Webster's English Dictionary

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awkward

awk.ward \'o.-kw*rd\ aj [ME awkeward in the wrong direction, fr. awke 
   turned the wrong way,] fr. ON o:fugr; akin to OHG abuh turned the wrong 
   way, L opacus obscure obs  1a: PERVERSE  1b: ADVERSE  2: lacking or showing 
   lack of dexterity or skill esp. in the use of the hands or of instruments 
   : CLUMSY 3a: lacking ease or grace (as of movement or expression)  3b: 
   appearing ill-proportioned, outsize, or poorly fitted together :  UNGAINLY 
   4a: lacking social grace and assurance  4b: causing embarrassment  5: 
   poorly adapted for use or handling  6: requiring caution  is widely 
   applicable and may suggest unhandiness, inconvenience, lack of muscular 
   control, embarrassment, lack of tact; CLUMSY implies stiffness and 
   heaviness and so may connote inflexibility, unwieldiness, or lack of 
   ordinary skill; MALADROIT, INEPT, and GAUCHE imply lack of mental or social 
   dexterity; MALADROIT suggests a tendency to create awkward situations; 
   INEPT suggests a lack of aptness leading to futile or absurd situations or 
   prompting inane remarks and often implies complete failure or inadequacy; 
   GAUCHE implies the effects of shyness, inexperience, or ill breeding - 
   awk.ward.ly av SYN syn CLUMSY, MALADROIT, INEPT, GAUCHE: AWKWARD