stalkily

English edit

WOTD – 18 February 2020

Etymology edit

From stalky +‎ -i- +‎ -ly.

Pronunciation edit

(Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈstɔːkɪli/
Audio (UK) (file)
(General American) IPA^(key): /ˈstɔkɪli/
Hyphenation: stalk‧i‧ly

Adverb edit

stalkily (not comparable)

In a stalky manner.
1. Like, or as if made up of, one or several stalks or sticks; with a tall and thin appearance; lankily.
  - 1879 May 14, “Grappling the Grosvenor”, in Fun, volume XXIX, number 731, London: Published (for the proprietors) by T. Moffitt, […], →OCLC, page 203, column 2:
    Oh, can it be their weariness that makes them lounge so stalkily, / And wear their flesh so flaccidly, and granulate, and chalkily?
  - 1945, Dan Wickenden, The Wayfarers, New York, N.Y.: William Morrow and Company, →OCLC, page 46:
    The conductor emerged from the wings, tall and lean in his tailcoat, and moved stalkily across the platform; applause began in the front rows and worked its way back gradually to the far reaches of the hall, where people were talking in a sudden frenzy, as if they had a great deal to get said before silence was enjoined upon them.
  - 1996, Lawrence Norfolk, The Pope’s Rhinoceros, London: Sinclair-Stevenson, →ISBN; republished London: Vintage, 1998, →ISBN, page 414:
    Little stands of trees stand in stooks, stalkily bundled and clumped by giants.
2. As if covertly following or hunting a person; sneakily, surreptitiously.
  - 1898 December, Rudyard Kipling, “Stalky”, in The Windsor Magazine: An Illustrated Monthly for Men and Women, volume IX, London: Ward, Lock & Co., Limited […], →OCLC, page 30, column 2:
    There's no sense in not doin' a thing stalkily while you're about it.
  - 1992, Mairi Hedderwick, Highland Journey: A Sketching Tour of Scotland: Retracing the Steps of Victorian Artist John T. Reid, Edinburgh: Canongate Press, →ISBN, page 13:
    But the journey went on. Slower as the river became more intimate; reeds at the edge almost within touching distance. Waterfowl. A heron stalkily still. Dank lank growth and then the smells of intensive farming.
  - 2003 August 7, Michael Dibdin, chapter IV, in Medusa (An Aurelio Zen Mystery), London: Faber and Faber, →ISBN; republished New York, N.Y.: Vintage Crime/Black Lizard, February 2005, →ISBN, page 39:
    'Now we must be careful,' announced Anton in his stalkily precise Italian.

Related terms edit

Translations edit

in a stalky manner