Dictionary

askance en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /əˈskæns/ (US)
• (US) audio
• /əˈskæns/ (UK)
• /əˈskɑːns/ (UK)

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”).

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) 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 1855, Robert Browning, Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came:

Forms

Synonyms

sideways (turned to the side) · askew (turned to the side) · oblique (turned to the side)

askance en · ADV

Pronunciation

• /əˈskæns/ (US)
• (US) audio
• /əˈskæns/ (UK)
• /əˈskɑːns/ (UK)

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”).

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) Of a glance or look: 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. 1932, Clark Ashton Smith, The Maker of Gargoyles:
   • My palfrey eyed them askance. 1828, Walter Savage Landor, “Lord Brooke and Sir Philip Sidney”, in Imaginary Conversations of Literary Men and Statesmen, volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC:
   • Both […] were viewed askance by authority. 1875, William Ewart Gladstone, The Church of England and Ritualism:
   • Even the Democrat voters that might look askance at a Green Party candidate, I want you guys to consider this. 2026 April 22, Nathan J. Robinson, Butch Ware, “The Green Party’s Butch Ware: ‘I Love a Good Fight’”, in Current Affairs, archived from the original on 23 Apr 2026:
2. (not-comparable) Obliquely, sideways.
   • I glanced askance at this strange creature, and found him watching me with his queer, restless eyes. 1896, H[erbert] G[eorge] Wells, chapter VIII, in The Island of Doctor Moreau (Heinemann’s Colonial Library of Popular Fiction; 52), London: William Heinemann, →OCLC; republished as The Island of Doctor Moreau: A Possibility, New York, N.Y.: Stone & Kimball, 1896, →OCLC:
   • [T]he head-stones in the grave-yard beneath seemed to be holding themselves askance to keep it out of their faces. 1878 July–October, Henry James, Jr., “(please specify the page)”, in The Europeans. A Sketch. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Macmillan and Co., published 1878, →OCLC:
   • [S]he caſt her dewed eyes aſ kance, / And ſpying me, gan rovvſe her heauie head, / And praide me pen her ſad and heauie chance, / And ſhe recounted it that preſent ſted, […] 1584, Thomas Lodge, “Truths Complaint ouer England”, in An Alarum against Usurers. […], London: […] T[homas] Este, for Sampson Clarke, […], →OCLC, folio 37, verso:

Forms

Deriveds

look askance

Synonyms

skeptically · asquint · suspiciously

Translations (61)

it storto (of a glance or look: with disapproval, scepticism, or suspicion) · gl de reollo (obliquely, sideways) · de ablehnend (of a glance or look: with disapproval, scepticism, or suspicion) · bg подозрително (of a glance or look: with disapproval, scepticism, or suspicion) · it in cagnesco (of a glance or look: with disapproval, scepticism, or suspicion) · gl de esguello (obliquely, sideways) · mi korotaha (obliquely, sideways) · it obliquamente (obliquely, sideways) · ru ко́со (obliquely, sideways) · cmn 不贊成地 /不赞成地 (of a glance or look: with disapproval, scepticism, or suspicion) · cs úkosem (of a glance or look: with disapproval, scepticism, or suspicion) · fr de travers (of a glance or look: with disapproval, scepticism, or suspicion) · sh iskosa (obliquely, sideways) · ru подозри́тельно (of a glance or look: with disapproval, scepticism, or suspicion) · de schief (obliquely, sideways) · mk накосо (obliquely, sideways) · fr avec méfiance (of a glance or look: with disapproval, scepticism, or suspicion) · ru сбо́ку (obliquely, sideways) · bg изкосо (obliquely, sideways) · ru неодобри́тельно (of a glance or look: with disapproval, scepticism, or suspicion) · pt de esguelha (obliquely, sideways) · pt de lado (obliquely, sideways) · pl z ukosa (of a glance or look: with disapproval, scepticism, or suspicion) · fi nurkkasilmällä (obliquely, sideways) · es de reojo (obliquely, sideways) · de seitwärts (obliquely, sideways) · sh podozrivo (of a glance or look: with disapproval, scepticism, or suspicion) · mk напреку (of a glance or look: with disapproval, scepticism, or suspicion) · grc λοξός (of a glance or look: with disapproval, scepticism, or suspicion) · cmn 懷疑地 /怀疑地 (of a glance or look: with disapproval, scepticism, or suspicion) · ru и́скоса (obliquely, sideways) · es de soslayo (obliquely, sideways) · ja 斜めに (obliquely, sideways) · sh popr(ij)eko (obliquely, sideways) · es de través (obliquely, sideways) · mi kōtaha (obliquely, sideways) · cmn 傾斜地 /倾斜地 (obliquely, sideways) · ca de cua d'ull (of a glance or look: with disapproval, scepticism, or suspicion) · es con recelo (of a glance or look: with disapproval, scepticism, or suspicion) · nl zijdelings (obliquely, sideways) · gl de esguello (of a glance or look: with disapproval, scepticism, or suspicion) · ru на́бок (obliquely, sideways) · ko 삐딱하게 (of a glance or look: with disapproval, scepticism, or suspicion) · ja 疑わしそうに (of a glance or look: with disapproval, scepticism, or suspicion) · bg накриво (obliquely, sideways) · ja 横目で (obliquely, sideways) · fi sivuttain (obliquely, sideways) · ru кри́во (obliquely, sideways) · pl z ukosa (obliquely, sideways) · sv misstroget (of a glance or look: with disapproval, scepticism, or suspicion) · pt de soslaio (obliquely, sideways) · ru с упрёком (of a glance or look: with disapproval, scepticism, or suspicion) · grc λοξός (obliquely, sideways) · cs úkosem (obliquely, sideways) · fi karsaasti (of a glance or look: with disapproval, scepticism, or suspicion) · de quer (obliquely, sideways) · it di traverso (obliquely, sideways) · nl misprijzend (of a glance or look: with disapproval, scepticism, or suspicion) · pt torto (of a glance or look: with disapproval, scepticism, or suspicion) · de skeptisch (of a glance or look: with disapproval, scepticism, or suspicion) · ru с подозре́нием (of a glance or look: with disapproval, scepticism, or suspicion)

askance en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /əˈskæns/ (US)
• (US) audio
• /əˈskæns/ (UK)
• /əˈskɑːns/ (UK)

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”).

Meanings

1. (rare, transitive) 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. 1953, Lowry Charles Wimberly, Prairie Schooner, volume 27, page 406:
   • "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 […] 1997, Tibor Fischer, The Thought Gang, page 185:
2. (rare, transitive) 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." 1826, William Hone, The Every Day Book, Or, A Guide to the Year:

Forms