COY

coy

(adjective) modestly or warily rejecting approaches or overtures; “like a wild young colt, very inquisitive but very coy and not to be easily cajoled”

coy

(adjective) showing marked and often playful or irritating evasiveness or reluctance to make a definite or committing statement; “a politician coy about his intentions”

coy, demure, overmodest

(adjective) affectedly modest or shy especially in a playful or provocative way

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Proper noun

Coy (plural Coys)

A surname.

Statistics

• According to the 2010 United States Census, Coy is the 2597th most common surname in the United States, belonging to 13875 individuals. Coy is most common among White (82.79%) individuals.

Anagrams

• CYO

Etymology 1

Adjective

coy (comparative coyer, superlative coyest)

(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.

Verb

coy (third-person singular simple present coys, present participle coying, simple past and past participle coyed)

(transitive, obsolete) To caress, pet; to coax, entice.

(transitive, obsolete) To calm or soothe.

To allure; to decoy.

Etymology 2

Noun

coy (plural coys)

A trap from which waterfowl may be hunted.

Etymology 3

Noun

coy (plural coys)

(military) A company

Anagrams

• CYO

Source: Wiktionary


Coy (koi), a. Etym: [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.

2. Shrinking from approach or familiarity; reserved; bashful; shy; modest; -- usually applied to women, sometimes with an implication of coquetry. Coy, and difficult to win. Cowper. Coy and furtive graces. W. Irving. Nor the coy maid, half willings to be pressed, Shall kiss the cup, to pass it to the rest. Goldsmith.

3. Soft; gentle; hesitating. Enforced hate, Instead of love's coy touch, shall rudely tear thee. Shak.

Syn.

– Shy; shriking; reserved; modest; bashful; backward; distant.

Coy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Coyed (koid); p. pr. & vb. n. Coying.]

1. To allure; to entice; to decoy. [Obs.] A wiser generation, who have the art to coy the fonder sort into their nets. Bp. Rainbow.

2. To caress with the hand; to stroke. Come sit thee down upon this flowery bed, While I thy amiable cheeks do coy. Shak.

Coy, v. i.

1. To behave with reserve or coyness; to shrink from approach or familiarity. [Obs.] Thus to coy it, With one who knows you too! Rowe.

2. To make difficulty; to be unwilling. [Obs.] If he coyed To hear Cominius speak, I 'll keep at home. Shak.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

18 December 2024

ROOT

(noun) (linguistics) the form of a word after all affixes are removed; “thematic vowels are part of the stem”


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