shy away

shy away or shy off {v.}

To avoid; seem frightened or nervous.

The boys shied away from our questions.

The horse shied off when Johnny tried to mount it.

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Source: A Dictionary of American Idioms

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[shoot questions at] {v. phr.} To interrogate rapidly and vigorously. * /The attorney for the prosecution shot one question after another at the nervous witness./ A Dictionary of American Idioms

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