▪ I. sidling, vbl. n.
(ˈsaɪdlɪŋ)
Also 8 sideling.
[f. sidle v. + -ing1.]
The action of the vb. sidle; an instance of this.
| 1759 Compl. Lett. Writer (ed. 6) 225 Her sidling, and swaddling, and foolish unalterable simper. 1792 Elvina I. 139 It was not 'till after many sidlings and swimmings that she was prevailed on to sit down. 1852 Mundy Our Antipodes v. (1855) 127 To start off at full speed, and thus to get the wheels to ‘bite’ again, is the only way to redeem an incipient sidling. |
▪ II. sidling, ppl. a.
(ˈsaɪdlɪŋ)
[f. sidle v. + -ing2.]
That sidles, in the senses of the vb.
| 1855 [Robinson] Whitby Gloss., Sideling, insinuating by word or action. ‘A sideling, wheedling sort of a body.’ 1864 Realm 27 Apr. 1 An apparently quiet, inoffensive, purring, gliding, sidling animal. 1898 Mrs. H. Ward Sir G. Tressady 414 [He] walked with rather sidling steps to the door. |
Hence ˈsidlingly adv.
| 1873 Browning Red Cotton Night-Cap Country 805 Hand in hand,—Or side by side,..On every good work sidlingly they went. |
▪ III. sidling
variant of sideling.