gun shy
Wary from experience
Gun shy describes someone who flinches or hesitates because of past bad experience.
The term comes from hunting dogs that panic at gunfire rather than holding steady.
A person who is gun shy about investing may have lost money before: After the last project failed, she's gun shy about taking on new clients.
The hesitation stems from learned wariness, not innate timidity.
Prone to nervous fright
- nervousUneasy and apprehensive
- fearfulFull of fright
- anxiousTroubled by uncertainty
- jumpyNervously reactive to stimuli
edgy · tense · flinching · spooked · startled · jittery · uneasy · recoiling
Slow to act
- waryGuardedly alert
- apprehensiveFearful of future events
- guardedWary and restrained
- reluctantUnwilling to act
leery · circumspect · chary · skeptical · distrustful · tentative · reserved · vigilant
Mentally broken by combat
- triggeredCaused to activate
- flashbacksInvoluntary vivid memory episodes
- hypervigilantAbnormally heightened awareness state
- flinchInvoluntary retreat from threat
panic · anxiety · nightmares · scarred · wounded · conditioned · burned · battle-scarred
skittish
Prone to nervous fright
jumpy · edgy · tense · flinching · spooked · startled · jittery · uneasy · recoiling · shrinking
hesitant
Slow to act
- waryGuardedly alert
- apprehensiveFearful of future events
- guardedWary and restrained
reluctant · leery · circumspect · chary · skeptical · distrustful · tentative · reserved · vigilant · watchful
shell-shocked
Mentally broken by combat
- triggeredCaused to activate
- flashbacksInvoluntary vivid memory episodes
- hypervigilantAbnormally heightened awareness state
flinch · panic · anxiety · nightmares · scarred · wounded · conditioned · burned · battle-scarred · survivor
gun shybold
Courageous and daring
fearless · eager · gung-ho · adventurous · daring
gun, shy, guns, gunned, gunner, gunners, gunnery, gunning, shyer