sidelong
/'saidlɔɳ/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adjective:
- Directed to or from one side; not direct: Describes something, especially a look or glance, that is directed sideways rather than straight ahead, often suggesting secrecy, suspicion, or indirectness.
- Situated at or extending to the side; lateral: Refers to something positioned on the side or extending sideways.
Adverb:
- To, toward, or at one side; sideways: Indicates movement, direction, or positioning in a sideways manner.
- On the side; in a sidewise position: Describes something lying or placed with its side down or forward.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- She gave him a sidelong glance, full of curiosity and doubt.
- The tree's sidelong branches stretched out over the fence.
- Adverb:
- The crab moved sidelong across the wet sand.
- He placed the book sidelong on the shelf, its spine hidden.
Advanced Usage
- "Sidelong glance/look": A glance directed sideways, often implying a hidden motive, envy, suspicion, or a desire not to be seen looking directly.
- He stole a sidelong glance at the test paper on the next desk.
- "Sidelong remark": A comment that is indirect, oblique, or hinting at something without stating it plainly.
- Her seemingly innocent praise was actually a sidelong remark about his earlier mistake.
Variants and Related Words
- Sideways (adv/adj): Similar in meaning to moving or directed to one side. Often used more generally than , which is particularly associated with glances and indirectness.
- Askance (adv): With a side glance; with suspicion, disapproval, or distrust. (e.g., ). This is a close synonym for the adverbial sense of , especially regarding glances.
Synonyms
- Adjective (for glances): Indirect, oblique, covert, furtive.
- Adverb: Sideways, sidewise, laterally, obliquely.
Related Phrases
- Out of the corner of one's eye: A phrase describing seeing something indirectly or with a quick, sidelong look.
- She saw the movement out of the corner of her eye.
- To look askance: To view with suspicion or skepticism, often with a sidelong glance.
- The committee looked askance at the unconventional proposal.
Adjective
- inclining or directed to one side
- moved downward in a sidelong way - Bram Stoker
- situated at or extending to the side
- the lateral branches of a tree
- shot out sidelong boughs- Tennyson
- (used especially of glances) directed to one side with or as if with doubt or suspicion or envy
- her eyes with their misted askance look- Elizabeth Bowen
- sidelong glances
Adverb
- to, toward or at one side
- darting eyes looking sidelong out of a wizened face
- with the side toward someone or something
- seated sidelong to the window- Nathaniel Hawthorne
- on the side
- the plow lay sidelong on the ground