Definition of catawampus (Entry 2 of 2) 1 dialectal : fierce, savage, destructive. 2 dialectal : askew, awry, cater-cornered.
What is Catawampus used for?
Meaning of catawampus in English
going badly, awkwardly, or in the wrong direction: The script is spoiled by its catawampus rhythms and its lack of consistency and plausibility.
Is Catawampus a Southern word?
Catawampus
This word sounds like something that belongs in Harry Potter, but catawampus (sometimes spelled cattywampus) is a fixture in everyday Southern speech. It describes something that’s askew, awry, or diagonal, as in “we tried setting it up straight, but it ended up catawampus.”
Where is Cattywampus from?
Where does catawampus come from? Catawampus, meaning “askew, diagonal,” is first recorded in the 1830–40s. Originally, catawampus also meant “fierce.” It’s thought to be an American colloquialism influenced by the cater- in cater-cornered (or for many of us, kitty-corner) and wampish, Scottish for “flopping about.”
What is caddy corner mean?
Something that is catty-corner or kitty-corner from another thing is placed or arranged diagonally from it. There was a police car catty-corner across the street.
What is the etymology of Cattywampus?
Catawampus means “askew,” “awry,” or “crooked.” We do know the word has been around for more than a century and is spelled many different ways, such as cattywampus and caddywampus. It may derive from the Scots word wampish, meaning to “wriggle,” “twist,” or “swerve.” This is part of a complete episode.
What is a Ninnyhammer?
noun. a fool or simpleton; ninny.
What does Collywobbles mean in British slang?
collywobbles in British English
(ˈkɒlɪˌwɒbəlz ) plural noun. the collywobbles slang. an upset stomach.
Is the word Cattywampus in Webster dictionary?
Statistics for cattywampus
“Cattywampus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cattywampus. Accessed 5 Nov. 2021.
How do you use Cattywampus in a sentence?
Cattywampus sentence example
After the shocking news, Tricia couldn’t settle down and study because her thoughts were all cattywampus . The unfinished renovation project had left the laundry room cattywampus ; the washer and dryer were unhooked, the walls were unpainted and the sink was disconnected.
When was Cattywampus added to the dictionary?
When it was first used in the U.S. around 1834 as an adverb, it meant “completely, utterly or avidly.” It first appeared as a noun (catawampus) in Dickens’ Martin Chuzzlewit (1843), though it probably was first recorded as a noun in American works shortly before that.
Is Cattywampus a bad word?
Cattywampus is a variant of catawampus, another example of grand 19th century American slang. In addition to “askew” catawampus may refer to “an imaginary fierce wild animal,” or may mean “savage, destructive.”
What does Snickersnee mean?
snickersnee. / (ˈsnɪkəˌsniː) / noun archaic. a knife for cutting or thrusting. a fight with knives.
How do you spell Kattywompus?
adjective, adverb Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S. a variant of catawampus.
What is a throttlebottom?
: an innocuously inept and futile person in public office.
What does Fudgel mean?
1. Fudgel. Definition please: To “fudgel” means pretending to work without actually accomplishing anything. Can you use it in a sentence? “Gilbert spent Friday afternoon fudgeling at his desk, while counting down the hours until the weekend.”
What is a Muckspout?
a muckspout is someone who uses a lot of cursing.
What does kiddie corner mean?
: in a diagonal or oblique position the house stood kitty-corner across the square.
What is malarkey slang for?
According to Oxford Dictionaries, malarkey is “meaningless talk; nonsense,” it came into use in the 1920s and its specific origin is unknown. There is an Irish name — Mullarkey.
What does Katie corner mean?
Something that is catty-corner or kitty-corner from another thing is placed or arranged diagonally from it. There was a police car catty-corner across the street.
Is Caddy Corner correct?
This expression, meaning “diagonally opposite,” was formed from a misspelling in English of the French word quatre (“four”) prefixed to “corner.” Although the word has nothing to do with cats or kittens, in various dialects all three spellings are acceptable: “catty,” “cater” or “kitty.”
Is Caddywhompus a real word?
(informal) In disarray or disorder; askew. Measure carefully before cutting, or the entire structure will turn out cattywampus. The definition of cattywampus, often spelled catawampus, is not lined up or not arranged correctly, or diagonally.
Do you say kitty-corner or catty corner?
Garner’s Modern English Usage lists “kitty-corner” as the most common phrase, closely followed by “catty-corner,” with “cater-corner” a distant third. Even less common, Garner’s says, are the past participial forms, with “catty-corner” outperforming “catty-cornered” 5 to 1.