askance

adverb

ə-ˈskan(t)s 

variants or less commonly askant

ə-ˈskant 

1

: with disapproval or distrust : scornfully

They eyed the stranger askance.

Many critics have looked askance at the proposal.

2

: with a side-glance : obliquely

That experienced pilot of the Broads looked askance at his watch, and drew Allan aside at the first opportunity.

—Wilkie Collins

Did you know?

As with the similar word side-eye, writers over the years have used askance literally when someone is looking with a side-glance and figuratively when such a glance is conveying disapproval or distrust. Back in the days of Middle English you could use askaunce and a-skans and a-skaunces to mean “in such a way that,” “as if to say,” and “artificially, deceptively.” It’s likely that askance developed from these forms, with some help from asqwynt meaning “obliquely, askew.” Askance was first used in the 16th century with the meaning "sideways" or "with a sideways glance.”

Synonyms

• suspiciously
• sideways
• incredulously

Examples of askance in a Sentence

we looked askance at the dealer's assertion that the car had never been in an accident

Recent Examples on the Web

Candidates and their backers also typically knock on doors to get signatures, but that’s not an option this year as people look askance at strangers on their doorsteps. —Patrick Marley, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 18 May 2020

True, lots of good white progressives look askance at businessmen who amass vast fortunes. —John Powers, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2020

Saban heard those words and looked askance and sidewise. —Joseph Goodman | [e-mail], al, 9 Feb. 2020

But Blue Thunder is still early enough in the cycle to look askance at its titular sweet ride. —Peter Opaskar, Ars Technica, 10 Jan. 2020

Word History

Etymology

probably a sense development (influenced by asqwynt "obliquely, askew," and phonetically similar words) of earlier and Middle English askaunce, a-skans, a-skaunces "in such a way that, as if, as if to say, artificially, deceptively," from as- as entry 1 + Old French quanses, canses "as if, appearing as though," from quanse-, canse- (going back to Latin quam sī "as if") + -s, adverbial suffix

Note: Evidence for quanses/canses, etc., is lacking in Anglo-French, suggesting that Middle English a-skaunces may not have been directly borrowed from French; rather, the model for the word may have been Middle Dutch als quansis with the same sense, with quansis perhaps borrowed from French dialects adjacent to Dutch (cf. fé lès qwanses "to pretend," Walloon of Liège according to Französisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, vol. 2, p. 1416).

First Known Use

circa 1530, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing askance

• look askance at

Rhymes for askance

• advance
• enhance
• expanse
• finance
• freelance
• mischance
• perchance
• romance
• chance
• dance
• glance
• hance

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Kids Definition

askance

adverb

ə-ˈskan(t)s 

1

: with a side glance

2

: with distrust or disapproval

eyed the stranger askance