Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Lacking self-confidence; shy.
  • adjective Fearful and hesitant.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Fearful; easily alarmed; timorous; shy.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Wanting courage to meet danger; easily frightened; timorous; not bold; fearful; shy.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Lacking in courage or confidence.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective lacking self-confidence
  • adjective showing fear and lack of confidence
  • adjective lacking conviction or boldness or courage
  • noun people who are fearful and cautious

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin timidus, from timēre, to fear.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From French timide, from Latin timidus ("full of fear, fearful, timid"), from timeo ("I fear").

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Examples

  • Elizabeth observed my agitation for some time in timid and fearful silence; at length she said, What is it that agitates you, my dear Victor?

    Chapter 6 2010

  • Elizabeth observed my agitation for some time in timid and fearful silence; but there was something in my glance which communicated terror to her, and trembling she asked, What is it that agitates you, my dear Victor?

    Chapter 23 2010

  • So saying, he called the timid followers and delivered the body into their hands.

    The Age of Fable Thomas Bulfinch 1831

  • So saying, he called the timid followers and delivered the body into their hands.

    The Age of Fable Thomas Bulfinch 1831

  • Mr. Stewart seemed to feel that he needed to voice the concerns of liberals who are disappointed in Mr. Obama's legislative record - one he described as "timid" - instead of coming up with more offbeat questions of his own.

    NYT > Home Page By ALESSANDRA STANLEY 2010

  • By starting with something timid, which is already being attacked as "radical" by House Republicans – well, we have seen where this leads.

    Obama's budget and deficit reductionism | Mark Weisbrot 2012

  • The Government is still being too timid, which is why we have called on them to go further, for example by changing the Treasury rules so that savings in the benefit system can be invested in a greater use of voluntary and private welfare-to-work providers.

    May responds 2009

  • She is described as a timid, shy and retiring young woman who also just happened to be able to out-ride and out-hunt the King and his men.

    Archive 2009-05-01 Julianne Douglas 2009

  • She is described as a timid, shy and retiring young woman who also just happened to be able to out-ride and out-hunt the King and his men.

    MISTRESS OF THE SUN by Sandra Gulland: Interview and Review Julianne Douglas 2009

  • The Government is still being too timid, which is why we have called on them to go further, for example by changing the Treasury rules so that savings in the benefit system can be invested in a greater use of voluntary and private welfare-to-work providers.

    Gordon Brown, Charlie Whelan and Me 2009

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