SIDLE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does sidle mean? 

• SIDLE (verb)
  The verb SIDLE has 2 senses:

1. move unobtrusively or furtively

2. move sideways

  Familiarity information: SIDLE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SIDLE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they sidle    ... he / she / it sidles   
Past simple: sidled   
Past participle: sidled   
-ing form: sidling   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Move unobtrusively or furtively

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

The young man began to sidle near the pretty girl sitting on the log

Hypernyms (to "sidle" is one way to...):

move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Sense 2

Meaning:

Move sideways

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

sashay; sidle

Hypernyms (to "sidle" is one way to...):

move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

 Context examples 

He sidled in and out of a room, to take up the less space.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

The two men were bent over the sled and trying to right it, when Henry observed One Ear sidling away.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

But the instant she vanished, Meg began to sidle toward the door, murmuring...

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

The big constable, very hot and penitent, sidled into the room.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

At last the breeze came; the schooner sidled and drew nearer in the dark; I felt the hawser slacken once more, and with a good, tough effort, cut the last fibres through.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

He shot a questioning glance at each of us, placed his shiny top-hat upon the sideboard, and with a slight bow sidled down into the nearest chair.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"Well, and how do they all get on? Tell me everything about them, Bessie: but sit down first; and, Bobby, come and sit on my knee, will you?" but Bobby preferred sidling over to his mother.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

I stepped over the great western gate, and passed very gently, and sidling, through the two principal streets, only in my short waistcoat, for fear of damaging the roofs and eaves of the houses with the skirts of my coat.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

He sidled into the parlour as soon as he was at liberty, and said to my aunt in his meekest manner: Well, ma'am, I am happy to congratulate you.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

For a while the ship kept bucking and sidling like a vicious horse, the sails filling, now on one tack, now on another, and the boom swinging to and fro till the mast groaned aloud under the strain.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)