catawampus: Meaning and Definition of

cat•a•wam•pus

Pronunciation: (kat"u-wom'pus), [key]
— Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S. Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S.
—adj.
  1. askew; awry.
  2. positioned diagonally; cater-cornered.
—adv.
  1. diagonally; obliquely: We took a shortcut and walked catawampus across the field.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.