d. 1601. Nash, Tom Nash his Ghost [Old Book Coll. Misc.]. I would wish these shuttle-heads that desire to take in the embers of rebellion, to give over blowing the coals too much.
1625-49. MS. Poem [Halliwell: temp. Chas. I.]. Nor can you deem them shuttle-headed fellows Who for the Lord are so exceeding zealous.
1639-61. Rump Songs (1662), i. 7. Is it not strange that in their shuttle-head three Kingdoms ruines should be buried?
d. 1894. Stevenson, Olalla. I wondered what had called forth in a lad so shuttle-witted this enduring sense of duty.
Shy, subs. (colloquial).—Generic
for a piece of action: as a throw,
a chance, an attempt, a jibe. As
verb. = to do, to make, to throw,
and all other verbs of action
(Grose and Bee).
1824. Egan, Boxiana, iv. 149. I like to have a shy for my money.
1827. Scott, Diary, 26 Mar. I cannot keep up with the world without shying a letter now and then.
1840-50. Thackeray, Pendennis, lxxv. I went with my last ten florin and had a shy at the roulette. Ibid. (1854-5), Newcomes, xvi. There you go, Polly, you're always having a shy at Lady Anne . . . 'A shy! how can you use such vulgar words.'
1847. Robb, Squatter Life [Bartlett]. Just to make matters lively, I . . . shied a few soft things at her.
1857. Reade, Never Too Late, xv. He . . . shied the pieces of glass carefully over the wall.
1859. Lever, Davenport Dunn, xx. Though the world does take liberties with the good-tempered fellows, it shies them many a stray favour.
1863-4. Chambers, Book of Days, I. 238. Where the cock belonged to some one disposed to make it a matter of business, twopence was paid for three shies at it, the missile used being a broomstick.
1885. D. Telegraph, 17 Sep. With a grievous 'clod' in his hand to shy at it.
1888. Black, Far Lochaber, vi. He has an abject fear of cats . . . and if he can shy a stone at one when it doesn't see him, that is delight.
1889. Norris, Miss Shafto, viii. An honest man has a much better chance on the turf than he has in the City . . . I've had a shy at both.
Adj., adv. and verb. (colloquial).—1. Missing, hard to find: whence shycock = 'one who keeps within doors for fear of bailiffs' (Grose). Hence (2) = 'coy, squeamish, cold, or averse' (B. E. and Grose). Cf. verb. Also (3) of dubious repute or character. As verb. (in quot. 1796 = a wary man); to fight shy of = to keep out of the way, to abstain.
1796. Reynolds, Fortune's Fool, v. The members rose, lock'd the door, and call'd me a shycock.
1809. Malkin, Gil Blas [Routledge], 311. We have all our weak side . . . does he wench?. . . Do not fight shy I beseech you. Ibid (1771), Humph. Clinker (1900), 78. The doctor being a shy cock would not be caught with chaff.
1821. Haggart, Life, 30. Although I had not been idle during these three months, I found my blunt getting shy.
1825. Jones, True Bottom'd Boxer [Univ. Songst. ii. 96]. You shy-cocks, he shows 'em no favour, 'od rot 'em all.
1826. Old Song, 'Bobby and His Mary' [Univ. Songst. iii. 108]. The blunt ran shy, and Bobby brush'd, To get more rag not fearing.
1840. Barham, Ingolds. Legends (Old Woman Clothed in Grey). That all who espied her, Immediately shied her, And strove to get out of her way.
1841. Lever, Charles O'Malley, lxxix. His friends shy him.
1849. Thackeray, Pendennis, xxv. Mr. Wagg . . . said, 'Rather a shy place for a sucking county member, ay, Pynsent?' Ibid. (1860), Philip, xix. The dinner, I own, is shy unless I come and dine with my friends; and then I make up for banyan days.
1851-61. Mayhew, London Lab. iii. 136. They bring 'em out, when business is shy, for a draw, which they always find them answer.
