Adjacent Words

Diffident definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

DIFFIDENT, a.
1. Distrustful; wanting confidence; doubting of anothers power, disposition, sincerity or intention.
Be not diffident of wisdom.
Be diffident in dealing with strangers.
2. Distrustful of ones self; not confident; doubtful of ones own power or competency.
Distress makes the humble heart diffident.
3. Reserved; modest; timid; as a diffident youth.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: showing modest reserve; "she was diffident when offering a comment on the professor's lecture"
2: lacking self-confidence; "stood in the doorway diffident and abashed"; "problems that call for bold not timid responses"; "a very unsure young man" [syn: diffident, shy, timid, unsure] [ant: confident]

Merriam Webster's

adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Latin diffident-, diffidens, present participle of diffidere to distrust, from dis- + fidere to trust — more at bide Date: 15th century 1. hesitant in acting or speaking through lack of self-confidence 2. archaic distrustful 3. reserved, unassertive Synonyms: see shy • diffidently adverb

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. 1 shy, lacking self-confidence. 2 excessively modest and reticent. Derivatives: diffidence n. diffidently adv. Etymology: L diffidere (as DIS-, fidere trust)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Diffident Dif"fi*dent, a. [L. diffidens, -entis, p. pr. of diffidere; dif- = dis + fidere to trust; akin to fides faith. See Faith, and cf. Defy.] 1. Wanting confidence in others; distrustful. [Archaic] You were always extremely diffident of their success. --Melmoth. 2. Wanting confidence in one's self; distrustful of one's own powers; not self-reliant; timid; modest; bashful; characterized by modest reserve. The diffident maidens, Folding their hands in prayer. --Longfellow. Syn: Distrustful; suspicious; hesitating; doubtful; modest; bashful; lowly; reserved.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Someone who is diffident is rather shy and does not enjoy talking about themselves or being noticed by other people. Helen was diffident and reserved. ADJ • diffidence He entered the room with a certain diffidence. N-UNCOUNT • diffidently 'Would you,' he asked diffidently, 'like to talk to me about it?' ADV: ADV with v

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

a. 1. Distrustful, doubtful, hesitating, reluctant. 2. Bashful, timid, sheepish, over-modest, shy, distrustful of one's self.

Moby Thesaurus

bashful, boggling, cautious, cowardly, coy, demure, demurring, deprecative, deprecatory, faltering, fearful, fearing, fearsome, goosy, hesitant, hesitating, in fear, jibbing, jumpy, modest, mousy, nervous, qualmish, rabbity, reluctant, retiring, scary, scrupling, scrupulous, self-deprecating, self-depreciating, self-depreciative, self-distrustful, self-doubting, self-effacing, shaky, shilly-shallying, shivery, shrinking, shy, skittery, skittish, squeamish, startlish, sticking, stickling, straining, tentative, timid, timorous, trembling, tremulous, trepidant, trigger-happy, unassertive, unassured, unselfconfident, unselfreliant