cat·a·wam·pus
[kat-uh-wom-puhs]
Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S.
adjective
1. askew; awry.
2. positioned diagonally; cater-cornered.
adverb
3. diagonally; obliquely: We took a shortcut and walked catawampus across the field.
Also, cattywampus [kat-ee-wom-puhs, kat-uh-]
Origin:
Catawampus arose in the United States around 1840, during a particular vogue in elaborate
coinages. Cata-stems from cater-, a now-archaic root meaning "diagonal," while the source
of -wampus is subject to debate.
Quotes:
Very circuitous, I must say- most sidelong and backhanded, cockeyed and
skew-jawed, catawampus and wonky.
-- Candace A. Croft, Annalia's Simply Splendid Flight: From Another Side of Day
The only traditional touches are the catawampus walls and whichaway entrances dictated by
Feng Shui, the art of placing things so as to ensure luck and not disturb spirits.
-- P. J. O'Rourke, Eat the rich
The word is available on their Obsolete American Slang flash cards. How funny!
Also one guy offered an alternative definition: "a fierce, imaginary animal, the sort of
vicious critter that jumps you in the woods shortly before you're never seen again." Haha!
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