If a person is open about their feelings on a topic, they speak freely and hold nothing back. When someone is described as candid, it usually means they are frank, outspoken, and sincere—sometimes unpleasantly so. A candid remark is one free from reservation or disguise. Candid is also used to refer to things that are unposed and informal, such as a candid photo.

To like something is to regard it with favor or to find it agreeable. To appreciate something is to value it highly or to be grateful for it. This verb suggests wise judgment, delicate perception, and keen insight in realizing the worth of something. You might appreciate (or be grateful) for a friend’s thoughtfulness or appreciate (regard highly) the nuanced flavors of a fine wine. Appreciate is also used to talk about grasping something mentally or being aware of it, as in the case of someone who appreciates (but is not grateful for!) the dangers of a situation.

Someone who is aloof, or is perceived as such, is disinterested or reticent and reserved. Aloof suggests a cool, detached, and distant air, which makes sense considering this term sailed into English on cool winds. Aloof is formed from a- (here meaning “into” or “toward”) and luff, a nautical term referring to the forward edge of a fore-and-aft sail; its earliest sense in English was as an adverb meaning “to the side from which the wind blows.”