With a show of diffidence, he said that there was one thing he wanted to know - how do people make bricks?
In the coming two years our European neighbours need show no such diffidence.
Even their big players, Dan Lydiate, Roberts and Jonathan Davies, showed an uncharacteristic diffidence while Alex Cuthbert on the wing had another day to forget here after his World Cup travails.
That mixture of diffidence and bravura shows up in almost all doctoral work.
Still very young, Muntagirov can show a touch of near-adolescent diffidence at the party, but partners Klimentová with adult tenderness.
But the show is not particularly known for diffidence or decorum, and neither is its creator, Ryan Murphy, whose credits include "Nip/Tuck" and "American Horror Story".
President Obama, whether out of diffidence or inexperience, has not shown a comparable audacity or mastery of political leverage.
The "Late Show" trio of episodes, in which Louie explored his diffidence about ambition, were top-to-bottom great (and left me with an enormous desire to see a lot more of David Lynch's deadpan comedic skills; he was amazing on "Louie").
Rezak's shyness and diffidence contested with a desire to take part, to show off all the work he had done in the orchard.
Ms. Gummer's style in her new show is similar to hers in "The Good Wife," marked by diffidence and hesitation, and it's interesting — and impressive — to see the different effects she achieves: cold, disingenuous and unpleasant on "The Good Wife"; shy, sincere and awkwardly likable on "Emily Owens, M.D".
Finally, without diffidence or embarrassment (emotions unknown to her), Temple showed me her bedroom, an austere room with whitewashed walls and a single bed, and, next to the bed, a very large, strange-looking object.
