tilt

¹ American  

[tilt] / tɪlt /

verb (used with object)

1. to cause to lean, incline, slope, or slant.

2. to rush at or charge, as in a joust.

3. to hold poised for attack, as a lance.

4. to move (a camera) up or down on its vertical axis for photographing or televising a moving character, object, or the like.

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verb (used without object)

1. to move into or assume a sloping position or direction.

2. to strike, thrust, or charge with a lance or the like (usually followed byat ).

3. to engage in a joust, tournament, or similar contest.

4. (of a camera) to move on its vertical axis.

   The camera tilts downward for an overhead shot.

5. to incline in opinion, feeling, etc.; lean.

   She's tilting toward the other candidate this year.

noun

1. an act or instance of tilting.

2. the state of being tilted; a sloping position.

3. a slope.

4. a joust or any other contest.

5. a dispute; controversy.

6. a thrust of a weapon, as at a tilt or joust.

7. (in aerial photography) the angle formed by the direction of aim of a camera and a perpendicular to the surface of the earth.

idioms

1. tilt at windmills, to contend against imaginary opponents or injustices. Also fight with windmills.

2. (at) full tilt. full tilt.

tilt ² American  

[tilt] / tɪlt /

noun

1. a cover of coarse cloth, canvas, etc., as for a wagon.

2. an awning.

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verb (used with object)

1. to furnish with a tilt.

tilt ¹ British  

/ tɪlt /

verb

1. to incline or cause to incline at an angle

2. (usually intr) to attack or overthrow (a person or people) in a tilt or joust

3. to aim or thrust

   to tilt a lance

4. (tr) to work or forge with a tilt hammer

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noun

1. a slope or angle

   at a tilt

2. the act of tilting

3. 1. a jousting contest

   2. a thrust with a lance or pole delivered during a tournament

4. an attempt to win a contest

5. See tilt hammer

6. at full speed or force

tilt ² British  

/ tɪlt /

noun

1. an awning or canopy, usually of canvas, for a boat, booth, etc

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verb

1. (tr) to cover or provide with a tilt

Other Word Forms

• tiltable adjective
• tilter noun

Etymology

Origin of tilt¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English tilte(n), tilt(e), tult “to fall down, upset, tumble,” akin to Old English tealt “unsteady,” tealtian “to stumble”; compare dialectal Norwegian tylta “to tiptoe,” tylten “unsteady,” Swedish tulta “to totter”

Origin of tilt²

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English teld(e), telt(e), tild(e) “dwelling (temporary or permanent), fort, tent,” Old English teld “tent, pavilion”; cognate with German Zelt “tent,” Old Norse tjald “tent, tapestry, curtain”

Example Sentences

These observations provide the clearest picture yet of where Uranus's auroras take shape and how its unusually tilted magnetic field affects them.

From Science Daily

Mr. Curran discusses two works in particular that helped tilt the balance in favor of fair play, both published in 1913.

From The Wall Street Journal

One of the rescuers told the court she had her rucksack on and her head was tilted back.

From BBC

According to the survey, asset allocators—people deploying money into funds of various assets for families and institutions—have tilted their customers’ portfolios relatively heavily toward stocks.

From Barron's

“Maybe a little bit,” Katherine said, tilting her head to the side thoughtfully.

From Literature

Related Words

• bend
• dip
• incline
• lurch
• shift
• sway
• tip