clumse

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• clumsy — adjective (clumsier; est) Etymology: probably from obsolete English clumse benumbed with cold Date: circa 1598 1. a. lacking dexterity, nimbleness, or grace < clumsy fingers > b. lackin …   New Collegiate Dictionary

• clumsy — clum|sy [ˈklʌmzi] adj comparative clumsier superlative clumsiest [Date: 1500 1600; Origin: Probably from clumse too cold to feel anything (16 19 centuries), from a Scandinavian language] 1.) moving in an awkward way and tending to make things… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

• clumsy — [16] When clumsy first appeared on the scene around 1600, both it and the presumably related but now obsolete clumse were used not only for ‘awkward’ but also for ‘numb with cold’. This, and the fact that the word’s nearest apparent relatives are …   The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

• clumsy — adjective (clumsier, clumsiest) 1》 awkward in movement or performance.     ↘difficult to handle or use; unwieldy. 2》 lacking tact or social skills. Derivatives clumsily adverb clumsiness noun Origin C16: from obs. clumse make or be numb , prob.… …   English new terms dictionary

• clumsy — /ˈklʌmzi / (say klumzee) adjective (clumsier, clumsiest) 1. awkward in movement or action; without skill or grace: a clumsy workman. 2. awkwardly done or made; unwieldy; ill contrived: a clumsy apology. {obsolete verb clumse be benumbed with cold …  

• clumsily — clumsy ► ADJECTIVE (clumsier, clumsiest) 1) awkward in movement or performance. 2) difficult to use; unwieldy. 3) tactless. DERIVATIVES clumsily adverb clumsiness noun. ORIGI …   English terms dictionary

• clumsiness — clumsy ► ADJECTIVE (clumsier, clumsiest) 1) awkward in movement or performance. 2) difficult to use; unwieldy. 3) tactless. DERIVATIVES clumsily adverb clumsiness noun. ORIGI …   English terms dictionary

• clumsy — ► ADJECTIVE (clumsier, clumsiest) 1) awkward in movement or performance. 2) difficult to use; unwieldy. 3) tactless. DERIVATIVES clumsily adverb clumsiness noun. ORIGI …   English terms dictionary

• clumsy — [16] When clumsy first appeared on the scene around 1600, both it and the presumably related but now obsolete clumse were used not only for ‘awkward’ but also for ‘numb with cold’. This, and the fact that the word’s nearest apparent relatives are …   Word origins

• clumsy — adj. (clumsier, clumsiest) 1 awkward in movement or shape; ungainly. 2 difficult to handle or use. 3 tactless. Derivatives: clumsily adv. clumsiness n. Etymology: obs. clumse be numb with cold (prob. f. Scand.) …   Useful english dictionary