Is catawampus a real word?
diagonally; obliquely. We took a shortcut and walked catawampus across the field. Also: cattywampus. [1830–40 for earlier sense “utterly”; cata- diagonally ( see cater-cornered) + -wampus, perh. akin to wampish]This word is first recorded in the period 1830–40.
We always used kitty corner from the crick. I reckons.