What does coy mean in Shakespeare?

1a : marked by cute, coquettish, or artful playfulness using coy tricks to attract attention. b : shrinking from contact or familiarity “‘Tis but a kiss I beg, Why art thou coy?”— William Shakespeare. 2 : showing reluctance to make a definite commitment a coy response.

What does stop being coy mean?

: to avoid giving a direct or complete answer When asked about his next book, he played coy.

Does coy mean shy?

Take the adjective coy for a person who pretends to be shy but really isn’t, or someone who could give a definite answer but won’t. Originally meaning “quiet and shy,” today someone who is coy pretends to be shy in a playful manner — often as a form of flirting.

What do you mean by coy?

adjective, coy·er, coy·est. artfully or affectedly shy or reserved; slyly hesitant; coquettish. shy; modest. showing reluctance, especially when insincere or affected, to reveal one’s plans or opinions, make a commitment, or take a stand: The mayor was coy about his future political aspirations.

What is an example of being coy?

The definition of coy is pretending or appearing to be shy or modest in an attempt to be playful or flirtatious, or a reluctance to provide information or make a commitment. An example of coy is a woman who bats her eyelashes and pretends to be helpless and innocent.

Is Clotpole a swear word?

It is actually spelled “clotpoll” and is a very outdated slang term for idiot or dolt (which makes sense, given the context in which it was used.) It also appears to be a variant of the word “clodpoll.”

Can a man be coy?

You can be coy in many ways, whether it be in your romantic or everyday life. In romance, being coy is a time honored method for attracting men. Some women are coy by nature, but others have to work to be coy.

Is coy flirty?

Coy behavior can be playful or just plain annoying. Originally meaning “quiet and shy,” today someone who is coy pretends to be shy in a playful manner — often as a form of flirting.

Which is the best definition of the word Coy?

Choose the Right Synonym for coy. shy, bashful, diffident, modest, coy mean not inclined to be forward. shy implies a timid reserve and a shrinking from familiarity or contact with others. shy with strangers bashful implies a frightened or hesitant shyness characteristic of childhood and adolescence.

Who is the chatterbot in the book Coy?

And there’s Julia, the charming “chatterbot” (a text-based computer character), whose coy pickup banter echoes that of real-life Internet flirts. — Michiko Kakutani, Albany (New York) Times-Union, 20 Aug. 1997 I didn’t like her coy manner.

Who are the actors in the new Coy?

— Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 17 June 2021 The actor previously remained coy about his participation in the upcoming revival, which will be executive produced by Parker, 56, as well as her costars Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon.