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queer
[ kweer ]
adjective
- strange or odd from a conventional viewpoint; unusually different; singular:
The court has a queer notion of justice.
Synonyms: weird, eccentric, freakish, curious, unconventional
Antonyms: ordinary
- Sometimes Disparaging and Offensive. (of a person) gay or lesbian.
- noting or relating to a sexual orientation or gender identity that falls outside the heterosexual mainstream or the gender binary.
- of a questionable nature or character; suspicious; shady:
Something queer about the language of the prospectus kept investors away.
- not feeling physically right or well; giddy, faint, or qualmish:
If you feel queer, you should lie down for a bit.
- mentally unbalanced or deranged.
- Slang. bad, worthless, or counterfeit.
verb (used with object)
- to put (a person) in a hopeless or disadvantageous situation as to success, favor, etc.
- to jeopardize.
- to interpret, analyze, or reconstruct (a narrative) based on the perspectives of people whose experiences fall outside normative ideas of gender and sexuality, especially in academic research and criticism: Her pioneering research queered the portrayal of medical professionals by emphasizing the work of LGBTQ+ doctors.
This film queers the Western genre by introducing a transgender lead.
Her pioneering research queered the portrayal of medical professionals by emphasizing the work of LGBTQ+ doctors.
noun
- Often Disparaging and Offensive. (The noun “a queer” is often used with disparaging intent and considered offensive even among those who approve of the corresponding adjective “queer.” The plural “queers” is less likely to offend than the singular “a queer.”)
- a gay or lesbian person.
- a person whose sexual orientation or gender identity falls outside the heterosexual mainstream or the gender binary.
- Slang. counterfeit money.
queer
/ kwɪə /
adjective
- differing from the normal or usual in a way regarded as odd or strange
- suspicious, dubious, or shady
- faint, giddy, or queasy
- informal.homosexual
- informal.odd or unbalanced mentally; eccentric or slightly mad
- slang.worthless or counterfeit
noun
- informal.a homosexual, usually a male
verb
- to spoil or thwart (esp in the phrase queer someone's pitch )
- to put in a difficult or dangerous position
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Usage Alert
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Usage
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Sensitive Note
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Derived Forms
- ˈqueerish, adjective
- ˈqueerness, noun
- ˈqueerly, adverb
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Other Words From
- queer·ly adverb
- queer·ness noun
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Word History and Origins
Origin of queer1
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Word History and Origins
Origin of queer1
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Idioms and Phrases
- queer the pitch, British Informal. to spoil the chances of success.
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Synonym Study
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Example Sentences
Also around this time, Hollywood began to put the pioneering filmmakers of New Queer Cinema on their payroll.
A simple "Queer as Folk sex scenes" Google search unleashes a torrent of more of Hunnam's sex scenes from the series.
Queer feels much more like home, it feels much more descriptive to me than bisexual.
On television, the show that broke all boundaries for gay sex was Queer as Folk.
"Queer fellow," muttered Cutter, as he returned to Madame Patoff's side.
"Queer literature for such a girl to be perusing," was his mental observation.
Queer things to be remembering, but she saw just how he looked, holding the screen door open as he said it.
The alphabet being repeated in accordance with the signal, "Queer Pals" was spelt out.
Queer, how Uncle Louis went to seed—I mean, didn't amount to anything along any business or professional line.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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