awk

CIDE DICTIONARY

awk, a. [OE. auk, awk (properly) turned away; (hence) contrary, wrong, from Icel. öfigr, öfugr, afigr, turning the wrong way, fr. af off, away; cf. OHG. abuh, Skr. apāc turned away, fr. apa off, away + a root ak, a, to bend, from which come also E. angle, anchor.].

•  Odd; out of order; perverse.  [1913 Webster]
•  Wrong, or not commonly used; clumsy; sinister; as, the awk end of a rod (the but end).  Golding.  [1913 Webster]
•  Clumsy in performance or manners; unhandy; not dexterous; awkward.  [1913 Webster]

awk, adv. 

 Perversely; in the wrong way.  L'Estrange.  [1913 Webster]