gawky

comparative gawkier · superlative gawkiest

1. Awkward, ungainly; lacking grace or dexterity in movement.

   The “gawky” illustrations look as though they may have been done by Belva Jean herself (Bulletin, Mar. 1989).

   2009, Appalachian Children's Literature: An Annotated Bibliography, McFarland, →ISBN, page 77

   1 more example

   The woman had barely come up to Seth's shoulder. Petite with curly blonde hair and a dimpled smile. Nothing at all like Francine with her plain brown hair and hazel eyes. Just looking at the woman's picture had made her feel tall and gawky.

   2020, Ann H. Gabhart, An Appalachian Summer, Revell, →ISBN

2. YorkshireWest RidingLeft-handed.

plural gawkies

1. An awkward, ungainly person.

   Let not the inconveniently tall, the gawkies, the Maypoles, despair.

   1870, Punch, volume 58, page 198

   1 more example

   "[…] Mrs. Sedley had forgiven his breaking the punch-bowl at the child's party. Don't you remember the catastrophe, Ma'am, seven years ago?" "Over Mrs. Flamingo's crimson silk gown," said good-natured Mrs. Sedley. "What a gawky it was! And his sisters are not much more graceful. Lady Dobbin was at Highbury last night with three of them. Such figures! my dears."

   1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, →OCLC