aloof, adv., orig. phr., a. and prep.
(əˈluːf)
Forms: 6 a loofe, a luf, alowfe, aloufe, 6–7 a loof, aloofe, alooff, 6– aloof.
[f. a prep.1 + loof, luff, weather-gage, windward direction; perh. immed. from Du. loef, in te loef to windward, loef houden to keep the luff, etc.; cf. Dan. luv, Sw. lof, perh. also from Du. The orig. meaning of Du. loef, and connexion with ME. lof, loof, some kind of rudder or apparatus for steering (see Sir F. Madden, notes to Layamon, III. 476), are not clear: see Skeat s.v. Aloof and Luff. From the idea of keeping a ship's head to the wind, and thus clear of the lee-shore or quarter towards which she might drift, came the general sense of ‘steering clear of,’ or ‘giving a wide berth to’ anything with which one might otherwise come into contact. See also luff.]
A. adv.
† 1. a. phr. Naut. The order to the steersman to turn the head of the ship towards the wind, or to make her sail nearer the wind. Obs.; now luff.
| 1549 Compl. Scotl. vi. 41 Than the master cryit on the rudir man, mait keip ful and by, a luf. 1587 Gascoigne Wks. 165 Aloofe, aloofe then cryed the master out. 1620 J. Taylor (Water P.) Praise of Hempseed 12 Aluffe; clap helme a lee. 1678 Phillips, Aloofe, a term used in conding the Ship, when she goes upon a Tack, commonly spoken by the Condoy unto the Steersman, when he doth not keep so near the wind as she may ly. 1867 Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., Aloof, The old word for ‘Keep your luff’ in the act of sailing to the wind. |
b. fig.
| 1775 Sheridan Duenna i. iii. 319, I thought that dragon's front of thine would cry aloof to the sons of gallantry. |
2. adv. Naut. Away to the windward. to spring aloof: see luff.
| 1532 More Confut. Barnes viii. Wks. 1557, 759/2 This anker lyeth to farre aloufe fro thys shyppe. 1592 W. Wyrley Armorie 33 A looffe to winde-ward all our Nauie wride [= wry-ed], To view the turne right goodlie was the sight. 1725 Pope Odyss. ix. 635 With all our force we kept aloof to sea. 1762 Falconer Shipw. ii. 817 Whene'er loud thund'ring on the leeward shore, While yet aloof, we hear the breakers roar. Ibid. ii. 189 She springs aloof once more. |
3. Hence gen. Of position: Away at some distance (from), with a clear space intervening, apart; esp. with the vbs. hold, keep, sit, stand.
| c 1540 J. Croke Ps. cii. (1844) 20 No frende draweth nere, I syt alowfe. 1548 Udall, etc. Erasm. Paraphr., Mark xiv. 54 Howbeit he folowed Jesus aloofe. 1611 Bible Ps. xxxviii. 11 My louers and my friends stand a loofe from my sore [Coverdale a farre]. 1614 Raleigh Hist. World iii. 100 With troups of the light-armed shot and slingers, compelled the enemie to lie a-loof. 1647 Corbett Iter Bor. 270 Wee care not for those glorious lampes aloofe. 1791 Cowper Iliad v. 562 They stand aloof Quaking. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 328 He quitted his seat, and stood aloof. 1878 Emerson Sov. Ethics in N. Amer. Rev. CXXVI. 406 Heat is not separate, light is not massed aloof. |
4. Of action: From a distance; not at close quarters.
| a 1547 Earl of Surrey æneid iv. (R.) The stricken hinde..which chasing with his darte Aloofe the shepheard smiteth. 1568 Like will to Like in Hazl. Dodsley III. 311 Then speak aloof, for to come nigh I am afraid. 1600 Holland Livy xxxviii. xxi. 996 k, Certaine speares to use aloofe [eminus]. 1622 Bacon Henry VII, 105 Untill he had first aloofe seene the Crosse set up. 1671 Milton P.R. v. 310 The lion and fierce tiger glared aloof. 1830 Tennyson Ode to Memory, Purple cliffs, aloof descried. |
5. fig. Without community of action or feeling. esp. in phr. to stand, keep, hold aloof (from): to hold back, keep clear; to take no part in, show no sympathy with.
| 1583 Babington Wks. 399 [Lying]..maketh them hang aloofe, suspect, and bee strange one to another. 1602 Shakes. Ham. v. ii. 258, I stand aloofe, and will no reconcilement. 1781 Cowper Charity 59 God stood not, though he seemed to stand, aloof. 1790 Burke Fr. Rev. 132 We felt for them as men; but we kept aloof from them. 1838 Thirlwall Greece V. xliii. 287 Sparta it seems kept aloof from this struggle. 1859 Masson Milton I. 635 The English Puritans held aloof at this time from the poor sectaries. 1879 Farrar St. Paul I. 236 Peter was not the man to stand coldly aloof. |
† 6. In senses 3, 4, 5, 7, formerly strengthened by off. (Cf. clear off, far off.) Obs.
| 1571 Digges Geomet. Pract. i. xxx, You desire with shotte to beat the enemie aloofe of. 1579 Tomson Calvin's Serm. Tim. 130/2 He withdraweth him selfe, and keepeth him selfe a loofe off. 1618 Hist. P. Warbeck in Harl. Misc. (1793) 82 A true woman's part..in standing a-loof off from what I most desire. 1665 Boyle Occas. Refl. (1675) 345 Those that gaze at them aloof off. 1674 N. Fairfax Bulk & Selv. 106 He could not feel himself, whilst playing aloof off, to have wheeled about into the selfsame snare. |
7. As compl. or pred.: At a distance; distant; hence, detached, unsympathetic.
| 1607 Bacon Ess., Empire (Arb.) 298 Solid and grounded Courses to keepe them [dangers] aloofe. 1642 Rogers Naaman 548 When he is aloofe to others, they shall haue familiar accesse. 1789 Mrs. Piozzi France & It. I. 78 To keep infection aloof. 1845 Trench Huls. Lect. Ser. i. vi. 96 Psalms become our own which before were aloof from us. 1872 Geo. Eliot Middlem. III. vi. lviii. 287 What that cleverness was—what was the shape into which it had run as into a close network aloof and independent. 1934 H. Nicolson Curzon: Last Phase 8 His public manner..created the legend of a man, conceited, reactionary, unbending and aloof. |
B. Hence attrib. as adj. Distant (obs. rare), also, detached, unsympathetic.
| 1608 Chapman Byron's Trag. Wks. 1873 II. 271 These aloofe abodes. 1642 Rogers Naaman 8 A Prophet not to vouchsafe to come..but to send an aloofe message. 1893 A. J. Balfour in Daily News 27 Apr. 6/7 Democracy..perhaps required the cold and aloof reasoning of a statesman like Lord Derby. 1913 Stage Year Book 1913 19 The imported ‘yes’ and ‘no’ of an aloof and distant Censor. 1948 D. Cecil 2 Quiet Lives i. 14 She..hid her true self behind the shield of an aloof formality. |
† C. prep. [osb.short for aloof from.] Away from, clear of, apart from. Obs. rare.
| 1643 Milton Divorce ii. iv. (1847) 141/1 Rivetus..would fain work himself aloof these rocks and quicksands. 1667 ― P.L. iii. 577 Where the great Luminarie Alooff the vulgar Constellations thick..Dispenses Light from farr. |