/ əˈluːf; NAmE / adjective
[ not usually before noun ] not friendly or interested in other people
SYN distant , remote
► aloof·ness noun [ U ]
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IDIOMS
- keep / hold (yourself) aloof | remain / stand aloof
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WORD ORIGIN
mid 16th cent.: from a- (expressing direction) + luff the edge of a type of sail next to the mast or stay . The term was originally an adverb in nautical use, meaning away and to windward! , i.e. with the ship's head kept close to the wind away from a lee shore etc. towards which it might drift. From this arose the sense at a distance .