The word "timid": an antonym, a synonym

What does "timid" mean? Antonym to this word - "decisive" or "self-confident"? Is it possible to replace this word with an adjective?

Value

Indecisive, timid, modest, shy - all these are synonyms for the word "timid." The antonym is harder to pick up. It is possible, of course, to say that the opposite to the meaning of the word to this adjective is decisive, brave, indiscreet, etc. But this will not be entirely true. After all, the term "timid", the antonym in which we are trying to choose, does not have pronounced negative or positive shades.

Indecisive

It is this adjective that is most suitable as a synonym for the word "timid". The antonym in this case is decisive. Let's give examples with opposite in meaning words:

1. He entered the chief's office and, lowering his eyes, timidly recalled the promised leave.
2. He entered the chief's office and looked directly into his eyes, resolutely declared his desire to go on vacation.

In the first example, the word "timid" has no negative connotation. The antonym to him, perhaps, will be brazen, self-confident. However, the person mentioned in the second sentence does not cause negative emotions. About such as he, they say "not timid ten".

A timid person is someone who is not able to demand what is due to him. Sometimes, depending on the context, the adjective, whose meaning we are now considering, can be replaced by the word "intelligent". And the antonym in this case will be the word "unintelligent", that is, snobbish, unceremonious, impudent.

Strange as it may seem, the timid, as well as the words that are single-root to him ("shyness", "shy"), today contains less negative than a hundred-two hundred years ago. This adjective occurs in the works of Russian classics, for example, the comedy "Woe from Wit". What did Griboyedov mean by this word?

MOLCHALIN

The protagonist of the comedy is a resolute, intelligent young man. His antipode is Molchalin. Sophia is in love with this seemingly humble person, calling him "insinuating, timid." But as is known, modesty of Molchalin hides careerism, prudence. Thus, according to Griboyedov, the synonym for the word "timid" is cunning, spicy. The antonym is straight, open.