gun-shy

[guhn-shahy]

adjective

1. frightened by the sound of a gunshot.

   a gun-shy bird dog.

2. hesitant, wary, or distrustful, especially because of previous unpleasant experience.

gun-shy

adjective

1. afraid of a gun or the sound it makes

   a gun-shy dog is useless for shooting

Other Word Forms

• gun-shyness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of gun-shy¹

First recorded in 1880–85