Cattywampus: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Cattywampus adjective. Askew or out of line; not straight.
How to say it
kat-ee-WOM-puss/ˌkatiˈwɒmpəs/
4 syllables, stressed on the third (WOM).
Cattywampus in a sentence
After the move, every picture in the hall was hanging cattywampus.
The tent went up cattywampus, but it held through the night.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- askew
- crooked
- lopsided
- skew-whiff
Opposite:
- straight
- level
Where cattywampus comes from
American dialect from the 1800s, of uncertain origin.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
The tent went up _____, but it held through the night.
- kenspeckle
- cattywampus
- diuturnal
Show the answer
cattywampus: The tent went up cattywampus, but it held through the night.