The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
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.
[1913 Webster]
The horses of the army . . . were no longer shy, but
would come up to my very feet without starting.
--Swift.
[1913 Webster]
2. Reserved; coy; disinclined to familiar approach.
[1913 Webster]
What makes you so shy, my good friend? There's
nobody loves you better than I. --Arbuthnot.
[1913 Webster]
The embarrassed look of shy distress
And maidenly shamefacedness. --Wordsworth.
[1913 Webster]
3. Cautious; wary; suspicious.
[1913 Webster]
I am very shy of using corrosive liquors in the
preparation of medicines. --Boyle.
[1913 Webster]
Princes are, by wisdom of state, somewhat shy of
thier successors. --Sir H.
Wotton.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Fight \Fight\ (f[imac]t), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Fought
(f[add]t); p. pr. & vb. n. Fighting.] [OE. fihten, fehten,
AS. feohtan; akin to D. vechten, OHG. fehtan, G. fechten, Sw.
f[aum]kta, Dan. fegte, and perh. to E. fist; cf. L. pugnare
to fight, pugnus fist.]
1. To strive or contened for victory, with armies or in
single combat; to attempt to defeat, subdue, or destroy an
enemy, either by blows or weapons; to contend in arms; --
followed by with or against.
[1913 Webster]
You do fight against your country's foes. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
To fight with thee no man of arms will deign.
--Milton.
[1913 Webster]
2. To act in opposition to anything; to struggle against; to
contend; to strive; to make resistance.
[1913 Webster]
To fight shy, to avoid meeting fairly or at close quarters;
to keep out of reach.
[1913 Webster]