From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Shy \Shy\ (sh[imac]), a. [Compar. {Shier} (sh[imac]"[~e]r) or
{Shyer}; superl. {Shiest} or {Shyest}.] [OE. schey, skey,
sceouh, AS. sce['o]h; akin to Dan. sky, Sw. skygg, D. schuw,
MHG. schiech, G. scheu, OHG. sciuhen to be or make timid. Cf.
{Eschew}.]
1. Easily frightened; timid; as, a shy bird.
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The horses of the army . . . were no longer shy, but
would come up to my very feet without starting.
--Swift.
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2. Reserved; coy; disinclined to familiar approach.
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What makes you so shy, my good friend? There's
nobody loves you better than I. --Arbuthnot.
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The embarrassed look of shy distress
And maidenly shamefacedness. --Wordsworth.
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3. Cautious; wary; suspicious.
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I am very shy of using corrosive liquors in the
preparation of medicines. --Boyle.
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Princes are, by wisdom of state, somewhat shy of
thier successors. --Sir H.
Wotton.
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4. Inadequately supplied; short; lacking; as, the team is shy
two players.[Slang]
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
5. (Poker), owing money to the pot; -- in cases where an
opponent's bet has exceeded a player's available stake or
chips, but the player chooses to continue playing the hand
before adding the required bet to the pot. [Slang]
[PJC]
{To fight shy}. See under {Fight}, v. i.
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