From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Athwart \A*thwart"\, prep. [Pref. a- + thwart.]
1. Across; from side to side of.
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Athwart the thicket lone. --Tennyson.
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2. (Naut.) Across the direction or course of; as, a fleet
standing athwart our course.
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Athwart hawse, across the stem of another vessel, whether
in contact or at a small distance.
Athwart ships, across the ship from side to side, or in
that direction; -- opposed to fore and aft.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Athwart \A*thwart"\, adv.
1. Across, especially in an oblique direction; sidewise;
obliquely.
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Sometimes athwart, sometimes he strook him straight.
--Spenser.
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2. Across the course; so as to thwart; perversely.
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All athwart there came
A post from Wales loaden with heavy news. --Shak.
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From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
athwart
adv 1: at right angles to the center line of a ship
2: at an oblique angle; "the sun shone aslant into his face"
[syn: obliquely, aslant, athwart]