fight shy of (someone or something)

To try to avoid confronting or encountering someone or something. I'm naturally a peacemaker, so I always fight shy of tension. I know you've fought shy of layoffs, but I don't think you have a choice now, sir—the company will have to close otherwise. David always fights shy of trouble, so I doubt he'll defend us to the boss.

See also: fight, of, shy

fight shy of

Avoid meeting or confronting someone, as in "I have ... had to fight shy of invitations that would exhaust time and spirits" (Washington Irving, Life and Letters, 1821). This usage may allude to a military reluctance to meet or engage with the enemy. [Late 1700s]

See also: fight, of, shy

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

fight shy of

be unwilling to undertake or become involved with.

1992 Farmers Guardian Welsh companies often fight shy of dealing with the big multiples.

See also: fight, of, shy

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

fight ˈshy of something/of doing something

avoid something or doing something; not want to do something: I tend to fight shy of getting involved in protests, but in this case I feel very strongly that we should complain.

fight shy of

To avoid meeting or confronting.

See also: fight, of, shy

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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References in periodicals archive

It means warders fight shy of challenging bad behaviour by prisoners in case they spark unrest.

JAIL IN FEAR OF MUSLIMS

"It is not something we intend to fight shy of. Indeed, Yates Group is determined to tackle it head-on and explore ways in which we can continue to encourage our customers to drink and enjoy themselves in a responsible manner."

Pub chain in battle to beat the binge boozers

"As a society, we fight shy of pondering on death, yet inherent in each of us is a deep desire, both for oneself and for those we love, for a `good' death.

Judge orders parents to let Charlotte die

If only we had not granted such an iconic status to unbeaten horses, owners and trainers would not fight shy of risking their horses' reputations.

Ballydoyle bombshell leaves punters counting cost again; James Willoughby on why the increasing use of spin by major stables is making him feel deeply cynical

Normally teachers fight shy of giving lessons on sexual health because they do not feel qualified enough to cover such sensitive topics.

Call for school lessons on the morning-after pill; HEALTH: Improved knowledge of emergency contraception urged to tackle teenage pregnancy problem

It's curious that arguments for including music in the curriculum (raising IQ, improving social skills, even securing future audiences) so often seem to fight shy of the most obvious benefit, that of fostering musicality for its own sake.

Culture: Schools tune in to win star status; Birmingham Schools' Music Service Symphony Hall

In particular they must not fight shy of English,Scottish and Irish counterparts, said Don Thomas,Chairman of Welsh Lamb & Beef Promotions.

Livestock farmers `must fight for markets'

And while some handlers fight shy of peaking out their Guineas candidates, the door is opened for savvy operators like John Dunlop to land comfortable Group 3 successes with horses who might come up short of Classic standard.

Two worrying downhill trends at Newmarket

More prone than women to ignore danger signs, they also fight shy of going to the doctor even when their health begins to fail.

Why is ignorance still to blame?

Last night, Yates Group's Mark Jones said: "It is not something we intend to fight shy of.

PUB OWNERS TO CALL TIME ON HAPPY HOUR

The Rexton is a five-door sports utility vehicle (SUV) that is equally happy around urban streets or cruising along motorways, yet won't fight shy of mud- plugging or use as a genuine work-horse.

Driving seat: SsangYong revs up new 4x4

Sheikh Mohammed proved with the ill-fated Evry experiment that he does not fight shy of making changes.

Formative treatment of horses key difference between superpowers

Altering the hue of your hair is one of the best ways there is of changing your image - but many people fight shy of making such a step because they're not sure if it will suit them.

Real look of virtual colour; The four shades of Ros Dodd... Research shows that one in three women who shop for a hair colourant ends up leaving without buying anything