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47 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 : [ gcide ]


  Awkward \Awk"ward\ ([add]k"we[~e]rd), 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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              And dropped an awkward courtesy.      --Dryden.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Not easily managed or effected; embarrassing.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              A long and awkward process.           --Macaulay.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              An awkward affair is one that has gone wrong, and is
              difficult to adjust.                  --C. J. Smith.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. Perverse; adverse; untoward. [Obs.] ``Awkward
        casualties.'' ``Awkward wind.'' --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              O blind guides, which being of an awkward religion,
              do strain out a gnat, and swallow up a cancel.
                                                    --Udall.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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 lack
            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 lack of instruction or
            training; as, uncouth manners; uncouth language.
            [1913 Webster] -- Awk"ward*ly
            ([add]k"we[~e]rd*l[y^]), adv. -- Awk"ward*ness, n.
            [1913 Webster]

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) 2.0 : [ 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]

From Greek Wiktionary: All languages (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-el-ALL-2023-07-27 ]


  awkward
     Αγγλικά a.
     1 άβολος, αμήχανος, στενόχωρος, που προκαλεί δυσάρεστα συναισθήμα
     2 αδέξιος στις κινήσεις ή στη συμπεριφορά, δεν κινείται με εύκολο
  τρόπο

From English Wiktionary: All languages (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-en-ALL-2023-07-27 ]


  awkward
     a.
     1 Lacking dexterity in the use of the hands, or of instruments.
     2 Not easily managed or effect#Verb; embarrassing.
     3 Lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction.
     4 perverse; adverse; difficult to handle.
     adv.
     (lb en obsolete) In a backwards direction.
     n.
     Someone or something that is awkward.

From English Wiktionary: English language only (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-en-en-2023-07-27 ]


  awkward
     a.
     1 Lacking dexterity in the use of the hands, or of instruments.
     2 Not easily managed or effect#Verb; embarrassing.
     3 Lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction.
     4 perverse; adverse; difficult to handle.
     adv.
     (lb en obsolete) In a backwards direction.
     n.
     Someone or something that is awkward.

From English Wiktionary: Western, Greek, and Slavonic languages only (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-en-Western_Greek_Slavonic-2023-07-27 ]


  awkward
     a.
     1 Lacking dexterity in the use of the hands, or of instruments.
     2 Not easily managed or effect#Verb; embarrassing.
     3 Lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction.
     4 perverse; adverse; difficult to handle.
     adv.
     (lb en obsolete) In a backwards direction.
     n.
     Someone or something that is awkward.

From English Wiktionary: Western languages only (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-en-Western-2023-07-27 ]


  awkward
     a.
     1 Lacking dexterity in the use of the hands, or of instruments.
     2 Not easily managed or effect#Verb; embarrassing.
     3 Lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction.
     4 perverse; adverse; difficult to handle.
     adv.
     (lb en obsolete) In a backwards direction.
     n.
     Someone or something that is awkward.

From Finnish Wiktionary: All languages (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-fi-ALL-2023-07-27 ]


  awkward
     Englanti a.
     1 hankala, vaivalloinen; kömpelö
     2 kiusallinen, vaivaantunut, nolo
     3 (yhteys BrE k=en) epäavulias; hankala, vastahakoinen

From Swedish Wiktionary: All languages (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-sv-ALL-2023-07-27 ]


  awkward
     Engelska a.
     1 svårhanterlig, krånglig
     2 besvärlig; obekväm, pinsam
     3 generad
     4 klumpig, tafatt
     Engelska adv.
     (tagg ålderdomligt språk=en) bakåt

From English-Arabic FreeDict Dictionary ver. 0.6.3 : [ freedict:eng-ara ]


  Awkward /ˈɔːkwəd/
  محرج

From English-български език FreeDict+WikDict dictionary ver. 2023.05.29 : [ freedict:eng-bul ]


  awkward //ˈɑkwɚd// //ˈɔkwɚd// //ˈɔːkwəd// 
  1. непохватен, несръчен
  lacking dexterity in the use of the hands
  2. неловък, неудобен
  not easily managed or effected; embarrassing
  3. неприятен, неудобен
  perverse; adverse; untoward

From English-Czech dicts.info/FreeDict Dictionary ver. 0.1.3 : [ freedict:eng-ces ]


  awkward /ˈɔːkwəd/ 
  neobratný

From English-Czech dicts.info/FreeDict Dictionary ver. 0.1.3 : [ freedict:eng-ces ]


  awkward /ˈɔːkwəd/ 
  nepříjemný

From English-Czech dicts.info/FreeDict Dictionary ver. 0.1.3 : [ freedict:eng-ces ]


  awkward /ˈɔːkwəd/ 
  nešikovný

From English-Czech dicts.info/FreeDict Dictionary ver. 0.1.3 : [ freedict:eng-ces ]


  awkward /ˈɔːkwəd/ 
  neohrabaný

From English-Czech dicts.info/FreeDict Dictionary ver. 0.1.3 : [ freedict:eng-ces ]


  awkward /ˈɔːkwəd/ 
  nemotorný

From English-Czech dicts.info/FreeDict Dictionary ver. 0.1.3 : [ freedict:eng-ces ]


  awkward /ˈɔːkwəd/ 
  nepřijemný

From Eurfa Saesneg, English-Welsh Eurfa/Freedict dictionary ver. 0.2.3 : [ freedict:eng-cym ]


  awkward /ˈɔːkwəd/ 
  chwithig

From English - German Ding/FreeDict dictionary ver. 1.9-fd1 : [ freedict:eng-deu ]


  awkward /ˈɔːkwəd/
  angriffslustig, angriffig, aufsässig, aufmüpfig [Ös.] , auflüpfisch [Schw.] , widerspenstig, schwierig
           Note: Person, ungemütlich 
           Note: Person
        "an awkward customer"  - ein schwieriger Kunde
        "be at an awkward age"  - in einem schwierigen Alter sein
     Synonyms: defiant, truculent