bashful

/ˈbash-fəl/

Early Modern English bash "to lose composure, be dismayed" (going back to Middle English baishen, basshen, probably aphetic variant of abaissen, abaschen "to

adjective

  1. socially shy or timid : diffident, self-conscious

  2. resulting from or typical of a bashful nature

He was bashful as a child.

shy bashful diffident modest coy mean not inclined to be forward. shy implies a timid reserve and a shrinking from familiarity or contact with others. bashful implies a frightened or hesitant shyness characteristic of childhood and adolescence.

noun

  1. paruresis

Patients with bashful bladder typically are unable to void anywhere but at home and in private, which can adversely affect occupational options and can limit many aspects of life.

noun

  1. an inability to urinate in the presence of others (as in a public restroom) : the fear of being unable to initiate or sustain urination when other people are nearby —called also bashful bladder, bashful bladder syndrome, shy bladder, shy bladder syndrome

Paruresis, or intense fear of public urination, is common and often disabling. Many people are simply unable to relieve themselves during, for example, a busy break time.