Word Meanings - AWKWARD - Book Publishers vocabulary database

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.

Additional info about word: AWKWARD

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. "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. -- 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.

Possible synonyms: (Same meaning words of AWKWARD)

• Clownish
• Bustic
• boorish
• bucolic
• Boeotian
• awkward
• clumsy
• cloddish
• untutored
• rude
• Clumsy
• Awkward
• inexpert
• uncouth
• maladroit
• botching
• bungling
• unskillful
• unwieldly
• unhandy
• ill-shaped
• Gawky
• ungainly
• clownish
• Rustic
• Rural
• agricultural
• nomadic
• sylvan
• verdant
• pastoral
• unpolished
• rough
• coarse
• plain
• unsophisticated
• simple
• artless
• primitive

Related words: (words related to AWKWARD)

• ROUGHING-IN
  The first coat of plaster laid on brick; also, the process of applying it.
• ROUGHT
  imp. of Reach.
• ROUGHHEWN
  1. Hewn coarsely without smoothing; unfinished; not polished. 2. Of coarse manners; rude; uncultivated; rough-grained. "A roughhewn seaman." Bacon.
• RURALITY
  1. The quality or state of being rural. 2. A rural place. "Leafy ruralities." Carlyle.
• ROUGHLEG
  Any one of several species of large hawks of the genus Archibuteo, having the legs feathered to the toes. Called also rough- legged hawk, and rough-legged buzzard. Note: The best known species is Archibuteo lagopus of Northern Europe,
• ROUGHINGS
  Rowen.
• PRIMITIVENESS
  The quality or state of being primitive; conformity to primitive style or practice.
• ROUGHSHOD
  Shod with shoes armed with points or calks; as, a roughshod horse. To ride roughshod, to pursue a course regardless of the pain or distress it may cause others.
• PLAINTIVE
  1. Repining; complaining; lamenting. Dryden. 2. Expressive of sorrow or melancholy; mournful; sad. "The most plaintive ditty." Landor. -- Plain"tive*ly, adv. -- Plain"tive*ness, n.
• AWKWARD SQUAD
  A squad of inapt recruits assembled for special drill.
• COARSE
  was anciently written course, or cours, it may be an abbreviation of of course, in the common manner of proceeding, common, and hence, homely, made for common domestic use, plain, rude, rough, gross, e. 1. Large in bulk, or composed of large parts
• RUSTICAL
  Rustic. "Rustical society." Thackeray. -- Rus"tic*al*ly, adv. -- Rus"tic*al*ness, n.
• PASTORALLY
  1. In a pastoral or rural manner. 2. In the manner of a pastor.
• BOTCH
  1. A swelling on the skin; a large ulcerous affection; a boil; an eruptive disease. Botches and blains must all his flesh emboss. Milton. 2. A patch put on, or a part of a garment patched or mended in a clumsy manner. 3. Work done in a bungling
• BUNGLING
  Unskillful; awkward; clumsy; as, a bungling workman. Swift. They make but bungling work. Dryden.
• BUNGLER
  A clumsy, awkward workman; one who bungles. If to be a dunce or a bungler in any profession be shameful, how much more ignominious and infamous to a scholar to be such! Barrow.
• INEXPERT
  1. Destitute of experience or of much experience. Milton. 2. Not expert; not skilled; destitute of knowledge or dexterity derived from practice. Akenside.
• BOTCHERY
  A botching, or that which is done by botching; clumsy or careless workmanship.
• RUSTICATE
  To go into or reside in the country; to ruralize. Pope.
• PLAINTIFF
  One who commences a personal action or suit to obtain a remedy for an injury to his rights; -- opposed to Ant: defendant. (more info) French equiv. to plaignant complainant, prosecutor, fr. plaindre. See
• EQUICRURAL
  Having equal legs or sides; isosceles. "Equicrural triangles." Sir T. Browne.
• HIGH-WROUGHT
  1. Wrought with fine art or skill; elaborate. Pope. 2. Worked up, or swollen, to a high degree; as, a highwrought passion. "A high-wrought flood." Shak.
• THOROUGHWORT
  See BONESET