— ungainliness , n.
/un gayn"lee/ , adj., ungainlier, liest , adv.
adj.
1. not graceful; awkward; unwieldy; clumsy: an ungainly child; an ungainly prose style.
adv.
2. in an awkward manner.
[ 1150-1200; (adv.) ME ungeinliche, equiv. to un- UN- 1 + later ME geyn straight, well-disposed, handy ( gegn straight, direct; cf. ON ugegn unreasonable) + -liche -LY; (adj.) UN- 1 + obs. gainly proper, becoming, gracious, ME gaynlych ( geyn as above + -lych -LY); cf. GAINLY, AGAIN ]