scheu

Meaning

1. shy (reserved)
2. shy, skittish, startlish (easily frightened)

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ʃɔʏ̯/

Etymology

From Middle High German schiech, schiehe, schie, schiuch, schiuhe, schūche, from Old High German *skioh, from Proto-West Germanic *skeuh.
The modern form goes back to the Central German forms with -iu-, -ū-. These are usually interpreted as alterations based on Scheu (noun) and scheuen (verb), though this does not seem unquestionable in view of Middle Dutch schu, Middle Low German schǖ. The form with -ie- remains in dialectal Upper German schiech (“ugly”). Cognate with Dutch schuw, English shy.