catawampus

comparative more catawampus · superlative most catawampus · alternative catawampous · alternative catawamptious · alternative cattywampus · alternative cattywampous · alternative kittywampus · alternative kittywumpus · alternative caddywompus · alternative caliwampus · alternative caliwampous · alternative cankywampus

1. USOut of alignment, in disarray or disorder: crooked, askew.

   "Waal, I noticed ez the aidge o' one o' them boards war sot sorter catawampus, ...".

   1885, Charles Egbert Craddock, Down the Ravine

   1 more example

   "Remember when Justin missed the T in the software code and tanked the reports for the client. What a catawampus that was.".

   (Can we date this quote?), (Please provide the book title or journal name)

   Synonyms: askew, awry, crooked, off-kilter, sigogglin, skewampus, skiwampus, destructive

comparative more catawampus · superlative most catawampus

1. USDiagonally.
2. USUtterly.

plural catawampuses · alternative cattywampus

1. USA fierce imaginary animal.

   But speaking scientifickly, the wowser is a cross Between the cattywampus and and the dry-land albatross With parts of grizzly bear throwed in, and just enough of 'coon To give him rings around his tail, like rings around the moon.

   1968, Squire Omar Barker, Rawhide Rhymes: Singing Poems of the Old West, page 10

comparative more catawampus · superlative most catawampus · alternative cattywampus

1. USFierce, destructive.

   There air some catawampous chawers in the small way too, as graze upon a human pretty strong; but don't mind them, they're company.

   1844, Charles Dickens, chapter 21, in The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit