Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
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noun
The state or quality of being awkward; clumsiness; unskillfulness.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
The quality of an embarrassing situation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
trouble in carrying or managing caused by bulk or shape
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: cumbersomeness, unwieldiness
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: troublesomeness, inconvenience, worriment
noun
the inelegance of someone stiff and unrelaxed (as by embarrassment)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: clumsiness, gracelessness, stiffness
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: inelegance
Narrower terms: woodenness, rusticity, gaucherie
noun
the carriage of someone whose movements and posture are ungainly or inelegant
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: clumsiness
Antonyms: gracefulness
Broader terms: carriage, bearing, posture
Narrower terms: gracelessness, ungracefulness, gawkiness, ungainliness, stiffness
noun
the quality of an embarrassing situation
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: nuisance value
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: disadvantage
noun
unskillfulness resulting from a lack of training
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: clumsiness, ineptness, ineptitude, maladroitness, slowness
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: unskillfulness
Narrower terms: rustiness
History
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h2ep Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *h2epó Proto-Indo-European *h3ekw- Proto-Indo-European *h2époh3kwos Proto-Germanic *abuhaz Old Norse ǫfugrder. Middle English awke English awk Proto-Indo-European *wert-der. Proto-Germanic *wardaz Old English -weard English -ward English awkward Proto-Germanic *-in- Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh2yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h2ti Proto-Germanic *-ōną Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English awkwardness From awkward + -ness.
Across languages
21 source translations are retained for this English entry.
