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reticent

 
(rĕt'ĭ-sənt) pronunciation
adj.
  1. Inclined to keep one's thoughts, feelings, and personal affairs to oneself. See synonyms at silent.
  2. Restrained or reserved in style.
  3. Reluctant; unwilling.

[Latin reticēns, reticent-, present participle of reticēre, to keep silent : re-, re- + tacēre, to be silent.]

reticently ret'i·cent·ly adv.

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is developing the meaning 'reluctant to act', which is somewhat more developed than its standard meaning 'reserved, reluctant to speak':
At first, I was reticent about doing nudity—film website, American English 2003.
This meaning has become so well established, that few are aware of any development in usage.

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adj

Definition: secretive, quiet
Antonyms: communicative, expansive, forward, unrestrained

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reticent

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pronunciation

IN BRIEF: Reserved; quiet. Also: Not saying much, especially about one's thoughts.

pronunciation The student was reticent to express his opinions and ideas in class discussions.

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Random House Word Menu:

categories related to 'reticent'

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Random House Word Menu by Stephen Glazier
For a list of words related to reticent, see:

Translations:

Reticent

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Dansk (Danish)
adj. - ordknap, tavs, forbeholden

Nederlands (Dutch)
gesloten

Français (French)
adj. - réticent, réservé

Deutsch (German)
adj. - zurückhaltend

Ελληνική (Greek)
adj. - επιφυλακτικός, συγκρατημένος, λιγόλογος, λιγομίλητος, σιωπηλός

Italiano (Italian)
reticente

Português (Portuguese)
adj. - reticente, discreto

Русский (Russian)
сдержанный, немногословный

Español (Spanish)
adj. - reservado, reticente

Svenska (Swedish)
adj. - tystlåten, förbehållsam, diskret

中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
无言的, 谨慎的, 沉默的, 抑制的

中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 無言的, 謹慎的, 沈默的, 抑制的

한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 과묵한, 말이 적은, 삼가는

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - 寡黙な, 無口な, 控えめな, 遠慮がちな

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(صفه) متكتم, قليل الكلام‏

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮מאופק בדיבור, ממעט בדיבור, שתקן‬


 
 

 

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American Heritage Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
 Fowler's Modern English Usage. Oxford University Press. © 1999, 2004 All rights reserved.  Read more
Roget's Thesaurus. Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary Copyright © 1995 byHoughton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Answers Corporation Antonyms by Answers.com. © 1999-present by Answers Corporation. All rights reserved.  Read more
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Random House Word Menu. © 2010 Write Brothers Inc. Word Menu is a registered trademark of the Estate of Stephen Glazier. Write Brothers Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
 Rhymes. Oxford University Press. © 2006, 2007 All rights reserved.  Read more
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