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coy - 6 dictionary results
coy
[koi] 
adjective, -er, -est, verb –adjective
| 1. | artfully or affectedly shy or reserved; slyly hesitant; coquettish. |
| 2. | shy; modest. |
| 3. | showing reluctance, esp. when insincere or affected, to reveal one's plans or opinions, make a commitment, or take a stand: The mayor was coy about his future political aspirations. |
| 4. | Archaic. disdainful; aloof. |
| 5. | Obsolete. quiet; reserved. |
–verb (used without object)
| 6. | Archaic. to act in a coy manner. |
–verb (used with object) Obsolete.
| 7. | to quiet; soothe. |
| 8. | to pat; caress. |
Related forms:
coyish, adjective
coy⋅ish⋅ness, noun
coyly, adverb
coyness, noun
Synonyms:
2. retiring, diffident, bashful, demure.
2. retiring, diffident, bashful, demure.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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|
Link To coy
| coy (koi) adj. coy·er, coy·est
[Middle English, from Old French quei, coi, quiet, still, from Vulgar Latin *quētus, from Latin quiētus, past participle of quiēscere, to rest; see kweiə- in Indo-European roots.] coy'ly adv., coy'ness n. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Coy
Coy\ (koi), a. [OE. coi quiet, still, OF. coi, coit, fr.L. quietus quiet, p. p. of quiescere to rest, quie rest; prob. akin to E. while. See While, and cf. Quiet, Quit, Quite.]1. Quiet; still. [Obs.] --Chaucer. 2. Shrinking from approach or familiarity; reserved; bashful; shy; modest; -- usually applied to women, sometimes with an implication of coquetry. Coy, and difficult to win. --Cowper. Coy and furtive graces. --W. Irving. Nor the coy maid, half willings to be pressed, Shall kiss the cup, to pass it to the rest. --Goldsmith. 3. Soft; gentle; hesitating. Enforced hate, Instead of love's coy touch, shall rudely tear thee. --Shak. Syn: Shy; shriking; reserved; modest; bashful; backward; distant.Coy
Coy\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Coyed (koid); p. pr. & vb. n. Coying.]1. To allure; to entice; to decoy. [Obs.] A wiser generation, who have the art to coy the fonder sort into their nets. --Bp. Rainbow. 2. To caress with the hand; to stroke. Come sit thee down upon this flowery bed, While I thy amiable cheeks do coy. --Shak.Coy
Coy\, v. i. 1. To behave with reserve or coyness; to shrink from approach or familiarity. [Obs.] Thus to coy it, With one who knows you too! --Rowe. 2. To make difficulty; to be unwilling. [Obs.] If he coyed To hear Cominius speak, I 'll keep at home. --Shak.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : coy
Spanish:
tímido, reservado, evasivo,
German:
schüchtern,
Japanese:
はにかんだ
coy
c.1330, from O.Fr. coi, earlier quei "quiet, still," ult. from L. quietus "resting, at rest" (see quiet). Meaning "shy" emerged 14c. Meaning "unwilling to commit" is 1961.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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