off-kilter

[ awf-kil-ter, of‐ ]

/ ˈɔfˈkɪl tər, ˈɒf‐ /

not exactly straight or balanced; askew; uneven: off-kilter paintings on every wall.

not completely well; somewhat ill: still off-kilter two weeks after the flu.

unusual or eccentric; unconventional: short stories with off-kilter endings.

QUIZZES

American English is not always as it appears to be ... get to know regional words in this quiz!

Question 1 of 10

A bet is synonymous with a wager, but what does it mean in New York?

First recorded in 1925–30; off + kilter

Does it give you any anxiety to be so convincing at playing a character so off-kilter?
Inside the Mind of The Mindy Project’s Resident Weirdo, Ike Barinholtz|Kevin Fallon|September 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
After all, just about any off-kilter statement can be taken seriously if it comes from a member of Congress.
10 GOP Rebranding Roadblocks|Ben Jacobs|January 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
One nice, anti-surreal detail from Sala: Thanks to skewed gears in its innards, his off-kilter clock tells perfect time.
A Face That Needs Work|Blake Gopnik|June 7, 2012|DAILY BEAST
It's meant to feel rough and off-kilter, because he's starting over, abandoning form.
Novelist Kate Christensen's Winning Novels About Losers||June 13, 2011|DAILY BEAST

The cancellation of Terriers is truly television's loss; its gritty vision, off-kilter humor, and immense heart will be missed.
The Best and Worst TV Shows of the Year|Jace Lacob|December 19, 2010|DAILY BEAST