shy vs sling

shy

noun
  • An act of throwing. 

  • In the Eton College wall game, a point scored by lifting the ball against the wall in the calx. 

  • In soccer, a throw-in from the sidelines, using two hands above the head. In shinty, the act of tossing the ball above the head and hitting it with the shaft of the caman to bring it back into play after it has been hit out of the field. 

  • A place for throwing. 

  • A sudden start aside, as by a horse. 

adj
  • Easily frightened; timid. 

  • Embarrassed. 

  • Cautious; wary; suspicious. 

  • Reserved; disinclined to familiar approach. 

  • Short, insufficient or less than. 

verb
  • To avoid due to caution, embarrassment or timidness. 

  • (transitive) or (intransitive) To throw a ball with two hands above the head, especially when it has crossed the side lines in a football (soccer) match. To hit the ball back into play from the sidelines in a shinty match. 

  • To jump back in fear. 

  • To throw sideways with a jerk; to fling. 

sling

noun
  • The act or motion of hurling as with a sling; a throw; figuratively, a stroke. 

  • A strap attached to a firearm, for suspending it from the shoulder. 

  • A loop of rope or fabric tape used for various purposes: e.g. as part of a runner, or providing extra protection when abseiling or belaying. 

  • A drink composed of a spirit (usually gin) and water sweetened. 

  • A loop of cloth, worn around the neck, for supporting a baby or other such load. 

  • A band of rope or iron for securing a yard to a mast. 

  • A loop of rope, or a rope or chain with hooks, for suspending a barrel, bale, or other heavy object, in hoisting or lowering. 

  • An instrument for throwing stones or other missiles, consisting of a short strap with two strings fastened to its ends, or with a string fastened to one end and a light stick to the other. 

  • A kind of hanging bandage put around the neck, in which a wounded arm or hand is supported. 

  • A young or infant spider, such as one raised in captivity. 

verb
  • To pass a rope around (a cask, gun, etc.) preparatory to attaching a hoisting or lowering tackle. 

  • To throw with a sling. 

  • To throw with a circular or arcing motion. 

  • To sell, peddle, or distribute (often illicitly, e.g. drugs, sex, etc.). 

How often have the words shy and sling occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )