sidle

verb

si·​dle ˈsī-dᵊl How to pronounce sidle (audio)
sidled; sidling ˈsīd-liŋ How to pronounce sidle (audio)
ˈsī-dᵊl-iŋ

intransitive verb

: to go or move with one side foremost especially in a furtive advance

transitive verb

: to cause to move or turn sideways
sidle noun

Examples of sidle in a Sentence

He sidled up to me and slipped me a note. She sidled over and whispered, “Do you see that guy?”. She sidled through the narrow opening.
Recent Examples on the Web Dan sidled up to the seafood counter and asked for littleneck clams for his bouillabaisse. Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 20 Mar. 2024 These are all potentially transmissible, either by sharing bedding and food dishes or by biting, grooming and sidling up to one another. Dr. Patty Khuly, Miami Herald, 31 Jan. 2024 During warmups, Kuechly sidled close to Peppers, just to take a look at him, the way an 8-year-old kid might do to one of his athletic heroes. Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 9 Feb. 2024 Further afield in West Africa, Russia has opportunistically sidled up to a slate of coup-plotting juntas that have subverted once-fledgling democracies in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 24 Jan. 2024 Gone are the days when the sober and the sober-curious had to sidle up to the bartender and whisper their Roy Rogers order in hopes of passing it off as a rum and Coke. Carina Finn, Bon Appétit, 11 Jan. 2024 Zenyatta sidled over and started rummaging through the purse. Bill Dwyre, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2023 Everyone is sidling up to the communist nation these days. Jon Emont, WSJ, 13 Dec. 2023 Oliver sidles his way in with his popular, beautiful classmate Felix (Jacob Elordi), whose aristocratic English family lives in a sprawling countryside manor named Saltburn. Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 16 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sidle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

probably back-formation from sideling entry 2

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of sidle was in 1577

Dictionary Entries Near sidle

Cite this Entry

“Sidle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sidle. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sidle

verb
si·​dle ˈsīd-ᵊl How to pronounce sidle (audio)
sidled; sidling ˈsīd-liŋ How to pronounce sidle (audio)
-ᵊl-iŋ
: to go or move with one side forward
the waiter sidled around the end of the counter

More from Merriam-Webster on sidle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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