Word of the Day : April 23, 2022

askance

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adverb uh-SKANSS

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What It Means

Askance means "with disapproval or distrust" or "with a side-glance."

// The children looked askance at their mother when she suggested they turn off their electronic devices and go play outside in the nice weather.

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askance in Context

"'Sometimes not being authentic to the region is a good thing.' … [chef] Klime Kovaceski, who also prefers dried pasta to fresh, understands that some purists might look askance at his methods." — Connie Ogle, The Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2022

Did You Know?

Askance, which etymologists believe may have been influenced by askew, comes from Middle English forms such as askaunce, a-skans, a-skaunces, meaning variously "in such a way that," "as if," "as if to say," and "artificially" or "deceptively." The word was first used in English in the 16th century with the meaning "sideways" or "with a sideways glance," and writers over the years have used the suggestion of someone looking askance at something to express a number of feelings from disapproval and distrust to jealousy.