awkwardness
NounOpen English WordNet
Noun (5)
- unskillfulness resulting from a lack of trainingSynonyms: clumsinessineptnessineptitudemaladroitnessslownessType of unskillfulnessKinds rustiness, ham-fistedness
- the quality of an embarrassing situation“he sensed the awkwardness of his proposal”Synonyms: nuisance valueType of disadvantage
- the carriage of someone whose movements and posture are ungainly or inelegantSynonyms: clumsinessOpposite gracefulnessType of carriage, bearingKinds stiffness, gracelessness, gawkiness
- the inelegance of someone stiff and unrelaxed (as by embarrassment)Synonyms: clumsinessgracelessnessstiffnessType of ineleganceKinds woodenness, rusticity
- trouble in carrying or managing caused by bulk or shape“the movers cursed the unwieldiness of the big piano”Synonyms: cumbersomenessunwieldinessType of troublesomeness, inconvenience
What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz
Webster's Dictionary (1913)
“awkwardness” is listed under Awkward.
Origin: 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.— John Dryden
2. Not easily managed or effected; embarrassing.
A long and awkward process.— Thomas Babington Macaulay
An awkward affair is one that has gone wrong, and is difficult to adjust.— Charles John Smith
3. Perverse; adverse; untoward. obsolete “Awkward casualties.” “Awkward wind.” William Shakespeare
O blind guides, which being of an awkward religion, do strain out a gnat, and swallow up a cancel.— Nicholas Udall
Synonyms: 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 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.
— Awk′wb-a1′>′ward·ly (a̤k′wb-a1′>′weẽrd·ly̆), adverb — Awk′wb-a1′>′ward·ness, noun
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54