It's the Word of the Day podcast for September 15th.
Today's word is a scance spelled A-S-K-A-N-C-E.
A scance is an adverb.
It means in a way that shows a lack of trust or approval or with a side glance.
Here's the word used in a sentence from the Times Picayune.
In other cultures, they might look a scant at such a gnarly, leggy thing wedged into a loaf.
But we know that a whole-fried soft-shell crab is one of the gifts of Southeast Louisiana's robust seafood heritage.
As with the similar word, side-eye,
writers over the years have used a scant literally when someone is looking with a side glance and figuratively when such a glance is conveying disapproval or distrust.
Back in the days of Middle English,
you could use a sconce and a scance and a sconces to mean in such a way that,
as if to say, and artificially or deceptively.
It's likely that a scance developed from these forms with some help from a squint,
meaning obliquely or askew.
A scance was first used in the 16th century with the meaning sideways or with a sideways glance.
With your Word of the Day, I'm Peter Sokolowski.