fight shy of (doing) something

British EnglishBrEAVOID to try to avoid doing something or being involved in something 避免做某事；避免参与某事，回避某事

Many women fight shy of motherhood.

许多女性不愿做母亲。

Examples from the Corpus

fight shy of (doing) something• Over the years, courts and tribunals have fought shy of laying down detailed procedural guidance.• This, he says, accounts for developers fighting shy of putting money into the city.• In considering the right to live issue, there is a tendency to fight shy of the emotive word of murder.• After fighting shy of the idea, Mr Mandela, 82, agreed to it during a visit to London last year.• Yet the 18 counties fight shy of the risk, but what are they frightened of?

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