coy
adjective
- of unclear sincerity
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /kɔɪ/
adj
Etymology: From Middle English coy, from Old French coi, earlier quei (“quiet, still”), from Latin qu(i)ētus (“resting, at rest”). Doublet of quit, quiet, quite, and quietus.
- Bashful, shy, retiring.
- Quiet, reserved, modest.
- Reluctant to give details about something sensitive; notably prudish.
- Pretending shyness or modesty, especially in an insincere or flirtatious way.
“The ill-bred miss, the bird-brained Jill, / May simper and be coy at will; / A lady, sir, as you will find, / Keeps counsel, or she speaks her mind, / Means what she says and scorns to fence / And palter with feigned innocence.”
- Soft, gentle, hesitating.
“Enforced hate, / Instead of love's coy touch, shall rudely tear thee.”
name
Etymology: The community is named after local merchant George McCoy.
- A surname.
- An unincorporated community in McDonald County, Missouri.
noun
Etymology: Abbreviation of company.
- A company
verb
Etymology: From Middle English coy, from Old French coi, earlier quei (“quiet, still”), from Latin qu(i)ētus (“resting, at rest”). Doublet of quit, quiet, quite, and quietus.
- To caress, pet; to coax, entice.
“Come sit thee down upon this flowery bed, / While I thy amiable cheeks do coy.”
- To calm or soothe.
- To allure; to decoy.
“For now there are ſprung up a wiſer generation in this kind, who have the Art to coy the fonder ſort into their nets”