askance

IPA/əˈskæns/
KK[əskˈæns]IPA/əˈskæns/

askance — adverb

1. while feeling doubt about, or refusing to accept, a person, plan, or idea

1.副詞C2
釋義

while feeling doubt about, or refusing to accept, a person, plan, or idea

例句

Antonia looked askance at the cheap watch the stranger was trying to sell her.

look askance at + noun (the most common pattern)

Many older villagers viewed the new music festival askance for years.

view + object + askance

同義詞
反義詞
  • approvingly

    in a way that shows you accept or like something

  • trustingly

    in a way that shows you believe and rely on someone

文法句型

look askance at someone/something

用法筆記

Almost always used with verbs of looking or judging — 'look askance at', 'view askance', 'regard askance'. The 'at' phrase names the thing being distrusted.

常見錯誤

❌She felt askance about the plan.
✅She looked askance at the plan.
💡'askance' describes how you look or regard something, not a feeling you have.

2. with the eyes turned to one side, rather than looking straight ahead

2.副詞C2
釋義

with the eyes turned to one side, rather than looking straight ahead

例句

Mei tilted her head and looked askance at the painting to study its colours.

look askance: a literal sideways glance

The cat sat very still and watched the bird askance from under the chair.

同義詞
  • sideways

    plainer, far more common everyday word for the same direction

  • obliquely

    formal; means at a slanting angle

反義詞
  • directly

    straight at something, face to face

文法句型

look/glance askance

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: here the meaning is purely physical — the direction of the eyes — with no sense of distrust. Context (or a phrase like 'to one side') tells the two apart.