1.
[syn: coy, demure, overmodest]
2. showing marked and often playful or irritating evasiveness or reluctance to make a definite or committing statement;
- Example: "a politician coy about his intentions"
3. modestly or warily rejecting approaches or overtures;
- Example: "like a wild young colt, very inquisitive but very coy and not to be easily cajoled"
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Coy \Coy\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Coyed (koid); p. pr. & vb. n.
Coying.]
1. To allure; to entice; to decoy. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
A wiser generation, who have the art to coy the
fonder sort into their nets. --Bp. Rainbow.
[1913 Webster]
2. To caress with the hand; to stroke.
[1913 Webster]
Come sit thee down upon this flowery bed,
While I thy amiable cheeks do coy. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
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.
[1913 Webster]
2. Shrinking from approach or familiarity; reserved; bashful;
shy; modest; -- usually applied to women, sometimes with
an implication of coquetry.
[1913 Webster]
Coy, and difficult to win. --Cowper.
[1913 Webster]
Coy and furtive graces. --W. Irving.
[1913 Webster]
Nor the coy maid, half willings to be pressed,
Shall kiss the cup, to pass it to the rest.
--Goldsmith.
[1913 Webster]
3. Soft; gentle; hesitating.
[1913 Webster]
Enforced hate,
Instead of love's coy touch, shall rudely tear thee.
--Shak.
Syn: Shy; shriking; reserved; modest; bashful; backward;
distant.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Coy \Coy\, v. i.
1. To behave with reserve or coyness; to shrink from approach
or familiarity. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
Thus to coy it,
With one who knows you too! --Rowe.
[1913 Webster]
2. To make difficulty; to be unwilling. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
If he coyed
To hear Cominius speak, I 'll keep at home. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
coy
adj 1: affectedly modest or shy especially in a playful or
provocative way [syn: coy, demure, overmodest]
2: showing marked and often playful or irritating evasiveness or
reluctance to make a definite or committing statement; "a
politician coy about his intentions"
3: modestly or warily rejecting approaches or overtures; "like a
wild young colt, very inquisitive but very coy and not to be
easily cajoled"
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:
39 Moby Thesaurus words for "coy":
amative, amatory, arch, bashful, capricious, caressive, confused,
conscious, coquettish, decent, decorous, demure, diffident,
flirtatious, flirty, inarticulate, kittenish, lively, mischievous,
mousy, nice, playful, proper, rabbity, retiring, roguish, seemly,
self-conscious, self-effacing, sexual, shamefaced, shamefast, shy,
skittish, stammering, timid, timorous, unassertive, unassured
U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000):
Coy, AR -- U.S. town in Arkansas
Population (2000): 116
Housing Units (2000): 49
Land area (2000): 0.673942 sq. miles (1.745502 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 0.673942 sq. miles (1.745502 sq. km)
FIPS code: 15790
Located within: Arkansas (AR), FIPS 05
Location: 34.541882 N, 91.869736 W
ZIP Codes (1990):
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords:
Coy, AR
Coy