askew
Although it sounds like a sneeze, the word askew means lopsided or turned and tilted to the side. Like your glasses might be after, well, a sneeze.
Anything askew is crooked. The word askew probably comes from Old Norse for "on a skew," or "to turn aside." No matter how you look at it, anything askew is at an angle. If a picture is askew, you might tilt your head to look at it, and if the books on a library shelf are askew, a conscientious librarian might tidy them up.
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turned or twisted to one side“rugs lying askew”synonyms: awry, skew-whiff
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turned or twisted toward one side
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Vocabulary lists containing askew
Learn these essential words that you'll encounter in literature, textbooks, class discussions, and more.
On his eleventh birthday, orphan Harry Potter learns the shocking truth: he's a wizard about to begin his education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
In 1776, Isabel is enslaved by British loyalists. When she begins to work as a spy for American revolutionaries, she discovers that neither side is interested in her freedom—and decides to do something about it.