kilter

[ kil-ter ]

noun

1. good condition; order:

   The engine was out of kilter.

2. Poker. skeet ².

kilter

/ ˈkɪltə /

noun

1. working order or alignment (esp in the phrases off kilter, out of kilter )

Word History and Origins

Origin of kilter¹

First recorded in 1630–40; variant of dial. kelter < ?

Word History and Origins

Origin of kilter¹

C17: origin unknown

Idioms and Phrases

see out of kilter .

Example Sentences

"I had explained the situation to him... and then he asked a very off kilter question about sex, which kind of threw me a little bit," she said.

From BBC

But Francis Green, professor of work and education economics at University College London, said the “hullabaloo” about the policy is out of kilter given the amount it is projected to raise - 2.6% of the £57bn England schools budget.

From BBC

Mr Rodríguez says that during daylight hours, when solar energy output is particularly strong, the supply-demand balance can be pushed out of kilter, having an impact on prices.

From BBC

“We build a statistical profile around what good normal looks like. We can see, based on the data the bank has, if something is normal behaviour, or anomalistic and out of kilter.”

From BBC

"These are things that we didn't recommend for the other parts of the UK because they are so far out of kilter with the steps we feel the country needs to take over all."

From BBC