— clumsily , adv. — clumsiness , n.
/klum"zee/ , adj., clumsier, clumsiest .
1. awkward in movement or action; without skill or grace: He is very clumsy and is always breaking things.
2. awkwardly done or made; unwieldy; ill-contrived: He made a clumsy, embarrassed apology.
[ 1590-1600; clums benumbed with cold (now obs.) + -Y 1 ; akin to ME clumsen to be stiff with cold, dial. Sw klumsig benumbed, awkward, klums numbskull, ON klumsa lockjaw. See CLAM 2 ]
Syn. 1. ungraceful, ungainly, lumbering, lubberly. 2. unhandy, unskillful, maladroit, inexpert, bungling, bumbling, heavy-handed, inept.
Ant. 2. adroit, skillful.