Word: skew Part of Speech: verb Etymology: The verb is derived from Middle English skeuen, skewe, skewen (“to run at an angle or obliquely; to escape”), from Old Northern French escuer [and other forms], variants of Old French eschuer, eschever, eschiver (“to escape, flee; to avoid”) (modern French esquiver (“to dodge (a blow), duck; to elude, evade; to slip away; to sidestep”)), from Frankish *skiuhan (“to dread; to avoid, shun”), from Proto-Germanic *skiuhijaną (“to frighten”). The English word is cognate with Catalan esquiu (“evasive, shy”), Danish skæv (“crooked, slanting; skew, wry”) (> Norwegian Bokmål skjev), Dutch scheef (“crooked, slanting”), Norwegian skeiv (“crooked, lopsided; oblique, slanting; distorted”), Saterland Frisian skeeuw (“aslant, slanting; oblique; awry”), and is a doublet of eschew. The adjective and adverb are probably derived from the verb and/or from askew, and the noun is derived from either the adjective or the verb. Pronunciation: /skjuː/, /skjʉw/, /skju/ 1. To form or shape in an oblique way; to cause to take an oblique position. Labels: transitive Example: When making this joint it is important to see that the eccentric or crank is at dead-centre; if it is at the end or limit of its stroke, the rubber is skewed the full length of same; if it is at the centre, the skewing, which is the cause of wear, is halved. Example: Thus asynchronous torques cannot be avoided but can be reduced by proper choice of coil span and by skewing the stator or rotor slots. 2. To form or shape in an oblique way; to cause to take an oblique position. Labels: transitive Example: We have looked at the obese and anorexic communities, whose conditions fall on a curve skewed towards overweight for determining the social norm of body weight and who face a golden-mean social ideal of body weight. 3. To bias or distort in a particular direction. Labels: transitive Example: A disproportionate number of female subjects in the study group skewed the results. Example: Accordingly, public policy can be skewed towards certain interest groups which have the best organization and most resources; it can be skewed towards certain politically powerful state agencies; and it can be skewed by intense rivalries between different sectors of government itself. 4. To hurl or throw. Labels: Northumbria, Yorkshire, transitive 5. To move obliquely; to move sideways, to sidle; to lie obliquely. Labels: intransitive Example: Child, (ſays the Mother) You muſt Uſe your ſelf to Walk Streight, without Skewing, and Shailing ſo Every Step you ſet: Pray Mother (ſays the Young Crab) do but ſet the Example your ſelf, and I'll follow ye. Example: [T]he plaintiff's surveyor says, his line struck the house ten inches in the rear and fifteen inches in the front; and farther that the "house is a little skewing and is not set exactly square." 6. To jump back or sideways in fear or surprise; to shy, as a horse. Labels: intransitive Example: The horses capered. One tore its reins from her hands, burning a trail across her palms. She clung to the other as it pulled against the restraint. Frantically, Brienne moved to its side, pitching the reins over the beast's head, and jammed her foot into the stirrup. The horse skewed, drawing her along on one foot. 7. To look at obliquely; to squint; hence, to look slightingly or suspiciously. Labels: intransitive Example: [C]an this durt draw us / To ſuch a ſtupid tameneſſe, that our ſervice / Neglected, and look'd lamely on, and skewd at / With a few honourable words, and this, is righted? Example: The cows stood round her in a wondering way, / And kept the stranger with her fears at bay; / They tost their heads and snuff'd the morning gales, / Skewing at her: [...]