askance

• askaunce (obsolete)

Unknown. Possibly from Middle English askances (“as if”), or from Old French a escone (“hidden”) or Italian a scancio (“obliquely”). Compare asquint, Dutch schuin, schuins (“sideways”), schuiven (“to shove”), schuinte (“slope”).

• (UK) IPA^(key): /əˈskæns/, /əˈskɑːns/
• (US) IPA^(key): /əˈskæns/

• Audio (US)

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• Rhymes: -ɑːns, -æns

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.

   • Gladstone

     Both […] were viewed askance by authority.

   • Landor

     My palfrey eyed them askance.

2. Sideways; obliquely.
   • 1896, H. G. Wells, chapter 8, in The Island of Doctor Moreau:

     I glanced askance at this strange creature, and found him watching me with his queer, restless eyes.

   • 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.

• (with disapproval, skepticism): skeptically, suspiciously
• (sideways, obliquely): obliquely, sideways

askance (not comparable)

1. Turned to the side, especially of the eyes.
   • 1855 — Robert Browning, Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came

     My first thought was, he lied in every word,
     That hoary cripple, with malicious eye
     Askance to watch the working of his lie

• (turned to the side): oblique, sideways, askew

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."