Skewiff

On our walk today, we noticed a neighbouring gate post was all skewiff. It must have taken quite a bang to move this heavy post.

I don’t recall ever seeing the word 'skewiff' written down, but it comes direct from my childhood, unbidden, as we looked at the post. The Urban Dictionary says

“Adjective, describing a thing, person or situation that is broken, in error, messed up, misunderstood.” 

The Free Dictionary says


"skew-whiff - turned or twisted toward one side;  askew, awry, cockeyed, wonky, lopsided."

But neither gives a derivation. Is it a northern word or does anyone remember it from the south too?