or kilter, subs. (old).—1. Order; condition; FORM (q.v.).
1630–50. W. BRADFORD, History of Plymouth Plantation, 235. Ye very sight of one [a gun], though OUT OF KILTER, was a terrour unto them.
1687. BARROW, Sermons, i. Ser. 6. If the organs of prayer are out of KELTER, or out of time, how can we pray.
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. Out of KELTER, out of sorts.
1725. A New Canting Dictionary, s.v.
1754. MARTIN, English Dictionary, 2nd ed., s.v.
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v.
1811. GROSE and CLARKE, Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.
1859. G. W. MATSELL, Vocabulum; or, The Rogue’s Lexicon, s.v.
1889. C. F. WOOLSON, Jupiter Lights, xviii. I’m a failure because I always see double, like a stereoscope OUT OF KILTER.
2. (old).—Money. For synonyms, see ACTUAL and GILT. [Also provincial Yorkshire (HALLIWELL); and Scots’ (JAMIESON).]
1789. G. PARKER, Life’s Painter, p. 143, s.v.
