Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adverb & adjective To one side or out of proper alignment; awry.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • In an oblique position; obliquely; awry; out of the proper position or arrangement; hence, askance; sidelong.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adverb Awry; askance; asquint; oblique or obliquely; -- sometimes indicating scorn, or contempt, or entry.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Turned or twisted to one side.
  • adjective figuratively Untoward, unfavourable.
  • adverb tilted to one side.
  • adverb with disapproval

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adverb turned or twisted to one side
  • adjective turned or twisted toward one side

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Probably a– + skew.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Old Norse á ská ("askew, askance"), equivalent to a- +‎ skew. Compare Icelandic á ská ("diagonally"), Danish skrå ("slanting, oblique"), German Schräge ("slope, slant").

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Examples

  • This is the kind of askew that I can never get my clothes to look, that sort of sexy, perfect askew.

    Lesbians, catgirls, cabin fever and kittens Elizabeth McClung 2009

  • This is the kind of askew that I can never get my clothes to look, that sort of sexy, perfect askew.

    Archive 2009-01-01 Elizabeth McClung 2009

  • Recently, Damien Geradin, professor of Competition Law and Economics at Tilburg University, published a paper titled "What's Wrong With Royalties In High Technology Industries?" to see if something is indeed "askew" with high-tech royalties.

    Are Royalties Too High in High-Tech? Recent Study Says "No" Peter Zura 2008

  • Recently, Damien Geradin, professor of Competition Law and Economics at Tilburg University, published a paper titled "What's Wrong With Royalties In High Technology Industries?" to see if something is indeed "askew" with high-tech royalties.

    Archive 2008-07-01 Peter Zura 2008

  • If anyone thought that the manner in which the USPTO Appeal Brief Rules were implemented was, well, a bit "askew", there appears to be evidence that your instincts were correct.

    Archive 2008-07-01 Peter Zura 2008

  • If anyone thought that the manner in which the USPTO Appeal Brief Rules were implemented was, well, a bit "askew", there appears to be evidence that your instincts were correct.

    Trouble Ahead for the USPTO's Appeal Brief Rules? Peter Zura 2008

  • How did you like it when -- bossing them around about how to set up a building -- she said something was "askew," and, when told not to use "big words," she said it was "not orthogonal"?

    Archive 2007-02-01 Ann Althouse 2007

  • How did you like it when -- bossing them around about how to set up a building -- she said something was "askew," and, when told not to use "big words," she said it was "not orthogonal"?

    Is Yau Man the new Cao Boi? Ann Althouse 2007

  • This is the kind of askew that I can never get my clothes to look, that sort of sexy, perfect askew.

    Screw Bronze! 2009

  • Alas, my mind was on Los Gigantes, and thus "askew" stuck.

    McCovey Chronicles 2009

Comments

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  • Your speckled stone askew by an iron fence

    from "Electra on Azalea Path," Sylvia Plath

    April 8, 2008

  • cattywampus

    May 30, 2015