throw something with a swift motion.
n. pl. shies (shz)
1. A quick throw; a fling.
2. Informal A gibe; a sneer.
3. Informal An attempt; a try.

[Perhaps from shy.]
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Adv.1.shyly - in a shy or timid or bashful manner; "he smiled shyly"
Translations
shyly [ˈʃaɪlɪ] ADVtímidamente, con timidez
shyly [ˈʃaɪli] advtimidement
shyly
adv smile, sayschüchtern
shyly [ˈʃaɪlɪ] advtimidamente


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We did not speak, but in that great half-hour we glanced shyly at each other, and shyly avoided or as shyly returned and met each other's glances more than several times.
I stole in very shyly, kept my eyes sternly from Nicolete's white bed, though, as I couldn't shut my ears, the sound of her breathing came to me with indescribable sweetness.
Philip took a ten-mark piece out of his pocket and shyly put it on the table.
 
 
 
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