These words pertain to a lack of ease in the society of others, or to fearfulness in facing new experiences. Timid is the most general word in the group. It points to a reluctance to assert oneself or to undertake anything new or unknown about exercising caution.

• The little boy was timid about going to school for the first time; A timid driver hesitates to pass trucks and buses on the highway.

Timorous is a much stronger word than timid , although they are often used interchangeably. Timorous emphasizes a greater apprehension and anxiety surrounding any experience that demands daring, independence and confidence in oneself: a timorous young woman unable to live her own life. Timorous may also describe one who is easily started and seems to live in a constant state of fearfulness: a timorous teacher who could not control children.

Shy , bashful and diffident share the meaning of showing unobtrusiveness and embarrassment in the company of other people. Shy implies self-consciousness and a fear of pushing oneself forwards. The word may suggest a lack of social poise arising from inexperience: so shy that talking to new acquaintances made her voice tremble. Shy may point also to a naturally quiet and retiring nature, often not without charm: His low voice and shy smile soon made him a favourite among his colleagues. By extension, shy is used of people who, because of the nature of their culture, tend to live to themselves, or to animals that evade observation by man.

• The Pygmies of equatorial Africa are a shy , primitive group; The Australian lyre-bird is so shy that even bushmen rarely see one.

Bashful is usually applied only to children who are shy . The word may have somewhat humorous overtones, since it suggests the awkwardness of a youngster who has been struck speechless before strangers or who shrinks from notice behind his mother’s skirt. When used of adults, bashful tends to sound condescending: such a bashful man when he has to talk to women. Diffident stresses a want of confidence in one’s abilities, point of view or even general worth. Although the diffident person is shy with others, his main difficulty is a hesitancy in expressing himself or in trying new things.

Faint-hearted is somewhat scornful term, since it implies not only a bumbling lack of courage but also uncertainty as to how to go about getting what one wants. Formerly the word was used of a timid or shy lover held back from declaring himself for fear of being rejected. Nowadays, it may be applied to any timidity that appears to be slightly ludicrous: too faint-hearted to ask for a rise in pay.

Coy originally meant shy and was used chiefly of women who were discouraging advances from men. It now carries overtones of a feigned and consequently coquettish shyness meant to kindle amatory interest: She was coy over the telephone when he asked for a date, although she had flirted outrageously with him the evening before. The extended meaning of coy refers to a playful or sly unwillingness to reveal information or to make a statement: When I told him that I had heard rumours of his promotion, he smiled coyly and said nothing.

Submissive , in this context, means so timid or timorous that yielding comes more easily than resisting: a housewife too submissive to send the fast-talking salesman on his way.