awkward |ˈôkwərd|
origin
late Middle English (in the sense ‘the wrong way round, upside down’): from dialect awk ‘backwards, perverse, clumsy’ (from Old Norse afugr ‘turned the wrong way’) + -ward.
adjective
1 causing difficulty; hard to do or deal with: one of the most awkward jobs is painting a ceiling | some awkward questions | the wheelbarrow can be awkward to maneuver.
• deliberately unreasonable or uncooperative: you're being damned awkward!
2 causing or feeling embarrassment or inconvenience: he had put her in a very awkward situation.
3 not smooth or graceful; ungainly: Luther's awkward movements impeded his progress | she was long-legged and rather awkward.
• uncomfortable or abnormal: make sure the baby isn't sleeping in an awkward position.
