*skew*

adv. [ Cf. D. scheef. Dan. ski&unr_;v, Sw. skef, Icel. skeifr, G. schief, also E. shy, a. & v. i. ] Awry; obliquely; askew. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Turned or twisted to one side; situated obliquely; skewed; -- chiefly used in technical phrases. [ 1913 Webster ]

Skew arch, an oblique arch. See under Oblique. --
Skew back. (Civil Engin.) (a) The course of masonry, the stone, or the iron plate, having an inclined face, which forms the abutment for the voussoirs of a segmental arch. (b) A plate, cap, or shoe, having an inclined face to receive the nut of a diagonal brace, rod, or the end of an inclined strut, in a truss or frame. --
Skew bridge. See under Bridge, n. --
Skew curve (Geom.), a curve of double curvature, or a twisted curve. See Plane curve, under Curve. --
Skew gearing, or
Skew bevel gearing (Mach.), toothed gearing, generally resembling bevel gearing, for connecting two shafts that are neither parallel nor intersecting, and in which the teeth slant across the faces of the gears. --
Skew surface (Geom.), a ruled surface such that in general two successive generating straight lines do not intersect; a warped surface; as, the helicoid is a skew surface. --
Skew symmetrical determinant (Alg.), a determinant in which the elements in each column of the matrix are equal to the elements of the corresponding row of the matrix with the signs changed, as in (1), below. [ 1913 Webster ]

(1) 0 2 -3-2 0 53 -5 0 (2) 4 -1 71 8 -2-7 2 1 [ 1913 Webster ]

This requires that the numbers in the diagonal from the upper left to lower right corner be zeros. A like determinant in which the numbers in the diagonal are not zeros is a skew determinant, as in (2), above. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Arch.) A stone at the foot of the slope of a gable, the offset of a buttress, or the like, cut with a sloping surface and with a check to receive the coping stones and retain them in place. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Skewed p. pr. & vb. n. Skewing. ] 1. To walk obliquely; to go sidling; to lie or move obliquely. [ 1913 Webster ]

Child, you must walk straight, without skewing. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To start aside; to shy, as a horse. [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To look obliquely; to squint; hence, to look slightingly or suspiciously. Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ See Skew, adv. ] 1. To shape or form in an oblique way; to cause to take an oblique position. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To throw or hurl obliquely. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Marked with spots and patches of white and some color other than black; -- usually distinguished from piebald, in which the colors are properly white and black. Said of horses. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Probably of Scand, origin; cf. Sw. & Dan. skifer a slate. Cf. Shuver a fragment. ] A pin of wood or metal for fastening meat to a spit, or for keeping it in form while roasting. [ 1913 Webster ]

Meat well stuck with skewers to make it look round. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]