Past tense of 'coy'; acted in a shy, modest, or reluctantly interested manner.
From 'coy' (adjective/verb) + '-ed' (past tense marker). 'Coy' comes from Old French 'coi' meaning quiet, from Latin 'quietus.'
The verb 'coy' (and its past tense 'coyed') is interesting because it started as a description of an attitude but became an action—you don't just 'seem coy,' you can actually 'coy' someone by pretending to be reluctant or modest, which is why flirting is sometimes described as 'coying.'
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