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Literary notes about Sidle (AI summary)

The word “sidle” is frequently employed to convey a subtle, sideways movement that suggests hesitation, stealth, or an unceremonious approach. It paints a picture of characters or creatures edging closer in a discreet, almost furtive manner—whether it's a character approaching someone cautiously to deliver unwelcome news ([1]) or an animal, like a dog, quietly approaching its owner ([2]). At times, the term describes a physical maneuver along a narrow path or around obstacles, as when someone navigates a tight space with careful, measured steps ([3], [4]). In other instances, it emphasizes a social behavior of gradually and unobtrusively joining a group or crowd, highlighting both physical and emotional timidity ([5], [6]). This versatile usage enriches the text by imbuing ordinary movement with a sense of deliberate subtlety and reserved intent ([7], [8]).
  1. Well, very shortly I shall have to sidle up to Tom and break the news to him.
    — from Right Ho, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse
  2. He caught hold of Tom’s jacket as he spoke, and gave it a shake, making his dog sidle up and growl, “Hear that?
    — from The Vast AbyssThe Story of Tom Blount, his Uncles and his Cousin Sam by George Manville Fenn
  3. In a few places they had to sidle along without placing one foot before another.
    — from A Voyage to Arcturus by David Lindsay
  4. It was barely six inches wide, but I could sidle along it in comfort.
    — from Life's Handicap: Being Stories of Mine Own People by Rudyard Kipling
  5. And every now and then a Forsyte would come up, sidle round, and take a look at him.
    — from The Forsyte Saga, Volume I. by John Galsworthy
  6. He can sidle up to the most timid wild thing.
    — from The Shagganappi by E. Pauline Johnson
  7. What worried the staff was that it would, when free, sidle along our plates till it fouled the propeller.
    — from The Sea and the Jungle by H. M. (Henry Major) Tomlinson
  8. You make love to it, and it may sidle up and kiss you—or give you a good, hard kick!”
    — from Harlequin and Columbine by Booth Tarkington

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