had been reduced to a in the ancestor of Old French. In words from Romanic languages, often it represents reduced forms of Latin ad "to, toward for" (see ad-), or ab "from, away, off" (see ab-) both of which by about 7c.
Such words sometimes were refashioned in early modern English as though the prefix were Latin ( accursed, allay, affright are examples). Or it can be the Old English intensive a-, originally ar- (cognate with German er- and probably implying originally "motion away from"), as in abide, arise, awake, ashamed, marking a verb as momentary, a single event. ALOOF (adjective) distant upstage reserved (marked by self-restraint and reticence) aloofness (a disposition to be distant and unsympathetic in manner). Or it can be a reduced form of the Old English past participle prefix ge-, as in aware. At or from a distance, but within view, or at a small distance apart away.
Aloof definition professional#
It also can represent Middle English of (prep.) "off, from," as in anew, afresh, akin, abreast. 'The local gentry and professional classes had held aloof for the school had accepted their sons readily enough' Definition of Aloof.
People who are aloof are thought to be pretentious and holier-than-thou. the new kid was really not so aloofas we thought him at first, just painfully shy. Overall, the word aloof is an adjective that means standoffish, removed or distant emotionally, though it can also sometimes mean someone is at a distance physically. She stayed aloof while the argument went on around her. In words derived from Old English, it commonly represents Old English an "on, in, into" (see on (prep.)), as in alive, above, asleep, aback, abroad, afoot, ashore, ahead, abed, aside, obsolete arank "in rank and file," etc., forming adjectives and adverbs from nouns, with the notion "in, at engaged in." In this use it is identical to a (2). having or showing a lack of friendliness or interest in others. not friendly or interested in other people synonym distant, remote. Prefix or inseparable particle, a relic of various Germanic and Latin elements.
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