Useful English Word or Phrase to Boost Your English: Skew-whiff

What does it mean?

If something is skew-whiff, it means it’s not straight, it’s crooked, or it’s slightly out of alignment. It can also be used to describe a plan or a situation that has gone slightly wrong.

Is it positive or negative?

Slightly negative or neutral. It usually describes a minor imperfection or a small mistake.

When do you use it?

Use it when you're hanging a picture on the wall and it's not level, or when your tie is crooked. It’s a very common, expressive word used in informal British conversation.

Examples

Example 1: "That shelf you put up is a bit skew-whiff; we need to adjust it."

Example 2: "The whole project went a bit skew-whiff when our lead designer left the company."

Question for you

Are you the kind of person who notices when a picture frame is 'skew-whiff', or do you not really care?

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