Off-Kilter
In Appalachian and Southern speech, "off-kilter" means crooked, unbalanced, or out of proper alignment. It can also describe people or situations that feel unsettled or "not right."
Hillbilly Dude Says...
Off-kilter is one of those everday terms. Hear it and use it all the time. Hillbilly Dude Says...
Off-kilter is one of those everday terms. Hear it and use it all the time. Pronunciation
[OFF-kil-ter]
Meaning & Usage
- Tilted, crooked (adjective)
Mae:
That railing’s off-kilter. Better fix it ‘fore someone leans on it.
That railing’s off-kilter. Better fix it ‘fore someone leans on it.
Earl:
Reckon I’ll get the hammer.
Reckon I’ll get the hammer.- Unsettled, not right (adjective)
Mae:
Ever since the layoff, he’s been a little off-kilter.
Ever since the layoff, he’s been a little off-kilter.
Earl:
Yeah, he ain’t himself these days.
Yeah, he ain’t himself these days.variations: askew, crooked, off balance, out of whack, not right
★ "Off-kilter" works both ways: it’s handy for wobbly furniture *and* for describing moods or situations that feel out of balance. ★
Origin and Etymology
From Scots-Irish English, where "kilter" meant good order or condition (1600s). Settlers carried it to Appalachia, where "off-kilter" stuck as a way to describe things not quite right.
Usage Notes
Still common in Appalachia and the South, but also widely recognized across America. It’s one of those mountain words with older European roots that became part of everyday speech.
Say It Like a Southerner
Say it straight: "off-kil-ter." Stress the first word, keep it even.