askance - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (original) (raw)

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

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”).

askance (not comparable)

  1. (of a look or glance) With disapproval, skepticism, or suspicion.
    The beggar asked for change, but the haughty woman only looked at him askance.
    • 1932, Clark Ashton Smith, The Maker of Gargoyles:
      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.
  2. Sideways; obliquely.
    • 1878, Henry James, chapter 1, in The Europeans:
      ...the head-stones in the grave-yard beneath seemed to be holding themselves askance to keep it out of their faces.

of look: with disapproval

sideways, obliquely

askance (not comparable)

  1. Turned to the side, especially of the eyes.

askance (third-person singular simple present askances, present participle askancing, simple past and past participle askanced)

  1. (rare, transitive) To look at (someone or something) with a sideways glance.
    • 1953, Lowry Charles Wimberly, Prairie Schooner, volume 27, page 406:
      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.
    • 1997, Tibor Fischer, The Thought Gang, page 185:
      "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 […]
  2. (rare, transitive) To turn (one's eye or gaze) to the side.
    • 1826, William Hone, The Every Day Book, Or, A Guide to the Year:
      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."