different between askew vs awry

English

Alternative forms

• askue, ascue, askoye, a skew

Etymology

From Old Norse á ská (“askew, askance”), equivalent to a- +? skew. Compare Icelandic á ská (“diagonally”), Danish skrå (“slanting, oblique”), German Schräge (“slope, slant”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /??skju?/
• Rhymes: -u?

Adjective

askew

1. Turned or twisted to one side.
2. (figuratively) Untoward, unfavourable.

Translations

Adverb

askew (comparative more askew, superlative most askew)

1. Tilted to one side.

   He wore his hat askew

Translations

Related terms

• skew-whiff

Anagrams

• wakes, wekas

English

Etymology

From Middle English awry, awrie, equivalent to a- +? wry.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /???a?/
• Rhymes: -a?
• (nonstandard) IPA^(key): /??.?i/

Adverb

awry (comparative more awry, superlative most awry)

1. Obliquely, crookedly; askew.
2. Perversely, improperly.

Translations

Adjective

awry (comparative more awry, superlative most awry)

1. Turned or twisted toward one side; crooked, distorted, out of place; wry.

   Synonym: (mostly UK) wonky

2. (figuratively) Wrong or distorted; perverse, amiss.

Usage notes

• As an adjective, awry is almost always used as a predicately.

Quotations

• For quotations using this term, see Citations:awry.

Derived terms

• go awry

Translations

Anagrams

• Wray, wary, wray