fight shy of (someone or something)
(redirected from fought shy of)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.
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]
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.
fight shy of
To avoid meeting or confronting.