queer
(redirected from queer pitch)Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Idioms.
Related to queer pitch: queerish
queer
(kwîr)adj. queer·er, queer·est
1.
a. Deviating from what is expected or normal; strange: "The light above his head made a queer reflection of himself in the glowing wineglass" (Carson McCullers).
b. Odd or unconventional, as in behavior; eccentric: "His mother is very queer, with witchy hair and mismatched shoes" (Caroline Preston).
c. Of a questionable nature or character; suspicious: thought there was something queer about his explanation.
2.
a. Offensive Slang Gay or lesbian.
b. Usage Problem Of or relating to lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, or transgender people.
3. Feeling slightly ill, as in being dizzy or queasy.
n.
1. Offensive Slang Used as a disparaging term for a gay man or a lesbian.
2. Usage Problem A lesbian, gay male, bisexual, or transgender person.
tr.v. queered, queer·ing, queers Slang
To ruin or thwart: "might try to queer the Games with anything from troop movements ... to a bomb attack" (Newsweek).
[Perhaps from Low German, oblique, off-center, from Middle Low German dwer; see terkw- in Indo-European roots.]
queer′ish adj.
queer′ly adv.
queer′ness n.
Usage Note: A reclaimed word is a word that was formerly used solely as a slur but that has been semantically overturned by members of the maligned group, who use it as a term of defiant pride. Queer is an example of a word undergoing this process. For decades queer was used as a derogatory adjective for gays and lesbians, but in the 1980s the term began to be used by gay and lesbian activists as a term of self-identification. Eventually, it came to be used as an umbrella term that included gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender people. Nevertheless, a sizable percentage of people to whom this term might apply still hold queer to be a hateful insult, and its use by heterosexuals is often considered offensive. Similarly, other reclaimed words are usually offensive to the in-group when used by outsiders, so caution must be taken with their use when one is not a member of the group.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
queer
(kwɪə)adj
1. differing from the normal or usual in a way regarded as odd or strange
2. suspicious, dubious, or shady
3. faint, giddy, or queasy
4. informal offensive homosexual
5. informal odd or unbalanced mentally; eccentric or slightly mad
6. slang worthless or counterfeit
n
informal offensive a homosexual, usually a male
vb (tr)
7. to spoil or thwart (esp in the phrase queer someone's pitch)
8. to put in a difficult or dangerous position
[C16: perhaps from German quer oblique, ultimately from Old High German twērh]
ˈqueerish adj
ˈqueerly adv
ˈqueerness n
Usage: Although the term queer meaning homosexual is still considered highly offensive when used by non-homosexuals, it is often used by homosexuals themselves as a positive term, as in queer politics, queer cinema
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
queer
(kwɪər)adj. queer•er, queer•est,
v.
n. adj.
1. strange or odd from a conventional viewpoint; unusually different; eccentric.
2. of a questionable nature or character; suspicious; shady: something queer in the wording of the document.
3. not physically right or well; giddy, faint, or qualmish.
4. mentally unbalanced or deranged.
5. Slang: Usu. Disparaging and Offensive.
a. homosexual.
b. effeminate.
6. Slang. bad, worthless, or counterfeit.
v.t. 7. to spoil; ruin.
8. to put (a person) in a disadvantageous situation as to success, favor, etc.
n. 9. Slang: Usually Disparaging and Offensive. (a term used to refer to a homosexual, esp. a male.)
[1500–10; perhaps < German quer oblique, cross, adverse]
queer′ly, adv.
queer′ness, n.
usage: queer has been used as an adjective and noun meaning respectively “homosexual” and “a homosexual” since the 1920s, and for much of the time has been used in a disparaging manner. Since about 1990 the word has increasingly been adopted as a preferred term by young or radical homosexuals and in the academic community. In the mainstream homosexual community, however, gay and lesbian remain the terms of choice.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
queer
- Comes from the German root quer, "across, oblique, perverse."See also related terms for perverse.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
queer
Past participle: queered
Gerund: queering
| Imperative |
|---|
| queer |
| queer |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  queer - offensive term for an openly homosexual mangay man, shirtlifter - a homosexual man |
| Verb | 1. |  queer - hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of; "What ultimately frustrated every challenger was Ruth's amazing September surge"; "foil your opponent"disappoint, let down - fail to meet the hopes or expectations of; "Her boyfriend let her down when he did not propose marriage" foreclose, forestall, preclude, prevent, forbid - keep from happening or arising; make impossible; "My sense of tact forbids an honest answer"; "Your role in the projects precludes your involvement in the competitive project" dash - destroy or break; "dashed ambitions and hopes" short-circuit - hamper the progress of; impede; "short-circuit warm feelings" ruin - destroy or cause to fail; "This behavior will ruin your chances of winning the election" |
| 2. | queer - put in a dangerous, disadvantageous, or difficult position affect, bear upon, impact, bear on, touch on, touch - have an effect upon; "Will the new rules affect me?" compromise - expose or make liable to danger, suspicion, or disrepute; "The nuclear secrets of the state were compromised by the spy" | |
| Adj. | 1. | queer - beyond or deviating from the usual or expected; "a curious hybrid accent"; "her speech has a funny twang"; "they have some funny ideas about war"; "had an odd name"; "the peculiar aromatic odor of cloves"; "something definitely queer about this town"; "what a rum fellow"; "singular behavior" |
| 2. | queer - homosexual or arousing homosexual desires homosexual - sexually attracted to members of your own sex |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
queer
adjective
1. strange, odd, funny, unusual, extraordinary, remarkable, curious, weird, peculiar, abnormal, rum (Brit. slang), uncommon, erratic, singular, eerie, unnatural, unconventional, uncanny, disquieting, unorthodox, outlandish, left-field (informal), anomalous, droll, atypical, outré If you ask me, there's something queer going on.
strange normal, regular, ordinary, common, natural, straight, conventional, orthodox, rational, customary, believable, unexceptional, unoriginal
strange normal, regular, ordinary, common, natural, straight, conventional, orthodox, rational, customary, believable, unexceptional, unoriginal
2. (Informal, derogatory) gay, camp, homosexual, pink (informal) contemporary queer culture
noun
1. (Informal, derogatory) homosexual, queen (informal), gay, lesbian, homo (informal, derogatory), pansy (informal, derogatory), poof (Brit. & Austral. derogatory slang), batty boy (slang), shirt-lifter (derogatory slang), woofter (derogatory slang) She knows more queers than I do.
verb spoil help, aid, boost, enhance
Usage: Although the term queer meaning `gay' is still considered derogatory when used by non-gays, it is now being used by gay people themselves as a positive term in certain contexts, such as queer politics, queer cinema. Nevertheless, many gay people would not wish to have the term applied to them, nor would they use it of themselves.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
queer
adjectiveThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
شَخْص لواطيغَريب، غَريبلوطي، مُصاب بِشُذوذ جِنْسيمُتَوَعِّك المَزاج
особенстраненхомосексуаленчудат
buzikhomoušpodivnýpřihřátýšpatně
bøssehomoseksuelsygunderligutilpas
hinttiomituinenoutopervo
buzifurcsa
lasinn, slappurundarlegur
lytiškai iškrypęs
dīvainshomoseksuālistshomoseksuālsneparastsnevesels
buzerantpociťujúci nevoľnosť
nenavaden
queer
[kwɪəʳ]A. ADJ (queerer (compar) (queerest (superl)))
1. (= odd) → raro, extraño
there's something queer going on → pasa algo raro or extraño
there was a queer noise coming from the kitchen → había un ruido raro en la cocina
to be queer in the head → andar mal de la cabeza
to be in Queer Street (Brit) → estar en apuros
there's something queer going on → pasa algo raro or extraño
there was a queer noise coming from the kitchen → había un ruido raro en la cocina
to be queer in the head → andar mal de la cabeza
to be in Queer Street (Brit) → estar en apuros
2. (Brit) (o.f.) (= ill) to feel queer → no sentirse bien, encontrarse mal
to come over queer → ponerse malo
to come over queer → ponerse malo
C. VT to queer sb's pitch → fastidiar a algn
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
queer
[ˈkwɪər] adj
(old-fashioned) (= odd) → étrange, curieux/euse
(offensive) (= homosexual) [man] → pédé
(= gay) [culture, activism, politics] → homo
(British) (= sick) I feel queer → je ne me sens pas bien
n
(offensive) → pédé m
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
queer
adj (+er)
(= strange) → eigenartig, seltsam, komisch; (= eccentric) → komisch, kauzig; (inf: = mentally unbalanced) → nicht ganz richtig (im Kopf) (inf); a queer-sounding name → ein komischer Name; he’s a bit queer in the head (inf) → er ist nicht ganz richtig im Kopf (inf); doesn’t it feel queer being the only woman? → kommst du dir nicht komisch vor als einzige Frau?
(= causing suspicion) → verdächtig, nicht ganz hasenrein (inf); there’s something queer about it → da ist etwas faul dran (inf)
(inf) (= unwell) → unwohl; (= peculiar) feeling → komisch; I feel queer (= unwell) → mir ist nicht gut; (= peculiar) → mir ist ganz komisch (inf); I came over all queer → mir wurde ganz anders (inf) → or komisch (inf)
(pej inf: = homosexual) → schwul (inf)
n (pej inf: = homosexual) → Schwule(r) mf (inf)
vt (inf: = spoil) → versauen (inf), → vermasseln (inf); to queer somebody’s pitch (inf) → jdm einen Strich durch die Rechnung machen
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
queer
[kwɪəʳ]1. adj (-er (comp) (-est (superl)))
a. (odd) → strano/a, curioso/a, singolare
he's a queer customer → è un tipo strano
there's something queer going on here → qui c'è qualcosa che non va
queer in the head (fam) → tocco/a, picchiato/a
he's a queer customer → è un tipo strano
there's something queer going on here → qui c'è qualcosa che non va
queer in the head (fam) → tocco/a, picchiato/a
c. (fam, offensive) (homosexual) → omosessuale
d. (suspicious) → dubbio/a, sospetto/a
2. n (old) (fam, offensive, YYY) (male homosexual) → finocchio
3. vt to queer sb's pitch (fam) → rovinare tutto a qn, rompere le uova nel paniere a qn
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
queer
(kwiə) adjective1. odd, strange or unusual. queer behaviour; queer noises in the middle of the night.
2. sick; unwell. I do feel a bit queer – perhaps I ate too many oysters.
3. (slang) homosexual.
noun a homosexual.
ˈqueerly adverbˈqueerness noun
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
queer
a. raro-a, excéntrico-a; [slang] homosexual, invertido, maricón.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012