askance English · revision 1175

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /əˈskæns/, /əˈskɑːns/ ''(UK)''; /əˈskæns/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ Its origin is obscure.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) Barnhart derives it from Middle English ''ascaunce'' “as if, pretending that”,^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) an alteration of ''ase quances'' “in such a way that”,^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) from ''as'' and [[fro|quanses|t=as though]],^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) from [[la|quamsi]], a variant of ''quasi'' “as if”.^(Barnhart 1995) The OED, however, treats the two words separately and does not connect them.^(Etymonline) Other guesses include Italian ''a scancio'' “obliquely” and a link with [[askew]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Sideways, askew, with a side glance (1530).^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the phrases ''to look askance'' and ''to eye askance'' (from 1579) the meaning varied between writers,^(OED 1989) but it settled on looking at someone or something with disapproval, suspicion or distrust.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1333 – ''ase quances'' “even as”.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * about 1395 – ''ascaunce'' “as if”.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1530 – ''askance'', sideways.^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1579 – ''to look askance''.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # With [[disapproval]], suspicion or distrust.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # With a side glance; [[oblique|alt=obliquely]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[askew]]

+ * [[askant]]

+ * [[quasi]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Random House lists ''skeptically'' and ''suspiciously'' as synonyms.^(RHWU) Merriam-Webster and Random House give ''askant'' as a variant.^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}