COY, adjective Modest; silent; reserved; not accessible; shy; not easily condescending to familiarity. Like Daphne she, as lovely and as coy COY, verb intransitive 1. To behave with reserve; to be silent or distant; to refrain from speech or free intercourse. 2. To make difficulty; to be backward or unwilling; not freely to condescend. 3. To smooth or stroke. COY, for decoy, to allure. [Not in use.]
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI