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Standoffish vs Standoffishly - What's the difference?

standoffish | standoffishly |

As an adjective standoffish

is aloof; reserved; unsociable and unfriendly.

As an adverb standoffishly is

in a standoffish way.

standoffish

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Aloof; reserved; unsociable and unfriendly.
  • *1899 ,
    • He was stand–offish with the other agents, and they on their side said he was the manager’s spy upon them.
  • *1922 , , Ulysses , episode 16,
  • *:His initial impression was that he was a bit standoffish or not over effusive.
  • *1928 , , Lady Chatterley's Lover , ch. 7,
  • *:They were always a haughty family, standoffish in a way, as they've a right to be.

    • Synonyms

    *cold *distant

    Related terms

    *standoffishness

    See also

    *standoff *stand off

    References

    * * * "standoffish" in Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary (Cambridge University Press, 2007) * * Oxford English Dictionary , second edition (1989) * Random House Webster's Unabridged Electronic Dictionary , 1987–1996.

    standoffishly

    English

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • In a standoffish way.

    • Synonyms

    * aloofly * haughtily