a target aimed at in throwing games the throw itself.
Often shortened to: shy Etymology: 18th Century: from shying (throwing objects at) a cock, which was given as a prize to the person who hit it
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
cock•shy
(kok′shī′),USA pronunciation n., pl. -shies. [Brit.]
- British Termsthe act or sport of throwing missiles at a target.
- British Termsthe target itself.
- cock1 + shy2 1785–95
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
Often shortened to: shy Etymology: 18th Century: from shying (throwing objects at) a cock, which was given as a prize to the person who hit it
'cockshy' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):