Timid, afraid, cautious.
1836. I noticed many a centaur of a fellow force his skeary nag up to the opening in the little clapboard shanty.—W. T. Porter, ed., ‘A Quarter Race in Kentucky,’ etc., p. 14 (1846).
[1845. I was scary and bashful at first, in meeting with a young and beautiful creature like her.—W. G. Simms, ‘The Wigwam and the Cabin,’ p. 108.]
[1846. Somehow the boys appeared a little scary.—W. T. Porter, ed., ‘A Quarter Race in Kentucky,’ etc., p. 120.] (Italics in the original.)
1846.
| “The South ’s safe enough, it don’t feel a mite skeery, | |
| Our slaves in their darkness an’ dut air tu blest | |
| Not to welcome with proud hallylugers the ery | |
| Wen our eagle kicks yourn from the naytional nest,” | |
| Sez John C. Calhoun, sez he. | |
Lowell, ‘Biglow Papers,’ No. 5. |
1847. I ain’t easy skeer’d, but I own up that old fellar did kind a make me skeery.—Robb, ‘Streaks of Squatter Life,’ &c., p. 144 (Phila.).
1851. My! I feel so skeary-like too, for I’ve never been aboard one of these steaming boats, nor never seen one afore.—Lady E. S. Wortley, ‘Travels in the U.S.,’ p. 108 (N.Y.).
1854. [She said] the Squire ought to be pretty skeery how he married any body.—H. H. Riley, ‘Puddleford,’ pp. 136–7 (N.Y.).
