coconut shy

plural coconut shies

1. A traditional fairground amusement where customers throw balls at a row of coconuts in an attempt to knock one off its support and thereby win it.

   I realise that some readers would enjoy using my head at a coconut shy.

   2021 December 1, Christian Wolmar, “A cloud over HS2... but a silver lining for other services?”, in RAIL, number 945, page 53

   2 more examples

   With his two aides he had wandered around and had a few goes on the coconut shy, but he was so strong that one of the balls had not only knocked the coconut off its stand but split the stand in two.

   2012, Lynda La Plante, The Legacy, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN

   A coconut shy stood close by and swing boats swung like giant pendulums against a background of blossoming shrubs blazing with colour.

   2015, James R. Curwood, Lucy, AuthorHouse, →ISBN, page 238