- kilter
- kilter (n.) in out of kilter (1620s) variant of English dialectal kelter (c.1600) "good condition, order," of unknown origin.
Etymology dictionary. 2014.
kilter
Look at other dictionaries:
kilter — kil ter (k[i^]l t[ e]r), n. [Cf. Gael. & Ir. cealt clothes, Gael. cealltair spear, castle, cause, Prov. E. kilter tool, instrument. Cf. {Kilt}.] Regular order or proper condition. Same as {kelter}, but {kilter} is the more common spelling in the… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
kilter — ► NOUN (in phrase out of kilter) ▪ out of harmony or balance. ORIGIN of unknown origin … English terms dictionary
kilter — [kil′tər] n. [< ?] Informal good condition; proper order: now chiefly in out of kilter … English World dictionary
kilter — [[t]kɪ̱ltə(r)[/t]] 1) PHRASE: oft v link PHR with n If one thing is out of kilter with another, the first thing does not agree with or fit in with the second. Her lifestyle was out of kilter with her politics... President, parliament and public… … English dictionary
kilter — kil|ter [ kıltər ] noun off kilter or out of kilter slightly strange or crazy, or not right in some way: Things are really out of kilter in our relationship. out of kilter with different from something else, in a way that spoils a situation or… … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
kilter — kil|ter [ˈkıltə US ər] n out of kilter/off kilter not working as well as usual ▪ Pollution has thrown the Earth s chemistry out of kilter … Dictionary of contemporary English
kilter — Kelter Kel ter, n. [Cf. Gael. & Ir. cealt clothes, Gael. cealltair spear, castle, cause, Prov. E. kilter tool, instrument. Cf. {Kilt}.] Regular order or proper condition. [Usually written {kilter} in th U. S.] [Colloq., chiefly British spelling]… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
kilter — noun out of kilter not working as well as usual: Things in my life seem all out of kilter lately … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
kilter — UK [ˈkɪltə(r)] / US [ˈkɪltər] noun off kilter out of kilter with … English dictionary
kilter — See: OUT OF KILTER … Dictionary of American idioms
