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Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
reticent
adjective
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADVERB
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▪ But on few matters, it must be added, is even the most sophisticated economic and social comment more reticent.
▪ John always hung back, was more reticent.
▪ It's acoustic and a little more reticent, but highly focused and with plenty of absorbing incident.
▪ One needs to listen carefully to any client, but older people may be more reticent about disclosure to a stranger.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪ Auster was somewhat reticent about it at first, but finally admitted he was working on a new book.
▪ Irma was a shy and reticent child.
▪ John always was more reticent than his sister.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪ But on few matters, it must be added, is even the most sophisticated economic and social comment more reticent.
▪ Few of them cared to talk about their jobs; they were as reticent as veterans of an unpopular war.
▪ In this matter, she is strangely reticent.
▪ McLaren keeps his own counsel, being as reticent as Ferguson is gregarious.
▪ The hon. Gentleman has been noticeably reticent in this respect in the past.
▪ The official reports are also reticent.
▪ Yet over one thing Edna had remained consistently reticent.
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Reticent

Reticent \Ret"i*cent\, a. [L. reticens, p. pr. of reticere to keep silence; re- + tacere to be silent. See Tacit.] Inclined to keep silent; reserved; uncommunicative.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
reticent

1834, from Latin reticentem (nominative reticens), present participle of reticere "be silent" (see reticence).

Wiktionary
reticent

a. Keeping one's thoughts and opinions to oneself; reserved or restrained.

WordNet
reticent
  1. adj. temperamentally disinclined to talk [syn: untalkative]

  2. cool and formal in manner [syn: reserved, restrained, unemotional]

  3. reluctant to draw attention to yourself [syn: self-effacing]

Usage examples of "reticent".

They are discreet, reticent, observant, and on many subjects well informed, but they are of a type which has no antitype at home.

Even Johnny Dromore--most reticent of creatures--had confided to him that one hour of his astute existence, when the wind had swept him out to sea!

India Parr in her dressing room: polite now but somehow reticent, estranged from the very crowd that had come to pay homage, the woman inside the dress and paint closer to the surface.

But his own voice had sounded hollow in his ears as he reassured the small reticent man that he was delighted at the opportunity to go to Bihar, but needed the weekend to think things over.

Not having pets of her own, she was reticent about sex in the presence of self aware animals.

As to his reasons for coming to Paris, Abdul remained fairly reticent.

Irreproachable, reticent, it might be dying, Adela would no longer affect interests she did not feel.

He had become reticent as to his future plans, hinting to Beatrice when they were alone that he had no intention of going out of her life.

In addition, Israel is likely to feel a greater sense of threat from Saddam if he is unchained, so Jerusalem may be more reticent to take risks for peace.

I had become so used to a positive attitude toward the sandals that such skepticism made me reticent.

He was a man, however, naturally reticent, who never alluded to his own affairs unless in pursuit of some object the way to which was clear before his eyes.

And even his reticent companion, Louis, the dark-haired one in the car beside him, staring timidly at the screaming children as if they were birds of paradise, didn't understand what was truly happening.

Shaftoe has found that, for an organization devoted to shooting and blowing up people on a large scale, the military is infuriatingly reticent about passing out weapons.

And maybe — just maybe — Edgewood Dirk would be less reticent to help.

The witticism which will inspire this evening is as yet in Mr Todd's pretty reticent intellect, or locked in the jewelled bosoms of our city's gayest leaders.