Get Affordable VMs - excellent virtual server hosting


browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
awkward

more about awkward

awkward

 

  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Awkward  \Awk"ward\,  a.  [Awk  +  -ward.] 
  1.  Wanting  dexterity  in  the  use  of  the  hands,  or  of 
  instruments;  not  dexterous;  without  skill;  clumsy;  wanting 
  ease,  grace,  or  effectiveness  in  movement;  ungraceful;  as 
  he  was  awkward  at  a  trick;  an  awkward  boy. 
 
  And  dropped  an  awkward  courtesy.  --Dryden. 
 
  2.  Not  easily  managed  or  effected;  embarrassing. 
 
  A  long  and  awkward  process.  --Macaulay. 
 
  An  awkward  affair  is  one  that  has  gone  wrong  and  is 
  difficult  to  adjust  --C.  J.  Smith. 
 
  3.  Perverse;  adverse;  untoward.  [Obs.]  ``Awkward 
  casualties.''  ``Awkward  wind.''  --Shak. 
 
  O  blind  guides,  which  being  of  an  awkward  religion, 
  do  strain  out  a  gnat,  and  swallow  up  a  cancel. 
  --Udall. 
 
  Syn:  Ungainly;  unhandy;  clownish;  lubberly;  gawky;  maladroit; 
  bungling;  inelegant;  ungraceful;  unbecoming. 
 
  Usage:  {Awkward},  {Clumsy},  {Uncouth}.  Awkward  has  a  special 
  reference  to  outward  deportment.  A  man  is  clumsy  in 
  his  whole  person,  he  is  awkward  in  his  gait  and  the 
  movement  of  his  limbs.  Clumsiness  is  seen  at  the  first 
  view.  Awkwardness  is  discovered  only  when  a  person 
  begins  to  move  Hence  the  expressions,  a  clumsy 
  appearance,  and  an  awkward  manner.  When  we  speak 
  figuratively  of  an  awkward  excuse,  we  think  of  a  want 
  of  ease  and  grace  in  making  it  when  we  speak  of  a 
  clumsy  excuse,  we  think  of  the  whole  thing  as  coarse 
  and  stupid.  We  apply  the  term  uncouth  most  frequently 
  to  that  which  results  from  the  want  of  instruction  or 
  training;  as  uncouth  manners;  uncouth  language.  -- 
  {Awk"ward*ly},  adv  --  {Awk"ward*ness},  n. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  awkward 
  adj  1:  causing  inconvenience;  "they  arrived  at  an  awkward  time" 
  2:  lacking  grace  or  skill  in  manner  or  movement  or  performance; 
  "an  awkward  dancer";  "an  awkward  gesture";  "too  awkward 
  with  a  needle  to  make  her  own  clothes";  "his  clumsy 
  fingers  produced  an  awkward  knot"  [ant:  {graceful}] 
  3:  difficult  to  handle  or  manage  especially  because  of  shape; 
  "an  awkward  bundle  to  carry";  "a  load  of  bunglesome 
  paraphernalia";  "clumsy  wooden  shoes";  "the  cello,  a 
  rather  ungainly  instrument  for  a  girl"  [syn:  {bunglesome}, 
  {clumsy},  {ungainly}] 
  4:  not  elegant  or  graceful  in  expression;  "an  awkward  prose 
  style";  "a  clumsy  apology";  "his  cumbersome  writing 
  style";  "if  the  rumor  is  true,  can  anything  be  more  inept 
  than  to  repeat  it  now?"  [syn:  {clumsy},  {cumbersome},  {inapt}, 
  {inept},  {ill-chosen}] 
  5:  hard  to  deal  with  especially  causing  pain  or  embarrassment; 
  "awkward  (or  embarrassing  or  difficult)  moments  in  the 
  discussion";  "an  awkward  pause  followed  his  remark";  "a 
  sticky  question";  "in  the  unenviable  position  of  resorting 
  to  an  act  he  had  planned  to  save  for  the  climax  of  the 
  campaign"  [syn:  {embarrassing},  {sticky},  {unenviable}] 
  6:  not  at  ease  socially;  unsure  and  constrained  in  manner; 
  "awkward  and  reserved  at  parties";  "ill  at  ease  among 
  eddies  of  people  he  didn't  know";  "was  always  uneasy  with 
  strangers"  [syn:  {ill  at  ease(p)},  {uneasy}]




more about awkward