Askew
/əˈskjuː/
adjectiveBeginner📊CommonGeneral
1 meaning2 questions
Definitions
1
Not in a straight or correct position; crooked or slanted.
/əˈskjuː/
adjectiveneutralBeginner
General
Not straight or aligned; crooked.
The shelf was askew, and all the books fell down.
💡 Simply: Not straight.
More Examples
2
His hat sat askew on his head.
How It's Used
General
"The picture hung askew on the wall."
Carpentry
"The door frame was slightly askew, requiring adjustment."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Antonyms
From Old Norse *ask, meaning 'ash tree', combined with the Old English suffix '-skew', meaning 'to move sideways'. The modern meaning developed from the image of something leaning like an askew ash tree.
The word's usage has remained consistent since its adoption into English, primarily used to describe something out of alignment.
Memory tip
Imagine a crooked tree, askew.
Word Origin
LanguageOld Norse and Old English
Original meaning
"ash tree + sideways movement"
slightly askewbadly askew
Common misspellings
askueaskew
Practice
Usage
40%Spoken
60%Written