shy (redirected from shies from)

few bricks short of a load and few cards shy of a full deck; few cards short of a deck; not playing with a full deck; two bricks shy of a load

Fig. lacking in intellectual ability. (Many other variants.) Tom: Joe thinks he can build a car out of old milk jugs. Mary: I think Joe's a few bricks short of a load. Ever since she fell and hit her head, Jane's been a few bricks short of a load, if you know what I'm saying. Bob's nice, but he's not playing with a full deck. You twit! You're two bricks shy of a load.

See also: brick, few, load, short

Once bitten, twice shy.

Prov. When something or someone has hurt you once, you tend to avoid that thing or person. Jill: Let's go ride the roller coaster. Jane: No, thanks. I got really sick on one of those once—once bitten, twice shy. I once sent in money for something I saw advertised in the back of a magazine, but the merchandise was of such poor quality I was sorry I'd bought it. I'll never buy anything that way again; once bitten, twice shy.

See also: once, twice

one brick shy of a load

Inf. stupid; dense. Joyce has done some stupid things. Sometimes I think she is one brick shy of a load. Ted is one brick shy of a load. He can't seem to do what he is told without messing up.

See also: brick, load, one

shy away (from someone or something)

to avoid someone or something. The dog shies away from John since he kicked it. I can understand why the dog would shy away.

See also: away

three bricks shy of a load

stupid; dense; shortchanged on intelligence. I would never say she was dense. Just three bricks shy of a load. Why do you act like you're three bricks shy of a load?

See also: brick, load, three

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fight shy of something/doing something

to try to avoid something He fought shy of entering his poems in the competition, although everyone said he should. Ellen fights shy of parties - she hates crowds.

See also: fight

Once bitten, twice shy.

something that you say which means when you have had an unpleasant experience you are much more careful to avoid similar experiences in the future After he left her she refused to go out with anyone else for a long time - once bitten, twice shy, I suppose.

See also: once, twice

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shy away from somebody

to avoid someone She shied away from reporters during her brief visit to this country.

See also: away

shy away from something/doing something

to avoid something I tend to shy away from big guitar solos on records. At first, some companies shied away from selling merchandise on the Internet, but not for long.

See also: away

shy of something

having less of something than is needed or expected The bill was four votes shy of a majority. He was a large man, just shy of six feet tall.

Related vocabulary: short of something