Obsolete or dialectal term meaning 'awry' or 'askew'; not straight or proper.
Possibly from Old Norse or Middle English origin, related to words meaning 'crooked' or 'twisted.' The exact etymology is uncertain and the word has largely disappeared from modern usage.
This rare word reminds us that English has vast vocabularies hidden in old texts and regional dialects—hundreds of perfectly useful words have vanished simply because they went out of fashion, like linguistic fashion victims.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.