1.
A ~ person is shy, or pretends to be shy, about love and sex.
She is modest without being ~...
ADJ
~ly
She smiled ~ly at Algie as he took her hand and raised it to his lips.
ADV: ADV with v
2.
If someone is being ~, they are unwilling to talk about something that they feel guilty or embarrassed about.
Mr Alexander is not the slightest bit ~ about his ambitions.
= reticent
ADJ: usu v-link ADJ, oft ADJ about n
~ly
The administration ~ly refused to put a firm figure on the war’s costs.
ADV: ADV with v