Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Emotionally reserved or indifferent.
  • adjective Distant or uninvolved.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • At a distance, but within view; intentionally remaining apart, literally or figuratively; withdrawn.
  • At or to a distance from; away or apart from.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Zoöl.) Same as alewife.
  • adverb At or from a distance, but within view, or at a small distance; apart; away.
  • adverb Without sympathy; unfavorably.
  • preposition obsolete Away from; clear from.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adverb At or from a distance, but within view, or at a small distance; apart; away.
  • adverb Without sympathy; unfavorably.
  • adjective Reserved and remote; either physically or emotionally distant
  • preposition obsolete away from; clear of

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adverb in an aloof manner
  • adjective remote in manner

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[a– + luff, windward part of a ship (obsolete).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From a- + Middle English loof (="weather gage," also "windward direction"), probably from Dutch loef (="the weather side of a ship"); originally a nautical order to keep the ship's head to the wind, thus to stay clear of a lee-shore or some other quarter, hence the figurative sense of "at a distance, apart"

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Examples

  • Why did Dunn remain aloof from the expatriate society in Macao for so many years when other traders partook of it regularly?

    The Romance of China: Excursions to China in U.S. Culture: 1776-1876 2005

  • In short, to grow our intellectual capital and to ensure its steady flow to the business community, we can no longer afford to remain aloof from the economic and business environment.

    Business Education in Canada: A Blueprint For Change 1996

  • We cannot afford to remain aloof from the constitutional debate.

    Canada—Today and Tomorrow 1991

  • I do not believe that scientists were aloof from the political process and find it odd that scientists should be considered policymakers.

    A Public Policy Scientific Consensus? 2009

  • In the US, scientists have been aloof from the political process.

    A Public Policy Scientific Consensus? 2009

  • Law firms, by contrast, often hold themselves aloof from the stark realities their clients face.

    Why Businesses Are Fed Up With Their Law Firms Richard L. Upton 2010

  • That is why it is natural that cases like that of the Pilkingtons will be ideal springboards to attack modern day reactive policing which is detached and seemingly aloof from the public they should be serving.

    IPCC To Investigate Barwell Deaths « POLICE INSPECTOR BLOG Inspector Gadget 2009

  • He routinely remains aloof from the legislative details (some would say he just got rolled by Nancy Pelosi) and then proceeds to speak as if the actual bill matches his grand words and promises when it is obvious to all that it does not.

    Coyote Blog » Blog Archive » Feature Not a Bug 2010

  • I do not believe helping people and treating them nice will spoil them, I certainly don't think that coming to Mexico and staying aloof from the locals so they don't get spoiled is being apart of their community.

    warm welcome 2009

  • I do not believe helping people and treating them nice will spoil them, I certainly don't think that coming to Mexico and staying aloof from the locals so they don't get spoiled is being apart of their community.

    warm welcome 2009

Comments

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  • Sometimes you need to be aloof. Even if it's the last thing you want to do.

    September 3, 2008

  • She just wants to be accepted in this place

    But there's something in her face

    She will always seem exotic and aloof

    If you want to know the truth

    Her friend the stars dripping from the jewelled sky

    When she was passing by

    Would keep her calm

    There was people that she knew, at least she thought she did

    Be easy on the kid!

    (For the price of a cup of tea, by Belle and Sebastian)

    November 20, 2009

  • People that feel superior than the others

    September 20, 2010

  • From the book The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.pg.116

    "Are you going to be charming? aloof? fierce?"

    November 29, 2010