tilt / tilt/ • v. 1. move or cause to move into a sloping position: [intr.] the floor tilted slightly| fig. the balance of industrial power tilted toward the workers | [tr.] he tilted his head to one side. ∎ fig. incline or cause to incline toward a particular opinion: [intr.] he is tilting toward a new economic course. ∎  [tr.] move (a camera) in a vertical plane.2. [intr.] (tilt at) hist. (in jousting) thrust at with a lance or other weapon: he tilts at his prey | fig. the lonely hero tilting at the system. ∎  (tilt with) archaic engage in a contest with: I resolved never to tilt with a French lady in compliment.• n. 1. a sloping position or movement: the tilt of her head the coffee cup was on a tilt. ∎  an upward or downward pivoting movement of a camera: pans and tilts. ∎  an inclination or bias: the paper's tilt toward the Republicans. ∎ short for tilt hammer.2. hist. a combat for exercise or sport between two men on horseback with lances; a joust. ∎  (tilt at) an attempt at winning (something) or defeating (someone), esp. in sports: a tilt at the championship.PHRASES: (at) full tilt with maximum energy or force; at top speed.tilt at windmills attack imaginary enemies or evils.DERIVATIVES: tilt·er n.

Tilt ★ 1978 (PG)

Flimsy storyline concerns a young runaway's adventures with an aspiring rock star. Shields' pinball expertise eventually leads her to a match against pinball champ Durning. 111m/C VHS . Charles Durning, Ken Marshall, Brooke Shields, Geoffrey Lewis; D: Rudy Durand; W: Rudy Durand, Donald Cammell.

tilt2 covering of coarse cloth, esp. awning over a cart or boat XV; in Labrador, etc. fisherman's or woodcutter's hut XIX. var. of tild, teld (= (O)HG. zelt), perh. influenced by TENT1.

tilt1 †throw down or over; †fall over XIV; move unsteadily up and down; cause to lean or slant XVI. ME. tilte, tylte may repr. OE. *tyltan, *tieltan :- *taltjan, f. *taltaz (OE. tealt unsteady).
Hence tilt sb. inclination. XVI.

tilt3 barrier separating combatants in an exercise in which the participants ride against each other with lances; the combat itself. XVI. of unkn. orig.