sidelong

1 of 2

adverb

side·​long ˈsīd-ˌlȯŋ 

1

: sideways, obliquely

2

archaic : on the side

sidelong

2 of 2

adjective

1

: lying or inclining to one side : slanting

2

a

: directed to one side

sidelong looks

b

: indirect rather than straightforward

Examples of sidelong in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

And there are some outstanding ones, like the high-polish oil sketch of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart that became the source of many other images, including the sour, sidelong-glancing Washington on the $1 bill. —Holland Cotter, New York Times, 29 Dec. 2016

Adjective

Photo: Ann Broder / VHT for The Corcoran Group The primary bedroom looks south, with sidelong views of the Empire State Building and the Chrysler. —Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 10 Nov. 2023

This pinballing structure also permits room for sidelong angles on the incident from various secondary parties, including Janka, outraged on her teacher’s behalf, and the school’s despairing principal, wondering why Erika couldn’t have covered their brand-new gym instead. —Guy Lodge, Variety, 5 Sep. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

alteration of sideling entry 1

First Known Use

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

sidelong

1 of 2 adverb

side·​long ˈsīd-ˌlōŋ 

: out of the corner of one's eye

glanced sidelong at the food on the table

sidelong

2 of 2 adjective

ˌsīd-ˌlȯŋ

1

: made to one side or out of the corner of one's eye

a sidelong glance

2

: indirect sense 2