askew
askew Lexical Profile
askew Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Not in a straight or level position; turned or crooked to one side.
"His glasses were slightly askew after he bumped into the glass door."
Out of the normal or planned course; disordered or amiss.
"With the main server offline, the entire project schedule was suddenly askew."
• adverb
To one side; out of line or in a crooked position.
"The heavy portrait hung askew on the living room wall after the minor tremor."
With disapproval, distrust, or a sidelong glance.
"Several traditional scholars looked askew at the unorthodox research methodology."
Word Nuance & Usage
As an adjective, 'askew' is used almost exclusively in the predicate position (after a linking verb, as in 'the picture is askew') or immediately following the noun it modifies ('with his hat askew'), rather than directly before a noun.
• Rhymes for askew
Word Origin & Etymology
First recorded in the late 16th century, 'askew' is formed from the prefix 'a-' (meaning 'on' or 'in') and the root 'skew', which derives from Middle Dutch 'schouwen' (to avoid or turn aside) via Anglo-Norman 'escheuer'.