This has been gone through before, either in this thread or another.
catawampus- a peculiar or remarkable thing or person.
1833- Paulding, "Lion of the West." On my way I took a squint at my wild lands along by the Big Muddy and Little Muddy to Bear Grass Creek, and had what I call a rael roundabout catawampus, clean through the destrict.
Dickens, "Chuzzlewit." There air some catawampous chewers in the small way too.


Catawampus v. to confuse, confound, injure or damage.
1839, in Matthews, Dictionary of Americanisms. A catawompussed fix.
To warp- in Dialect Notes, 1906- The fire just catawampused this boiler.

Catawampus v. to move diagonally (related to catercorner). 1902, Dialect Notes.
From Lighter, "Historical Dictionary of American Slang, vol. 1.
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Cater n. to place or set rhomboidally; to move or go diagonally.
1577. Thus caterwise, cater-cornered, etc., 19th c. Oxford English Dictionary.
catercorner, 1838, in a diagonal or oblique position, etc. Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.

Cater once referred to four, thus the 4-cornered 'catercap' of
academics.