tilt

tilt

tilt¹ [tilt]

vt.

[ME tilten, to be overthrown, totter, prob. < OE * tieltan < tealt, shaky, unstable; akin to Swed tulta, to totter < IE base * del-, to waddle, totter > Sans dulā, she who totters]

1. to cause to slope or slant; tip

2.

a) to poise or thrust (a lance) in or as in a tilt

b) to charge at (one's opponent) in a tilt

3. to forge or hammer with a tilt hammer

4. to direct (a discussion, policy, etc.) so as to favor a particular opinion or side

vi.

1. to slope; incline; slant; tip

2. to poise or thrust one's lance, or to charge (at one's opponent) in a tilt

3. to take part in a tilt or joust

4. to dispute, argue, contend, attack, etc.

5. to have, or come to have, a bias or inclination in favor of a particular opinion or side in a dispute

n.

1. a medieval contest in which two armed horsemen thrust with lances in an attempt to unseat each other; joust

2. any spirited contest, contention, dispute, etc. between persons

3. a thrust or parry, as with a lance

4.

a) the act of tilting, or sloping

b) the condition or angle of being tilted; slope or slant

☆ 5. Informal a leaning, bias, etc.

——————

at full tilt or full tilt

at full speed; with the greatest force

tilter

n.

tilt² [tilt]

n.

[ME telte < OE teld, tent, akin to Ger zelt]

a cloth covering or canopy of a boat, stall, cart, etc.

vt.

to furnish or cover with a tilt