Shovel, a term applied by the vulgar crowd to the inelegant twisted hats worn by the dignitaries of the Church. Dean Alford says, “I once heard a venerable dignitary pointed out by a railway porter as “an old party in a SHOVEL.”—Queen’s English.
Shrimp, a diminutive person.—Chaucer.
Shtumer, a horse against which money may be laid without risk. See [SAFE UN].
Shunt, to avoid, to turn aside from. From the railway term.
Shut of, or SHOT OF, i.e., rid of. A very common expression amongst the London lower orders. One costermonger will say to another:—“Well, Ike, did yer get SHUT O’ them there gawfs [apples]?” i.e., did you sell them all?
Shut up! be quiet, don’t make a noise; to stop short, to cease in a summary manner, to silence effectually. The following is from a literary paper:—“Only the other day we heard of a preacher who, speaking of the scene with the doctors in the Temple, remarked that the Divine disputant completely SHUT THEM UP!” Shut up, utterly exhausted, done for.
Shy, a throw. See the following:—
Shy, to fling; COCK-SHY, a game at fairs, consisting of throwing short sticks at trinkets or cocoanuts set upon other sticks,—both name and practice derived from the old game of throwing or SHYING at live cocks. This game is best known to the London public as “three shies a penny.”
Shy. “To fight SHY of a person,” to avoid his society either from dislike, fear, or other reason. Shy has also the sense of flighty, unsteady, untrustworthy.
Shy, to stop suddenly, or turn off, as a horse does when frightened.