/ tɪlt; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb
1.
[usually + adv. / prep. ] to move, or make sth move, into a position with one side or end higher than the other
SYN tip :
[ v ]
Suddenly the boat tilted to one side
The seat tilts forward, when you press this lever.
[ vn ]
His hat was tilted slightly at an angle.
She tilted her head back and looked up at me with a smile.
2.
to make sth/sb change slightly so that one particular opinion, person, etc. is preferred or more likely to succeed than another; to change in this way :
[ vn ]
The conditions may tilt the balance in favour of the Kenyan runners.
[ v ]
Popular opinion has tilted in favour of the socialists.
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IDIOMS
- tilt at windmills
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PHRASAL VERBS
- tilt at sb/sth
- tilt at sth
■ noun
1.
a position in which one end or side of sth is higher than the other; an act of tilting sth to one side :
The table is at a slight tilt.
He answered with a tilt of his head.
2.
an attempt to win sth or defeat sb :
She aims to have a tilt at the world championship next year.
•
IDIOMS
- (at) full tilt / pelt
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (in the sense fall or cause to fall, topple) : perhaps related to Old English tealt unsteady , or perhaps of Scandinavian origin and related to Norwegian tylten unsteady and Swedish tulta totter.