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Glite Dictionary
👀 Slanting or indirect ↔️ Sideways
sidelong

sidelong

5 7.4
Angled toward one side, often used for looks or glances
  • adjective
  • /ˈsaɪdˌlɔŋ/
translation icon : de reojo
  • The boy returned and knew from their sidelong glances that they had been talking about him.
  • sidelong glance
  • sidelong look
  • cast sidelong

Examples

  • I sent Teddy a sidelong look and said something about how glad I was to meet her.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • "Ulfra cast a sidelong glance at the prince to see if she had overstepped.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • "As for when we first met?" she gave him a sidelong smile.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • The older man gave him a sidelong glance, then returned to staring straight ahead.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • Louise gives her a sidelong glance, but does not say anything.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • " She gave Tanner a sidelong glance, and he nodded.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • Instead, there were wary, sidelong glances, and strollers downtown walked to their cars a little faster.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • The woman's plump face creased slightly as she gave Jamie a sidelong look from the hearth.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • The first girl onto the grass went straight to Brys-a-Lach and shot Meredydd a sidelong glance eloquent with ridicule.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • She noticed him watching her with a sidelong glance that suggested he was intrigued.

Synonyms

sideways
vssidelong
100 2.1

At or toward the side instead of straight ahead

is the general term for being to the side without extra nuance
laterally
vssidelong
8 5.0

To the side, moving in a sideways way

is the everyday word for being to one side rather than frontal
obliquely
vssidelong
5 6.9

In a sideways or indirect way

is the plain term for being to one side or indirect
sidewise
vssidelong
1 6.6

To the side or at an angle

is the neutral idea of being to one side or indirect
sidewards
vssidelong
1 4.6

In a direction that is toward one side rather than forward or backward

is the broader sideways sense not tied to movement alone
asquint
vssidelong
  • Archaic
9.9

Looking to one side with doubt or suspicion

is the neutral sideways sense without the strong suspicion tone
askant
vssidelong
  • Archaic
9.9

Looking to one side with doubt or suspicion

is similar but lacks the clear distrust or envy implication
askance
vssidelong
9.8

In a way that shows doubt or disapproval, often by looking sideways

keeps the to-one-side sense but without the negative attitude
slantwise
vssidelong
6.8

In a way that is at an angle, not straight up or across

is the broader neutral term for being positioned or directed to one side
slantways
vssidelong
6.7

At an angle, not straight up or down

covers angled direction but also other kinds of side placement
slantingly
vssidelong
7.0

At an angle, not straight up and down

is the general term for being to one side rather than angled motion
sideward
vssidelong
4.2

To move toward one side

is the neutral term for position or glance to one side
sideway
vssidelong
5.8

In a way that moves toward the side

is the simple to-one-side sense without added meaning

Antonyms

to direct
245 1.8

To point something like light or attention at a target

How Indirect

indirect
14 4.3
oblique
5 7.5
sidelong
5 7.4
slanting
2.9

Surface Forms

sidelong positive

Morphology

sidelong = side + long (transparent) = side + long

The meaning 'slanting or sideways' is directly predictable from the compound side + long (i.e., toward the side).

Etymology

The word sidelong comes from the simple parts side ('side') and long ('along the side'), so it originally meant 'along the side' or slanting. That's why a sidelong look or position feels sideways or indirect.