| 释义 |
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.
1549Compl. Scotl. vi. 41 Than the master cryit on the rudir man, mait keip ful and by, a luf. 1587Gascoigne Wks. 165 Aloofe, aloofe then cryed the master out. 1620J. Taylor (Water P.) Praise of Hempseed 12 Aluffe; clap helme a lee. 1678Phillips, 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. 1867Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., Aloof, The old word for ‘Keep your luff’ in the act of sailing to the wind.
b. fig.
1775Sheridan 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.
1532More Confut. Barnes viii. Wks. 1557, 759/2 This anker lyeth to farre aloufe fro thys shyppe. 1592W. Wyrley Armorie 33 A looffe to winde-ward all our Nauie wride [= wry-ed], To view the turne right goodlie was the sight. 1725Pope Odyss. ix. 635 With all our force we kept aloof to sea. 1762Falconer 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.
c1540J. Croke Ps. cii. (1844) 20 No frende draweth nere, I syt alowfe. 1548Udall, etc. Erasm. Paraphr., Mark xiv. 54 Howbeit he folowed Jesus aloofe. 1611Bible Ps. xxxviii. 11 My louers and my friends stand a loofe from my sore [Coverdale a farre]. 1614Raleigh Hist. World iii. 100 With troups of the light-armed shot and slingers, compelled the enemie to lie a-loof. 1647Corbett Iter Bor. 270 Wee care not for those glorious lampes aloofe. 1791Cowper Iliad v. 562 They stand aloof Quaking. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 328 He quitted his seat, and stood aloof. 1878Emerson 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.
a1547Earl of Surrey æneid iv. (R.) The stricken hinde..which chasing with his darte Aloofe the shepheard smiteth. 1568Like will to Like in Hazl. Dodsley III. 311 Then speak aloof, for to come nigh I am afraid. 1600Holland Livy xxxviii. xxi. 996 k, Certaine speares to use aloofe [eminus]. 1622Bacon Henry VII, 105 Untill he had first aloofe seene the Crosse set up. 1671Milton P.R. v. 310 The lion and fierce tiger glared aloof. 1830Tennyson 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.
1583Babington Wks. 399 [Lying]..maketh them hang aloofe, suspect, and bee strange one to another. 1602Shakes. Ham. v. ii. 258, I stand aloofe, and will no reconcilement. 1781Cowper Charity 59 God stood not, though he seemed to stand, aloof. 1790Burke Fr. Rev. 132 We felt for them as men; but we kept aloof from them. 1838Thirlwall Greece V. xliii. 287 Sparta it seems kept aloof from this struggle. 1859Masson Milton I. 635 The English Puritans held aloof at this time from the poor sectaries. 1879Farrar 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.
1571Digges Geomet. Pract. i. xxx, You desire with shotte to beat the enemie aloofe of. 1579Tomson Calvin's Serm. Tim. 130/2 He withdraweth him selfe, and keepeth him selfe a loofe off. 1618Hist. P. Warbeck in Harl. Misc. (1793) 82 A true woman's part..in standing a-loof off from what I most desire. 1665Boyle Occas. Refl. (1675) 345 Those that gaze at them aloof off. 1674N. 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.
1607Bacon Ess., Empire (Arb.) 298 Solid and grounded Courses to keepe them [dangers] aloofe. 1642Rogers Naaman 548 When he is aloofe to others, they shall haue familiar accesse. 1789Mrs. Piozzi France & It. I. 78 To keep infection aloof. 1845Trench Huls. Lect. Ser. i. vi. 96 Psalms become our own which before were aloof from us. 1872Geo. 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. 1934H. 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.
1608Chapman Byron's Trag. Wks. 1873 II. 271 These aloofe abodes. 1642Rogers Naaman 8 A Prophet not to vouchsafe to come..but to send an aloofe message. 1893A. J. Balfour in Daily News 27 Apr. 6/7 Democracy..perhaps required the cold and aloof reasoning of a statesman like Lord Derby. 1913Stage Year Book 1913 19 The imported ‘yes’ and ‘no’ of an aloof and distant Censor. 1948D. 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.
1643Milton 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. |