Synonyms for askance

Grammar : Adv

Spell : uh-skans

Phonetic Transcription : əˈskæns

Définition of askance

Origin : 1520s, "sideways, asquint," of obscure origin. OED has separate listings for askance and obsolete Middle English askance(s) and no indication of a connection, but Barnhart and others derive the newer word from the older one. The Middle English word, recorded early 14c. as ase quances and found later in Chaucer, meant "in such a way that; even as; as if;" and as an adverb "insincerely, deceptively." It has been analyzed as a compound of as and Old French quanses (pronounced "kanses") "how if," from Latin quam "how" + si "if."
The E[nglish] as is, accordingly, redundant, and merely added by way of partial explanation. The M.E. askances means "as if" in other passages, but here means, "as if it were," i.e. "possibly," "perhaps"; as said above. Sometimes the final s is dropped .... [Walter W. Skeat, glossary to Chaucer's "Man of Law's Tale," 1894]
Also see discussion in Leo Spitzer, "Anglo-French Etymologies," Philological Quarterly 24.23 (1945), and see OED entry for askance (adv.) for discussion of the mysterious ask- word cluster in English. Other guesses about the origin of askance include Old French a escone, from past participle of a word for "hidden;" Italian a scancio "obliquely, slantingly;" or that it is a cognate of askew.

adv sideways

Example sentences :

When John Kenyon entered his office, he thought the clerk looked at him askance.
Extract from : « A Woman Intervenes » by Robert Barr

Claude, who was now growing embarrassed, had examined the girl, askance.
Extract from : « His Masterpiece » by Emile Zola

The lanky Sucatash looked at him askance, catching the note of sentiment.
Extract from : « Louisiana Lou » by William West Winter

Men were apt to look at him askance, half doubtful, half-indignant.
Extract from : « The Trimming of Goosie » by James Hopper

"You speak of the castle as if you knew about it," said the landlady, eyeing her askance.
Extract from : « The Old Countess; or, The Two Proposals » by Ann S. Stephens

Men pretending virtues as relentless as his own were often inclined to eye him askance.
Extract from : « Erik Dorn » by Ben Hecht

They eyed him askance, and eyed each other as they fell behind.
Extract from : « Two Sides of the Face » by Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch

If the people look at me askance, I can't expect any better.
Extract from : « Heidi » by Johanna Spyri

They looked at him askance and then at each other, significantly.
Extract from : « Rabbi and Priest » by Milton Goldsmith

As he bent his head she looked at me askance, and I thought she blushed.
Extract from : « The Madonna of the Future » by Henry James

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