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Cattywampus vs Crooked - What's the difference?

cattywampus | crooked |

As adjectives the difference between cattywampus and crooked

is that cattywampus is (informal) in disarray or disorder; askew while crooked is not straight; having one or more bends or angles.

As a verb crooked is

(crook).

cattywampus

English

Adjective

(-)
  • (informal) In disarray or disorder; askew.
    • Measure carefully before cutting, or the entire structure will turn out cattywampus .
  • Not directly across from nor adjacent to.
    • City hall is cattywampus to the post office

    Alternative forms

    * catawampus * kittywampus (slang)

    See also

    * skewampus * catercorner Appalachian English

    crooked

    English

    Etymology 1

    From crook, equivalent to .

    Verb

    (head)
  • (crook)

    • Etymology 2

    From (etyl) croked, crokid, past participle of . More at (l).

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Not straight; having one or more bends or angles.
    • We walked up the crooked path to the top of the hill.
  • Set at an angle; not vertical or square.
    • That picture is crooked - could you straighten it up for me?
  • (figuratively) Dishonest or illegal; corrupt.
    • He was trying to interest me in another one of his crooked deals.