(1)笨拙(不灵敏)的，不优雅的(having little skill or grace in moving (parts of) the body easily;clumsy)：an～dancer/skier 笨拙的跳舞者/滑雪者;give an～performance 表演笨拙;an～gesture/movement 笨拙的姿势/动作;be～in one's movement 行动笨拙;be～with a knife and fork 拙于使用刀叉;The child is still～on its feet.这小孩走路还不利索。The seal/swan is very～on land.海豹/天鹅在陆地上很笨拙。〖同〗clumsy，unskilful;〖反〗skilful，graceful;

(2)设计(制作)得不好的，不好用的(badly designed or made for use;difficult to handle or manage)：an～shape/door 难看的形状/别扭的门;an～instrument 不好用的工具;The door handle is in an～position.这门把手安的位置别扭。an～bundle to carry/axe to use 不好扛的一捆东西/不好用的斧子;be～to handle/to use 不好处理/使用;It is～to make the recipe.这食谱很难配。〖同〗unhandy，difficult，inconvenient;〖反〗handy，convenient;

(3)棘手的，令人尴尬(不便)的(causing difficulty，inconvenience，discomfort of mind or embarrassment)：an～time/date/moment 不方便的时间/日子/时刻;an～corner/bend to turn 不好拐的角/弯;put sb in an～position/situation 使人处境尴尬;ask an～question 问一个令人尴尬的问题;There was a long～silence before he answered the question.他回答那个问题之前沉默了很长时间，令人尴尬。I could say nothing.It was a bit～— there was someone else in the room.我没法说什么。当时不方便 —— 房间里有别人。〖同〗embarrassing，unpleasant，difficult，inconvenient;〖反〗pleasing，pleasant，comfortable;

(4)尴尬的，局促不安的(embarrassed;unnatrural or clumsy，as in speech，behaviour，etc)：give an～laugh 尴尬地一笑;feel～and uncomfortable at the dance 在舞会上觉得尴尬不自在;feel shy and～with women 在女人面前感到难为情;the～age (将近成年前的)尴尬的年龄;

(5)难对付的，不随和的((of a person)difficult to deal with;troublesome)(尤BrE)：Stop being so～! 不要再这么别别扭扭的了!It's very～of you not to play for the team tomorrow.你真别扭，明天竟然不为队里出场比赛!an～customer 难以对付(或危险)的人(或动物);

→′awkwardly adv 笨拙地;尴尬地;′awkwardness n 笨拙;尴尬;

【辨异】awkward与clumsy都表示“笨拙”、“不优雅”，clumsy指行动不准确、不灵敏、易出错的;awkward含义相近，但指由于心境乱或比例不协调造成的不优雅、缺乏技巧。