Why does “fight shy” mean “try very hard to avoid”, when “fight your fears” means to tackle and overcome your fears?

When I first saw “fight shy of”, I guessed that it meant to conquer shyness as a battle, by analogy with ‘fight your fears’, which means

To fight your fears, you have to be consistent in your attempt to win on them. You have to remember that failure is human and it’s one the most efficient paths to learn.

I hope one or all of these action steps can help you fight your battle with fears! I hope you can find JOY where there was once FEAR and LAUGHTER where there may be WORRY.

I was bowled over that I guessed wrong! In actuality, “fight shy” means the opposite of “fight fears”! “if you fight shy of something, you try very hard to avoid it” !

What is the origin of the idiom "fight shy of something" and when to use it?

The idiom "fight shy of something" has uncertain origins but is thought to have evolved from the word "shy," which originally meant to startle or avoid. Over time, it has come to represent a sense of reluctance or hesitancy, often related to aversion or avoidance of something due to fear, suspicion, or apprehension. The idiom emphasizes a strong inclination to steer clear of a particular issue, subject, or situation.

But why doesn’t “fight shy” mean to fight shy, shyness ― when “fight fear” means to fight fear, fearfulness? Why did my analogical reasoning lead me astray? Where’s the “fight” in “fight shy”, when “fight shy” means ‘‘try to avoid something”? If you “avoid”, then you are not fighting anything, let alone fighting your shyness!

posted 3 months ago

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Mark MC‭

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