sidle
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to move sideways or obliquely.
-
to edge along furtively.
noun
verb
-
to move in a furtive or stealthy manner; edge along
-
to move along sideways
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sidle
First recorded in 1690–1700; back formation from sideling (earlier spelling sidling misconstrued as present participle of a verb ending in -le )
Explanation
To sidle is to walk, but in a way that's casual, quiet, and a little sneaky. If you want to surprise someone, sidle up to them and say, "Boo!" There’s a TV show where a character’s coworker has a habit of walking so softly that he constantly startles her — she never notices him coming. So of course she buys wrestling shoes and tries to sidle back! Sidling is a type of walking that is super quiet. If you want to leave a party without people noticing, sidle out the door. Sidling is a good way to slip away.
Vocabulary lists containing sidle
"Everyday Use" by Alice Walker
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"To Build a Fire," Vocabulary from the short story
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The Grapes of Wrath
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Back in 2015, “CSI” ended its 15-season run with those crazy kids Grissom and Sidle literally sailing away from the crime-lab life.
From New York Times • Sep. 17, 2021
Petersen agreed to revive his character Gil Grissom, as Jorja Fox and Wallace Langham were also tapped to return as Sara Sidle and David Hodges, respectively.
From Fox News • Aug. 23, 2021
John and Ruth lived with the late Sidle for a while to provide help, but John also purchased the home on Mapleton from a flood-affected homeowner who had turned down the city’s buyout offer.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 7, 2018
John Sidle, an electrical engineer who played bass and guitar, amplified the band a few years later.
From Washington Post
The mill, which has long since disappeared, was located on the present site of Sidle, Fletcher & Holmes' flouring mill.
From Fifty Years In The Northwest With An Introduction And Appendix Containing Reminiscences, Incidents And Notes by Folsom, William Henry Carman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
