awkward, adv. and a.
(ˈɔːkwəd)
Forms: 4 awkeward, 4–5 aykeward, owkeward, 4–6 awkwarde, 6 awkwar, ackward, acquart, aukerward, 6–7 aukeward(e, 7 auker'd, awkerd, 7–8 awkard, 8 aukard, 6–9 aukward, 6– awkward; 9 dial. awkwart, ackart, etc.
[f. awk a. + -ward, i.e. ‘in an awk direction’; cf. forward, backward. Like other adverbs in -ward, at length also used adjectively, cf. to go forward, a forward motion, a forward youth.]
† A. adv.
1. In the wrong direction, in the wrong way. a. Upside down; hindside foremost. b. In a backward direction, with a back stroke. c. Asquint. d. In some modern dialects = awalt, q.v. Obs. or dial.
| 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 1541 Þe world þai all awkeward sett. c 1440 Morte Arth. 2247 The emperour thane egerly at Arthure he strykez, Awkwarde on þe umbrere. c 1470 Henry Wallace i. 407 With the swerd awkwart he him gawe Wndyr the hat. 1530 Palsgr. 691/2, I feare me some house be afyre..for they rynge aukewarde. 1589 Nashe Almond for P. 14 a, Eternitie, that knew how aukward he shoulde looke to all honesty, consulted..to make him squint-eied. |
B. adj.
† 1. Turned the wrong way, averted, back-handed; not straightforward, oblique. Obs.
| 1513 Douglas æneis iv. vii. 2 Dido agreuit ay..With acquart luik gan towart him behald. 1532 Dice Play 22 Who so hath not some aukerward way to help himself, but foloweth his nose..always straight forward. 1866 Cumbrld. Border Bal. 468 Till Græme gae Bewick an ackward stroke. |
† 2. Froward, untoward, perverse, in conduct. (Passing into ‘cross-grained, cantankerous, disagreeable in behaviour,’ and so into 7 b.) Obs.
| 1530 Palsgr. 305/2 Awkwarde, frowarde, peruers. 1548 Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Matt. xxiii. 24 Blynde guydes..of an awkwarde religion doe streigne out a gnatte, and swalowe of a camell. 1634 Preston New Covt. 310 The heart..is awkward and froward and contentious. 1678 Butler Hud. iii. iii. 619 But was implacable and auker'd To all that Interlop'd and Hawker'd. 1743 Fielding J. Wild i. v. (1762) 244, I haue an aukward pride in my nature. 1755 B. Martin Mag. Arts & Sc. 61 They had such aukward Notions of Things. |
† 3. Untoward, unfavourable, adverse to one's course. lit. and fig. Obs.
| 1587 Fleming Contn. Holinshed III. 1555/1 The ackward and frowning hap of sundrie woorthie gentlemen. 1590 Marlowe Edw. II, iv. vi, With awkward winds and with sore tempests driven. 1593 Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, iii. ii. 83 Twice by aukward winde from Englands banke Droue backe againe. 1663 Flagellum or O. Cromwell (1672) 21 Which aukward beginning..sorted with a very sorry Issue. |
4. a. Of things: Untoward or unfavourable for one's purpose; ill-adapted for use; clumsy in operation.
| 1695 Woodward Nat. Hist. Earth i. (1723) 60 The Methods they used of Agriculture..were so aukward and tedious. 1743 tr. Heister's Surg. 452 Perform good Cures, though in an aukward manner. 1783 Potts Chirurg. II. 7 A multitude of awkward unmanageable instruments. 1857 Ruskin Pol. Econ. Art 19 Awkward and unfortunate efforts..at the development of a social system. |
b. Of persons: Lacking dexterity or skill in performing their part; clumsy in action, bungling. Phr. awkward squad: see squad n.1 1 b.
| 1530 Palsgr. 305/2 Awkwar leftehanded, gauche. 1672 Marvell Reh. Transp. i. 270 They were as unexpert as their Souldiers aukward. 1727 Swift Gulliver iii. ii. 189, I have not seen a more clumsy, aukward, and unhandy people. 1816 J. Gilchrist Philos. Etym. 204 They consider him as belonging to the awkward squad. 1866 G. Macdonald Ann. Q. Neighb. xii. (1878) 241 What a blundering awkward fellow I was to startle you as I did. |
5. Ungraceful, ungainly in action or form; uncouth: a. of things, action, speech, etc.
| 1606 Shakes. Tr. & Cr. i. iii. 149 With ridiculous and aukward action..He Pageants vs. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 299 ¶2 That they may not learn any of my aukward Tricks. 1718 Pope Iliad i. 770 Vulcan with aukward grace his office plies. 1865 Dickens Mut. Fr. vii. 314 A variety of awkward gambols. |
b. of persons.
| 1665 Pepys Diary 15 July, The most awkerd man I ever met with in my life. 1678 T. Rymer in Shaks. C. Praise 366 Awkward and unsightly, as the monster in the Tempest. 1773 Goldsm. Stoops to Conq. i. i, The son an aukward booby. 1840 Carlyle Heroes i. (1858) 199 Large awkward gianthood. |
6. a. Of things: Embarrassing, inconvenient.
| 1709 Swift Adv. Relig. Wks. 1755 II. i. 108 If an awkward shame..have not a greater share in this mistaken conduct. 1779 J. Moore View Soc. Fr. II. 182 Both seem rather in an aukward situation. 1876 Freeman Norm. Conq. IV. xvii. 58 The two Minsters of Winchester Old and New stood in awkward neighbourhood to each other. |
b. Of persons: Not at one's ease; embarrassed.
| 1713 Steele Englishm. No. 44. 288, I am very aukward in the Endeavour. 1834 L. Hunt Town iii. (1848) 146 He was..beginning to feel awkward with his Whig friends. 1845 Disraeli Sybil (1863) 138 It is civilization that makes us awkward; for it gives us an uncertain position. |
7. a. Of things: Not easy to deal with; requiring cautious action; euphemistic for ‘rather dangerous.’
| 1860 Tyndall Glac. i. §16. 118 We let ourselves down an awkward face of rock. 1872 Jenkinson Guide Eng. Lakes (1879) 195 The ridge is rather awkward-looking. 1881 Blackmore Christowell xi, ‘Be careful, if you please, there is an awkward step here.’ |
b. Of persons: Dangerous to meddle with.
| 1863 Mrs. C. Clarke Shaks. Char. vi. 144 He is an ‘awkward customer’ when his confidence is betrayed. |
c. Phr. the awkward age: the time of life when one is no longer a child and yet not properly grown up. (Cf. F. l' âge ingrat.)
| 1895 Windsor Mag. I. 705/1 She was..at what ladies call ‘the awkward age’. 1928 Daily Mirror 7 Dec. 11/2 ‘How old are you, Bobbie?’ ‘I'm just at the awkward age.’ ‘What do you call the awkward age?’ ‘I'm too old to cry and too young to swear.’ |