subs. (colloquial).—Generic for a piece of action: as a throw, a chance, an attempt, a jibe. As verb. = to do, to make, to throw, and all other verbs of action (GROSE and BEE).
1824. P. EGAN, Boxiana, iv. 149. I like to have a SHY for my money.
1827. SCOTT, Diary, 26 March. I cannot keep up with the world without SHYING a letter now and then.
1849–50. THACKERAY, Pendennis, lxxv. I went with my last ten florin and had a SHY at the roulette. Ibid. (1854–5), The Newcomes, xvi. ‘There you go, Polly; you are always having a SHY at Lady Ann and her relations,’ says Mr. Newcome, good-naturedly. ‘A SHY! How can you use such vulgar words, Mr. Newcome?’
1847. ROBB, Streaks of Squatter Life, 106. Jest to make matters lively, I … SHYED a few soft things at her.
1856. C. READE, It Is Never Too Late to Mend, xv. He … SHIED the pieces of glass carefully over the wall.
1859. LEVER, Davenport Dunn, xx. Though the world does take liberties with the good-tempered fellows, it SHIES them many a stray favour.
1863–4. CHAMBERS, Book of Days, I. 238. Where the cock belonged to some one disposed to make it a matter of business, twopence was paid for three SHIES at it, the missile used being a broomstick.
1885. Daily Telegraph, 17 Sept. With a grievous ‘clod’ in his hand TO SHY at it.
1888. W. BLACK, In Far Lochaber, vi. He has an abject fear of cats—they’re witches, he says—and if he can SHY a stone at one when it doesn’t see him, that is delight.
1889. NORRIS, Miss Shafto, viii. An honest man has a much better chance on the turf than he has in the City…. I’ve had a SHY at both.
Adj., adv. and verb. (colloquial).—1. Missing, hard to find: whence SHYCOCK = ‘one who keeps within doors for fear of bailiffs’ (GROSE). Hence (2) = ‘coy, squeamish, cold, or averse’ (B. E. and GROSE). Cf. verb. Also (3) of dubious repute or character. As verb. (in quot. 1796 = a wary man); TO FIGHT SHY of = to keep out of the way, to abstain.
1796. F. REYNOLDS, Fortune’s Fool, v. The members rose, lock’d the door, and call’d me a SHYCOCK.
1809. MALKIN, Gil Blas [ROUTLEDGE], 311. We have all our weak side … does he wench?… Do not FIGHT SHY I beseech you. Ibid (1771), The Expedition of Humphry Clinker (1900), 78. The doctor being a SHY COCK would not be caught with chaff.
1821. D. HAGGART, Life, 30. Although I had not been idle during these three months, I found my blunt getting SHY.
1825. T. JONES, The True Bottom’d Boxer [The Universal Songster, ii. 96]. You SHY-COCKS, he shows ’em no favour, ’od rot ’em all.
1826. Old Song, ‘Bobby and His Mary’ [FARMER, Musa Pedestris (1896), 95].
| The blunt ran SHY, and Bobby brush’d | |
| To get more rag not fearing. |
1840. R. H. BARHAM, The Ingoldsby Legends (The Lay of the Old Woman Clothed in Grey).
| That all who espied her | |
| Immediately SHIED her, | |
| And strove to get out of her way. |
1841. LEVER, Charles O’Malley, lxxix. His friends SHY him.
1849. THACKERAY, Pendennis, xxv. Mr. Wagg … said, ‘Rather a SHY place for a sucking county member, ay, Pynsent?’ Ibid. (1860), The Adventures of Philip, xix. The dinner, I own, is SHY unless I come and dine with my friends; and then I make up for banyan days.
1851–61. H. MAYHEW, London Labour and the London Poor, iii. 136. They bring ’em out, when business is SHY, for a draw, which they always find them answer.
1854. WHYTE-MELVILLE, General Bounce, xiii. If ‘Sennacherib’ breaks down, and Blanche Kettering fights SHY,… have I not still got something to fall back upon?
1860. DICKENS, The Uncommercial Traveller, x. Nothing in SHY neighbourhoods perplexes my mind more, than the bad company birds keep.
1864. H. J. BYRON, Paid in Full, v. Hadn’t SHY turf-transactions been more than hinted at.
1865. Glasgow Herald, 23 Sept. The guests SHY all European topics.
1870. Daily Telegraph, 7 Feb. The reader who wades through the rather hopeful jungle of the title-page, will certainly SHY at Mr. Beste’s preface.
