askance
adverb
No English definition recorded for this entry.
L186166 on Wikidata ↗adjective
No English definition recorded for this entry.
L334595 on Wikidata ↗Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /əˈskæns/ / /əˈskɑːns/
adj
Etymology: Unknown. Possibly from Middle English askances (“as if”), or from Old French a escone (“hidden”) or Italian a scancio (“obliquely”). Compare asquint, Middle English askoyn (“at a slant, askance”), Dutch schuin, schuins (“sideways”), schuiven (“to shove”), schuinte (“slope”).
- Turned to the side, especially of the eyes.
“My first thought was, he lied in every word, That hoary cripple, with malicious eye Askance to watch the working of his lie”
adv
Etymology: Unknown. Possibly from Middle English askances (“as if”), or from Old French a escone (“hidden”) or Italian a scancio (“obliquely”). Compare asquint, Middle English askoyn (“at a slant, askance”), Dutch schuin, schuins (“sideways”), schuiven (“to shove”), schuinte (“slope”).
- With disapproval, skepticism, or suspicion.
“The beggar asked for change, but the haughty woman only looked at him askance.”
“The scandal of opposition died down, and the stone-carver himself, though the town-folk continued to eye him askance, was able to secure other work through the favor of discriminating patrons.”
- Sideways; obliquely.
“I glanced askance at this strange creature, and found him watching me with his queer, restless eyes.”
“...the head-stones in the grave-yard beneath seemed to be holding themselves askance to keep it out of their faces.”
verb
Etymology: Unknown. Possibly from Middle English askances (“as if”), or from Old French a escone (“hidden”) or Italian a scancio (“obliquely”). Compare asquint, Middle English askoyn (“at a slant, askance”), Dutch schuin, schuins (“sideways”), schuiven (“to shove”), schuinte (“slope”).
- To look at (someone or something) with a sideways glance.
“Bowed heads, Aunt Ellen's, Aunt Laura's, her sister's — bowed but askancing her yellow dress — yes, yellow, golden yellow, hue of sun and life, Dad's favorite, to see him off on this, his greatest journey.”
“"My dear sir," said Hube in an authoritative manner to the receptionist askancing Thales, "first of all, we aren't tourists. Secondly, this isn't a rat, this is the present embodiment of the spiritual leader of millions of people in India […]”
- To turn (one's eye or gaze) to the side.
“The pope askanced his eye at Michael with displeasure, and after a short pause saluted him, " Instead of your coming to us, you seem to have expected that we should attend upon you."”