"shrinking violet" meaning in English

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  "etymology_text": "Possibly from the inconspicuous nature of the violet (genus Viola) flower and plant. The term appears to have been first used in the literal sense in the early 19th century.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "shrinking violets",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
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      "expansion": "shrinking violet (plural shrinking violets)",
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  "hyphenation": [
    "shrink‧ing"
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  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
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          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Emotions",
          "orig": "en:Emotions",
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            "Mind",
            "Human",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
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        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "People",
          "orig": "en:People",
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            "Fundamental"
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          "name": "Personality",
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        },
        {
          "kind": "lifeform",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Violet family plants",
          "orig": "en:Violet family plants",
          "parents": [
            "Malpighiales order plants",
            "Plants",
            "Lifeforms",
            "All topics",
            "Life",
            "Fundamental",
            "Nature"
          ],
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        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "June, no shrinking violet she, crossed the room and introduced herself to the newcomers.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1965, “So Long Mom (A Song for World War III)” (track 1, side 2), in That Was the Year That Was, performed by Tom Lehrer:",
          "text": "Little Johnny Jones, he was a US pilot / And no shrinking violet was he / He was mighty proud when World War III was declared / He wasn't scared, no siree!",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A very shy or timid person, who avoids contact with others if possible."
      ],
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          "shy",
          "shy"
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          "timid",
          "timid"
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          "person",
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          "avoid",
          "avoid"
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          "contact",
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      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) A very shy or timid person, who avoids contact with others if possible."
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "word": "wallflower"
        }
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "shy person"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "chamilovlepoúsa",
          "sense": "very shy person",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "χαμηλοβλεπούσα"
        },
        {
          "code": "mk",
          "lang": "Macedonian",
          "roman": "sramežlivec",
          "sense": "very shy person",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "срамежливец"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "very shy person",
          "tags": [
            "feminine",
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "trusia"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "nedotróga",
          "sense": "very shy person",
          "tags": [
            "feminine",
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "недотро́га"
        }
      ],
      "wikipedia": [
        "Michael Quinion"
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    }
  ],
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      "ipa": "/ˈʃɹɪŋkɪŋ ˈvaɪələt/",
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        "Received-Pronunciation"
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    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈʃɹɪŋkɪŋ ˈvaɪlət/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/-lɪt/",
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        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈʃɹɪŋkɪŋ ˈvaɪələt/",
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        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈʃɹɪŋkɪŋ ˈvaɪlət/",
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        "General-American"
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    },
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  "word": "shrinking violet"
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  "etymology_text": "Possibly from the inconspicuous nature of the violet (genus Viola) flower and plant. The term appears to have been first used in the literal sense in the early 19th century.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "shrinking violets",
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        "plural"
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      "expansion": "shrinking violet (plural shrinking violets)",
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    "shrink‧ing"
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  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
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    {
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    }
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        },
        {
          "ref": "1965, “So Long Mom (A Song for World War III)” (track 1, side 2), in That Was the Year That Was, performed by Tom Lehrer:",
          "text": "Little Johnny Jones, he was a US pilot / And no shrinking violet was he / He was mighty proud when World War III was declared / He wasn't scared, no siree!",
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        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
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      ],
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          "timid"
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        ],
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          "avoid",
          "avoid"
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          "contact",
          "contact#Noun"
        ]
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      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) A very shy or timid person, who avoids contact with others if possible."
      ],
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        "idiomatic"
      ],
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        "Michael Quinion"
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  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "shy person"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "chamilovlepoúsa",
      "sense": "very shy person",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "χαμηλοβλεπούσα"
    },
    {
      "code": "mk",
      "lang": "Macedonian",
      "roman": "sramežlivec",
      "sense": "very shy person",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "срамежливец"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "very shy person",
      "tags": [
        "feminine",
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "trusia"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "nedotróga",
      "sense": "very shy person",
      "tags": [
        "feminine",
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "недотро́га"
    }
  ],
  "word": "shrinking violet"
}