Hypertext Webster Gateway: "ungainly"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Ungainly \Un*gain"ly\, a. [OE. ungeinliche, adv., fr. ungein
inconvenient; un- + Icel. gegn ready, serviceable; adv.,
against, opposite. See {Un-} not, and {Gain}, a., {Again}.]
1. Not gainly; not expert or dexterous; clumsy; awkward;
uncouth; as, an ungainly strut in walking.
His ungainly figure and eccentric manners.
--Macaulay.
2. Unsuitable; unprofitable. [Obs.] --Hammond.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Ungainly \Un*gain"ly\, adv.
In an ungainly manner.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
ungainly
adj 1: lacking grace in movement or posture; "a gawky lad with long
ungainly legs"; "clumsy fingers"; "what an ungainly
creature a giraffe is"; "heaved his unwieldy figure
out of his chair" [syn: {gawky}, {clumsy}, {clunky}, {unwieldy}]
2: difficult to handle or manage especially because of shape;
"an awkward bundle to carry"; "a load of bunglesome
paraphernalia"; "clumsy wooden shoes"; "the cello, a
rather ungainly instrument for a girl" [syn: {awkward}, {bunglesome},
{clumsy}]
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