aloof

CEFRC2

/əˈluːf/

adjective · adverb · preposition

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

01
adjective
Not friendly or willing to join with other people.
02
adjective
Extra detail
Reserved and remote; either physically or emotionally distant; standoffish.

Examples

The old man stands aloof from this world.
He stood aloof from her.

At a glance

Sits at C2 on the CEFR scale

Senses: 5
Parts of speech: 3
Citations: 5
Synonyms: 5

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meaning

Without sympathy; unfavorably.

adverb

Extra meaning

At or from a distance, but within view, or at a small distance; apart; away.

preposition

Extra meaning

Away from; clear of.

More examples

In context

Sisyphus also I saw, with unwelcomest taskage tormented, / Toilsomely hoisting aloof, unassisted, a ponderous round stone.
The noise approaches, tho' our palace stood Aloof from streets, encompass'd with a wood
Rivetus […] would fain work himself aloof these rocks and quicksands.

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

At the party, she remained blank and did not talk to anyone.

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Nearby

Citations

The word in print, with each source given in full.

Sisyphus also I saw, with unwelcomest taskage tormented, / Toilsomely hoisting aloof, unassisted, a ponderous round stone.
1829, William Taylor, Historic Survey of German Poetry, page 73
The noise approaches, tho' our palace stood Aloof from streets, encompass'd with a wood
1697, John Dryden, “Part 13”, in Virgil's Aeneid, Harvard Classics edition, translation of original by Virgil, published 2004, page 113
Mother[…]considered that the exclusiveness of Peter's circle was due not to its distinction, but to the fact that it was an inner Babylon of prodigality and whoredom, from which every Kensingtonian held aloof, except on the conventional tip-and-run excursions in pursuit of shopping, tea and theatres.
1921, Ben Travers, chapter 2, in A Cuckoo in the Nest, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1925, →OCLC
But to open the Bible in this spirit — to take the Book as from the hand of God, and then to look at it aloof, and with caution, as if throughout it were illusory and enigmatical, is the worst of all impieties.
1832, Isaac Taylor, Saturday evening, page 363
None may ever hear the speech of the poets of that city, to whom the gods have spoken. It stands a city aloof. There hath been no rumour of it—I alone have dreamed of it, and I may not be sure that my dreams are true.
1906, Lord Dunsany [i.e., Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany], Time and the Gods, London: William Heineman, →OCLC, page 3

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Origin

adjective

From Middle English loof (“weather gage, windward direction”), probably from Middle Dutch (Compare Dutch loef (“the weather side of a ship”)), originally a nautical order to keep the ship's head to the wind, thus to stay clear of a lee-shore or some other quarter, hence the figurative sense of "at a distance, apart".

Deep Dive

adjective

adverb

preposition

More examples

Related

Quick test

At the party, she remained blank— and did not talk to anyone.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

At the party, she remained blank and did not talk to anyone.