coy
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++coy /kɔɪ/ adjective 1 PRETENDshy or pretending to be shy in order to attract people’s interest 害羞的；忸怩作态的 She gave him a coy smile. 她对他含羞一笑。2 SECRETunwilling to give information about something 含糊其词的，不肯表态的 OPP opencoy about Tania was always coy about her age. 塔妮娅总是不愿意说自己的年龄。 —coyly adverb —coyness noun [uncountable]
Examples from the Corpus
coy• Ben thinks Leah is just being coy.• Teresa blushed when she saw me and turned very coy.• Marxist urban politics is now much more coy about all-embracing grand, theoretical claims.• Officials are coy about the details.• Her mother encouraged her to use her feminine charm, to be coy and alluring.• Cbin in hand, feet close together, there was something coy and flirty about her.• Those who go quiet and coy even when offended need to work on this.• He sat like a woman and talked like one, sending coy glances at all of us.• Isabella, the next day, is full of coy importance, saying that Catherine must guess her secret.• There was no twinkle in her eyes and no coy smile on her lips.coy about• Gonzalez was coy about precisely where he's moving.Origin coy (1300-1400) Old French coi “calm”, from Latin quietus “quiet”coy adjectiveChinese
pretending to shy order be shy in or to attract people’s Corpus
coy
coy /kɔɪ/
adjective
She gave him a coy smile.
2. unwilling to give information about something
OPP open
coy about
Tania was always coy about her age.
—coyly adverb
—coyness noun [uncountable]
coy /kɔɪ/
adjective Date: 1300-1400
Language: Old French
Origin: coi 'calm', from Latin quietus 'quiet'
1. shy or pretending to be shy in order to attract people’s interest:Language: Old French
Origin: coi 'calm', from Latin quietus 'quiet'
2. unwilling to give information about something
OPP open
coy about
—coyly adverb
—coyness noun [uncountable]