shy
gb/ʃˈaɪ/ us/ʃˈaɪ/
A2
English
~ 1800
félénk, szégyenlős, ódzkodik, kerül, alig, valamivel kevesebb mint, nem egészen, szűk, megriad, visszahőköl
A2
1
félénk
A2
szégyenlős
A2
Usage pattern:
[someone] is shy
She was too shy to ask a question in class.
Túl félénk volt ahhoz, hogy kérdezzen az órán.
He's shy around new people but very friendly once you get to know him.
Ismeretlenek társaságában félénk, de ha már megismered, nagyon barátságos.
The shy student avoided making eye contact.
Learner examples
I am shy in big groups.
Nagyobb társaságban félénk vagyok.
My brother is shy with strangers.
A bátyám félénk az idegenekkel.
She is shy but kind.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'shy' with 'ashamed'. 'Shy' means uncomfortable in social situations, not feeling guilty about something.
Meaning
nervous or uncomfortable with people
Collocations
shy smile
|shy child
|too shy to speak
|painfully shy
|shy away from
Synonyms
timid (Suggests a general lack of courage or self-confidence, not just in social settings.)
|
introverted (Describes a person who is more focused on their inner thoughts than on social interaction, sometimes overlapping with 'shy'.)
Antonyms
confident (Describes someone who feels self-assured and comfortable around others.)
|
outgoing (Describes someone who actively enjoys and seeks social interaction.)
Themes
emotions
|personality
|daily life
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Not comfortable talking to or being with people.
Nervous, timid, or lacking confidence in the presence of others.
VERB
B1
2
Usage pattern:
to shy away from [something]
Many people shy away from public speaking.
Sokan ódzkodnak attól, hogy közönség előtt beszéljenek.
He shied away from discussing his personal life.
Ódzkodott attól, hogy a magánéletéről beszéljen.
They tend to shy away from controversial topics.
Learner examples
I shy away from big dogs.
Ódzkodom a nagy kutyáktól.
She shies away from loud places.
Ódzkodik a hangos helyektől.
He shies away from hard questions.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes forget to use 'from' after 'shy away'. The correct form is 'shy away from [something]'.
Meaning
avoid something from fear/dislike
Collocations
shy away from responsibility
|shy away from conflict
|shy away from making a decision
Synonyms
avoid (General term for keeping away from something, without necessarily implying fear.)
|
flinch (Suggests a sudden movement away due to fear or pain.)
Antonyms
face (To confront something directly instead of avoiding it.)
|
confront (To deal with something difficult or unpleasant directly.)
Themes
emotions
|behavior
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To move away from or avoid something because it scares you or you do not like it.
To avoid doing or dealing with something because of fear, nervousness, or dislike.
B2
3
The town is just shy of 10,000 residents.
A városnak valamivel kevesebb mint 10 000 lakosa van.
We arrived two minutes shy of the deadline.
Két perccel a határidő lejárta előtt érkeztünk.
Her score was three points shy of perfect.
Learner examples
The box is shy of 10 kilos.
A doboz súlya valamivel kevesebb mint 10 kiló.
He is shy of 18 years old.
Még nem egészen 18 éves.
We are shy of the goal.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with being socially 'shy'. Here it describes an amount, not personality.
Meaning
slightly less than an amount
Collocations
just shy of
|a few dollars shy of
Synonyms
short of (Means lacking an amount or falling below a target.)
Antonyms
over (Indicates more than the stated amount.)
Themes
measurement
|quantity
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A little less than a number or amount.
Slightly less than a stated number, amount, or distance.
VERB
C1
4
megriad
B1
visszahőköl
B2
Usage pattern:
[animal] shies at [something]
The horse shied at the sudden movement.
A ló megriadt a hirtelen mozdulattól.
Her pony shied when the dog barked.
A pónija megriadt, amikor a kutya ugatott.
The mare shied at the shadow on the road.
Learner examples
The horse shied at the loud sound.
A ló megriadt a hangos zajtól.
My pony shied when it saw a snake.
A pónim megriadt, amikor meglátott egy kígyót.
The animal shied at the big truck.
Meaning
animal moves back in fear
Collocations
horse shied at the noise
Synonyms
startle (A sudden reaction to surprise, not always involving moving back.)
Themes
animals
|nature
Definition
When an animal moves back suddenly because it is afraid or surprised.
(Of a horse or other animal) to suddenly move back or to the side in fear or surprise.
Grammar
Dictionary form
shy
IPA
GB/ʃˈaɪ/
US/ʃˈaɪ/
Syllables & stress
shy (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (shy)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: shy
- Comparative: shyer
- Superlative: shyest
Verb
- Base: shy
- 3rd Person Singular: shies
- Present Participle: shying
- Past: shied
Word family
Forms
shies
verb
shying
verb
shied
verb
shyer
adjective
shyest
adjective
Core family
shyness
noun
shyly
adverb
Related words
bashful
adjective
outgoing
adjective B1
Negative and opposite forms
confident
adjective B1
Highlights
- Irregular comparative: shyer Adjective
- Irregular superlative: shyest Adjective
Expressions
just shy of
1/d͡ʒˈʌst ʃˈaɪ əv/
fixed phrase
slightly less than an amount
A little less than a number or amount.
Examples
- We raised just shy of $500 for the charity.
- He is just shy of his 30th birthday.
shy away from
1/ʃˈaɪ əwˈeɪ fɹˈʌm/
phrasal verb
avoid something from fear/dislike
To avoid doing something because you are afraid or do not like it.
Examples
- She tends to shy away from confrontation.
- Many students shy away from difficult subjects.