scheu
shy
Es beschreibt eine Person oder ein Tier, das zurückhaltend ist, schnell Angst bekommt und sich eher versteckt oder Abstand hält.
Definition & meaning
scheu is an adjective meaning shy, timid, bashful, or skittish.
It is mainly used in two related ways:
-
Shy or socially reserved
Describes a person who feels uncomfortable around unfamiliar people or avoids attention.- ein scheues Kind = a shy child
- Er ist sehr scheu. = He is very shy.
-
Skittish or easily frightened
Especially describes animals that are nervous around people or sudden movements.- ein scheues Pferd = a skittish horse
- Das Reh ist scheu. = The deer is timid/skittish.
It can also describe a person who is reluctant or hesitant to do something, often in the construction scheu sein vor or etwas scheuen:
- Sie ist scheu vor Veränderungen. = She is wary of changes.
- Er scheut die Verantwortung. = He shies away from responsibility.
Grammar & Word origin
scheu is an adjective.
- Attributive: ein scheuer Mann = a shy man; eine scheue Frau = a shy woman
- Predicative: Der Mann ist scheu. = The man is shy.
- Adverbial: Das Tier lief scheu davon. = The animal timidly ran away.
It forms the comparative and superlative regularly:
- scheu = shy
- scheuer = shyer, more timid
- am scheuesten = shyest, most timid
The related noun is die Scheu , meaning shyness, reserve, reluctance, or fear. The word is historically related to older Germanic forms expressing fright or avoidance.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms
- schüchtern — shy or bashful, especially when referring to people; it usually emphasizes social insecurity more than scheu.
- zurückhaltend — reserved or restrained; more neutral and not necessarily caused by fear.
- ängstlich — anxious or fearful; stronger than scheu because it emphasizes fear.
- furchtsam ? — timid or fearful; generally more literary and stronger than scheu.
- zaghaft — hesitant or timid, especially when taking action.
Antonyms
- offen — open and approachable; the general opposite when describing a person.
- selbstbewusst — self-confident; contrasts with the insecurity often associated with scheu.
- kontaktfreudig — sociable and eager to interact with others.
- zutraulich — trusting and unafraid of people, especially when describing animals.
- mutig — brave; the opposite when scheu means fearful or hesitant.
Common phrases & collocations
- scheu sein — to be shy or timid
- ein scheues Tier — a shy or skittish animal
- ein scheues Lächeln — a shy or bashful smile
- vor etwas scheu sein — to be wary of or reluctant about something
- etwas scheuen — to shy away from or avoid something
- keine Mühe scheuen — to spare no effort
- die Scheu verlieren — to lose one’s shyness or inhibitions
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Examples
Das Kind wirkt ein bisschen scheu.adjective
The child seems a bit shy.
Scheue Tiere verstecken sich oft im Wald.adjective
Shy animals often hide in the forest.
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