stand-offish

stand-offish
standoffish stand*off"ish, stand-offish stand-off"isha. Shy or distant in manner; cold; aloof; reserved; not friendly.

Syn: offish. [PJC] -- {stand*off"ish*ness}, n. -- {stand*off"ish*ly}, adv. [PJC]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • stand-offish — stand of|fish standoffish [ˌstænd ˈɔfıʃ US ˈo:f ] adj informal rather unfriendly and formal ▪ She was cold and stand offish. >stand offishly adv >stand offishness n [U] …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • stand-offish — ► ADJECTIVE informal ▪ distant and cold in manner …   English terms dictionary

  • stand-offish — ▶ adjective (informal) ALOOF, distant, remote, detached, withdrawn, reserved, uncommunicative, unresponsive, unforthcoming, unapproachable, unfriendly, unsociable, introspective, introverted. Opposites friendly, approachable, sociable. * * *… …   Useful english dictionary

  • stand-offish — also standoffish ADJ GRADED (disapproval) If you say that someone is stand offish, you mean that they behave in a formal and rather unfriendly way. He can be quite stand offish and rude, even to his friends. Syn: aloof, cold …   English dictionary

  • stand-offish — adjective informal rather unfriendly and formal: She was cold and stand offish. stand offishly adverb stand offishness noun (U) …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • stand-offish — UK [ˌstænd ˈɒfɪʃ] / US [ˌstænd ˈɑfɪʃ] adjective a stand offish person behaves in a formal way that is not friendly because they do not want to get involved with other people …   English dictionary

  • stand-offish — /stænd ˈɒfɪʃ/ (say stand ofish) adjective aloof; reserved; unfriendly. –stand offishly, adverb –stand offishness, noun …  

  • stand-offish — adjective informal distant and cold in manner. Derivatives stand offishly adverb stand offishness noun …   English new terms dictionary

  • stand|off — stand off or stand|off «STAND F, OF», noun, adjective. –n. 1. a tie or draw in a game. 2. Figurative: »It is far easier to maintain a stand off between two superpowers than between three or four (Bulletin of Atomic Scientists). 3. a standing off… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Offish — Off ish, a. Shy or distant in manner; aloof; stand offish. [Colloq. U.S.] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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