← Back to Fala2Me

shy away

[/ʃaɪ əˈweɪ/]
verb (phrasal)
esquivar-se, evitar, recuar
1. to avoid or show reluctance to face something difficult or unpleasant
She shied away from the difficult conversation with her boss.
Ela se esquivou da conversa difícil com seu chefe.
2. to move back in fear or alarm, as a horse does
The horse shied away from the loud noise.
O cavalo recuou assustado com o barulho alto.
3. to be unwilling or reluctant to do something
He tends to shy away from public speaking.
Ele tende a evitar falar em público.
Synonyms
avoidevaderecoilback awayflinchshrink fromdodge
Antonyms
embraceconfrontfaceapproachaccept

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
esquivar-se de, evitar
Most common usage in Brazilian Portuguese
Portugal
afastar-se de, recoar de
Portuguese uses 'afastar-se' more frequently
São Paulo
não encarar, fugir de
Colloquial usage in urban São Paulo

Related Idioms & Phrases

pull back from
keep clear of
steer clear of
give something a wide berth
not touch something with a ten-foot pole
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →