Docile vs Coy - What's the difference?
docile | coy |
Yielding to control or supervision, direction, or management.
Ready to accept instruction or direction.
(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
As adjectives the difference between docile and coy
is that docile is yielding to control or supervision, direction, or management while coy is (dated) bashful, shy, retiring.As a verb coy is
(obsolete) to caress, pet; to coax, entice.As a noun coy is
a trap from which waterfowl may be hunted.docile
English
Adjective
(en adjective)Synonyms
* (yielding to control): compliant, malleable, meek, submissive, tractable * (ready to accept instruction): amenable, compliant, teachableAntonyms
* (yielding to control): rebellious, wilfulDerived terms
* docilely * docilityAnagrams
* * ----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.