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# aloof

«aloof» in Mova's school dictionary: **unfriendly and distant, keeping away from other people…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 2 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

adjective (aloof); adverb (aloof: stand aloof, keep aloof)

### meaning for a pupil

1) Aloof means unfriendly and distant, keeping away from other people and not joining in. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/aloof/#m1)

2) Keeping apart from something on purpose, not getting involved, as in «stay aloof from the argument». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/aloof/#m2)

### sense in the lessons

In stories it describes a cool, proud or shy character who keeps to themselves; the reader wonders why. Cat books often call cats aloof. Phrases: «remain aloof», «keep aloof from», «seem aloof».

### examples

- The new boy seemed aloof, but really he was shy. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/aloof/#x1)
- Cats can be aloof and walk off when you call them. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/aloof/#x2)
- She stayed aloof from the silly argument. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/aloof/#x3)
- The princess was cold and aloof with the servants. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/aloof/#x4)
- He looks aloof, but he is kind once you know him. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/aloof/#x5)
- Don't judge someone as aloof too quickly. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/aloof/#x6)
- Ajax alone, who still brooded over his wrongs, held aloof, refusing to converse with Odysseus, and sullenly retired when the hero addressed him. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/aloof/#x7)

### note

Usually after a verb (be, seem, remain aloof). Trap: aloof can be shyness, not pride; the word tells how someone looks to others. Opposite: friendly, outgoing, warm.

### In the corpora

- [My friends and my companions stand aloof from my plague; and my kinsmen stand afar off.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/PSA.625/)
- [It is an honour for a man to keep aloof from strife; but every fool will be snarling.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/PRO.561/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «aloof» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/aloof/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.