From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishfight shy of (doing) somethingfight shy of (doing) somethingBritish EnglishAVOID to try to avoid doing something or being involved in something Many women fight shy of motherhood. → fight
Examples from the Corpus
fight shy of (doing) something• Over the years, courts and tribunals have fought shy of laying down detailed procedural guidance.• This, he says, accounts for developers fighting shy of putting money into the city.• In considering the right to live issue, there is a tendency to fight shy of the emotive word of murder.• After fighting shy of the idea, Mr Mandela, 82, agreed to it during a visit to London last year.• Yet the 18 counties fight shy of the risk, but what are they frightened of? 