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Shy vs Honest - What's the difference?

shy | honest |

As adjectives the difference between shy and honest

is that shy is easily frightened; timid while honest is scrupulous with regard to telling the truth; not given to swindling, lying, or fraud; upright.

As verbs the difference between shy and honest

is that shy is to avoid due to timidness or caution while honest is to adorn or grace; to honour; to make becoming, appropriate, or honourable.

As a noun shy

is an act of throwing.

shy

English

Adjective

(en-adj)
  • Easily frightened; timid.
  • * Jonathan Swift
    • The horses of the army were no longer shy , but would come up to my very feet without starting.
  • Reserved; disinclined to familiar approach.
    • He is very shy with strangers.
  • * Arbuthnot
    • What makes you so shy , my good friend? There's nobody loves you better than I.
  • Cautious; wary; suspicious.
  • * Boyle
    • I am very shy of using corrosive liquors in the preparation of medicines.
  • * Sir H. Wotton
    • Princes are, by wisdom of state, somewhat shy of their successors.
  • Short, insufficient or less than.
    • By our count your shipment came up two shy of the bill of lading amount.
    It is just shy of a mile from here to their house.
  • Embarrassed.

    • See also

    * bashful * reserved * timid * demure * coy

    Usage notes

    * Often used in combination with a noun to produce an adjective or adjectival phrase. * Adjectives are usually applicable to animals (leash-shy'' "shy of leashes" or ''head shy "shy of contact around the head" (of horses)) or to children.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Antonyms

    * brazen * bold * audacious

    Derived terms

    (terms derived using shy as suffix) * -shy * bird-shy * boy-shy * car-shy * cat-shy * camera-shy * cover-shy * girl-shy * gun-shy * hand-shy * man-shy * mouse-shy * noise-shy * people-shy * water-shy * woman-shy * work-shy

    Verb

  • To avoid due to timidness or caution.
    • I shy away from investment opportunities I don't understand.
  • To jump back in fear.
    • The horse shied''' away from the rider, which startled him so much he '''shied away from the horse.
  • to throw sideways with a jerk; to fling
    • to shy''' a stone; to '''shy a slipper

    Noun

    (shies)
  • An act of throwing.
    • (Thackeray)
  • * Punch
    • If Lord Brougham gets a stone in his hand, he must, it seems, have a shy at somebody.
  • * 2008 , (James Kelman), Kieron Smith, Boy , Penguin 2009, p. 55:
    • The game had started. A man was chasing the ball, it went out for a shy .
  • A place for throwing.
    • coconut shy
  • A sudden start aside, as by a horse.
  • In the Eton College wall game, a point scored by lifting the ball against the wall in the calx.

    • Derived terms

    * coconut shy

    honest

    English

    Adjective

    (en-adj)
  • (of a person or institution) Scrupulous with regard to telling the truth; not given to swindling, lying, or fraud; upright.
    • We're the most honest people you will ever come across.
  • * Sir W. Temple
    • An honest physician leaves his patient when he can contribute no farther to his health.
  • (of a statement) True, especially as far as is known by the person making the statement; fair; unbiased.
    • an honest''' account of events''; '''''honest reporting
  • In good faith; without malice.
    • an honest mistake
  • (of a measurement device) Accurate.
    • an honest scale
  • Authentic; full.
    • an honest day's work
  • Earned or acquired in a fair manner.
    • an honest dollar
  • Open; frank.
    • an honest countenance
  • (obsolete) Decent; honourable; suitable; becoming.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Behold what honest clothes you send forth to bleaching!
    (Chaucer)
  • (obsolete) Chaste; faithful; virtuous.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Wives may be merry, and yet honest too.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Antonyms

    * dishonest

    Derived terms

    * honest as the day is long * honesty

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete) To adorn or grace; to honour; to make becoming, appropriate, or honourable.
    • (Archbishop Sandys)
  • * (Ben Jonson)
    • You have very much honested my lodging with your presence.

    External links

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