Forms: 4–6 coie, koie, 5–6 koy, 5 koye, 6 Sc. quoy(e, 4– coy. [a. F. coi (fem. coite) earlier quei = Pr. quetz:—L. *quētus, from quiētus at rest, still, quiet.]
† 1. Quiet, still. Chiefly in to bear, hold, keep (oneself) coy. Obs.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 281. Cambinhoy beres him coy.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 2286. Roland cryede an heȝ … Many sarsynz þan huld hem coye.
c. 1450. Merlin, 318. His felowes … were stille and koy that seiden not o worde.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., II. 540. Rycht closlie than tha held thame all full quoy.
a. 1560. Rolland, Crt. Venus, IV. 163. The court was Coy, commandit was silence.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., IV. (1682), 158. Their Superiours, before whom they … keep, great silence, and are wonderful coy during the time of their presence.
† b. of things. Obs.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, II. ix. 80. Secrete throwgangis ar schawin, wont to be quoy.
1593. Drayton, Eclogues, vii. 43. These things beene all to coy for mee, Whose youth is spent in jollity.
† c. Cf. a quiet hint.
1579. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 52. Euphues, though he perceiued hir coy nippe, seemed not to care for it.
2. Not demonstrative; shyly reserved or retiring.
a. Of a person. Displaying modest backwardness or shyness (sometimes with emphasis on the displaying); not responding readily to familiar advances; now esp. of a girl or young woman.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Clerk’s Prol., 2. Ye ryde as coy and stille as dooth a mayde Were newe spoused, sittynge at the bord.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 86. Coy, or sobyr, sobrius, modestus.
1562. J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 43. She was to them, as koy as a crokers mare.
1592. Shaks., Ven. & Ad., 96. ’Tis but a kiss I beg: why art thou coy?
1622. Wither, Philarete, Juven. (1633), 669. That coy one in the winning, Proves a true one being won.
1704. Pope, Windsor For., 19. As some coy nymph her lover’s warm address Nor quite indulges nor can quite repress.
1865. Trollope, Belton Est., x. 114. Why should she hesitate, and play the coy girl?
b. of actions, behavior, looks, etc.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. ii. 27. He feining seemely merth, And shee coy lookes.
1593. Shaks., Lucr., 669. Love’s coy touch.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 310. Subjection … Yeilded with coy submission, modest pride.
1720. Gay, Poems (1745), II. 165. The cruel nymph well knows to feign … coy looks, and cold disdain.
1825. Scott, Betrothed, ii. What value were there in the love of the maiden, were it yielded without coy delay?
c. of animals; and fig.
1684. R. H., Sch. Recreat., 39. If he [the hawk] be Froward and Coy; when he Kills, reward him not as usually, but slide some other meat under her.
1821. Clare, Vill. Minstr., I. 14. The coy rabbit ventured from his den.
1880. Mrs. Forrester, Roy & V., I. 104. Sleep was almost as coy a visitant with her as with her lover.
d. transf. Of a place or thing: Withdrawn from view or access, inaccessible, secluded.
1670–98. Lassels, Voy. Italy, I. 83. The Bibliotheca Ambrosiana … is not so coy as the others, which scarce let themselves be seen.
a. 1767. Grainger, Solitude, 5 (J.).
| Or climb the Andes’ clifted side, | |
| Or by the Nile’s coy source abide. |
1830. Scott, Demonol., vi. 185. Pursuers of exact science to its coy retreats.
e. Const. of or inf.: Reserved, backward.
1576. Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 37. If good men be coy of their counsell.
1616. R. C., Times’ Whistle, v. 1803. A true joviall boy, And one that of his purse is nothing coy.
1633. P. Fletcher, Pisc. Ecl., V. xiv. Unworthy they of art, who of their art are coy.
1633. G. Herbert, Temple, Unkindnesse, i. Lord, make me coy and tender to offend.
1859. Geo. Eliot, A. Bede, 112. And her very vanity made her more coy of speech.
† 3. Of distant or disdainful demeanor. Also quasi-adv. Obs.
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 67 b. Looke not so coye upon us poore Civilians I pray you, because we geve our endevour to learne ye Statutes of Christian Religion.
1591. Spenser, Virg. Gnat, 494. A yoweman … Their match in glorie, mightie, fierce, and coy.
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shr., II. i. 245. I finde you passing gentle: ’Twas told me you were rough, and coy, and sullen.
1611. Cotgr., Mespriseresse, a coy, squeamish, or scornefull dame.
1665. Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (1677), 89. He first goes to Prince Perwees … whom … he found so strangely altered, so coy and stately.
† 4. To make it coy: to affect reserve, shyness or disdain. Obs.
a. 1529. Skelton, El. Rummyng, 587. She made it as koy As a lege de moy. Ibid., Magnyf., 1262. The knave wolde make it koy, and he cowde.
1530. Palsgr., 624/2. I make it coye, or nyce … je fais lestrange.
† 5. Lascivious. (? an error; but cf. COY v.1 3.)
1570. Levins, Manip., 214/14. To be coy, lasciuire, coire. Ibid., Coy, lasciuus, salax.
