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Glite Dictionary
sidlingly

sidlingly

9.9
In a sideways, cautious way to avoid attention
  • adverb
translation icon : de manera sigilosa
  • He moved sidlingly through the crowded room, trying not to draw attention.

Examples

  • Her shoulders are hiked up; she holds her racquet stiffly; she crouches; her legs swell and bend, and she runs sidlingly.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • The killoon went from rippling a stomp to dancing sidlingly about, stomping irregularly.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • The cat approached the bird sidlingly, hoping to remain unnoticed.

  • She sidlingly passed the group of friends, carefully avoiding their gaze.

Synonyms

furtively
vssidlingly
5 6.8

In a way that tries not to be seen or heard

avoids attention by moving sideways and cautiously rather than by secrecy
out of the side of one's mouth
vssidlingly
9.1

Speak quietly so other people nearby do not hear you

moves or acts sideways and cautiously rather than only speaking quietly

Antonyms

directly
∞ 1.9

Without any person or thing between you and someone, for example by email

openly
303 1.6

To say or do things without hiding feelings

How Indirect

obliquely
5 6.9
sidlingly
9.9
directly
∞ 1.9

Surface Forms

sidlingly positive

Morphology

sidlingly = sidling (transparent) = sidle + ing + ly

Formed by adding the adverbial suffix '-ly' to 'sidling' (itself from 'sidle'), so the manner-of-motion meaning is directly derived from the base.

Etymology

The word sidlingly comes from the common word side and the verb sidle, which means 'to move to one side slowly'. Adding -ly makes it an adverb, so to act sidlingly is to behave 'sideways' or in a quiet, indirect way to avoid attention.