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# askance

adverb

«askance» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To look askance at something or someone is to look at them with doubt, suspicion or disapproval. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/askance/#m1)
2. (old) Askance means sideways, out of the corner of your eye. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/askance/#m2)

### In the lessons

Used in stories and formal writing: «the neighbours looked askance at Toad's new motor car» means they did not approve. It shows that people doubt or distrust something without saying so.

### Examples

- The old ladies looked askance at the noisy children. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/askance/#x1)
- The teacher looked askance at his excuse. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/askance/#x2)
- Badger looked askance at Toad's new hobby. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/askance/#x3)
- People looked askance at the strange visitor. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/askance/#x4)
- She glanced askance at the plate of snails. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/askance/#x5)
- The cat eyed the dog askance. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/askance/#x6)

### Note

Almost always in «look askance at». Pronounced a-SKANSS. Formal and literary.

## In Jewish tradition

In the Psalm the mountains are pictured as looking with envy or scorn at the mountain God chose.

**Interpretation.** Commentators read it as the high mountains envying Mount Zion, which God chose as His home. It teaches that God prefers a humble place to a tall one.

### Examples

- Why look ye askance, ye mountains of peaks, at the mountain which God hath desired for His abode? (Writings PSA.68.17, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/askance/#x1)

### Note

Almost always in «look askance at». Pronounced a-SKANSS. Formal and literary.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «askance» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/askance/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«askance» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/askance.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «askance» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/askance/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«askance» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/askance.html) on Mova free.