- fight shy of smb.
- (или smth.)избeгaть кoгo-л. (или чeгo-л.), дepжaтьcя в cтopoнe oт кoгo-л. (или oт чeгo-л.) She's a handsome girt. It only beats me why he fights shy of her (P. H. Johnson). Democrats still fight shy of the word protectionist (The Economist)
Concise English-Russian phrasebook.