Coy vs Reticence - What's the difference?
coy | reticence |
(dated) Bashful, shy, retiring.
(archaic) Quiet, reserved, modest.
Reluctant to give details about something sensitive; notably prudish.
Pretending shyness or modesty, especially in an insincere or flirtatious way.
Soft, gentle, hesitating.
* Shakespeare
(obsolete) To caress, pet; to coax, entice.
* Shakespeare
(obsolete) To calm or soothe.
To allure; to decoy.
* Bishop Rainbow
tight-lippedness, discretion, avoidance of saying too much
a silent and reserved nature
As nouns the difference between coy and reticence
is that coy is a trap from which waterfowl may be hunted while reticence is tight-lippedness, discretion, avoidance of saying too much.As an adjective coy
is bashful, shy, retiring.As a verb coy
is to caress, pet; to coax, entice.coy
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) coi, earlier .Adjective
(er)- Enforced hate, / Instead of love's coy touch, shall rudely tear thee.
Derived terms
* coyly * coynessVerb
(en verb)- Come sit thee down upon this flowery bed, / While I thy amiable cheeks do coy .
- A wiser generation, who have the art to coy the fonder sort into their nets.
