Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adverb Away from the correct course; amiss.
- adverb In a position that is turned or twisted toward one side; askew.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Turned or twisted toward one side; not in a straight or true direction or position; asquint: as, to glance or look awry; the lady's cap is awry.
- Figuratively, away from the line of truth or right reason; perverse or perversely.
- Of things: To turn out badly or untowardly; go wrong.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adverb Turned or twisted toward one side; not in a straight or true direction, or position; out of the right course; distorted; obliquely; asquint; with oblique vision.
- adverb Aside from the line of truth, or right reason; unreasonable or unreasonably; perverse or perversely.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adverb
Obliquely , crookedly;askew . - adverb Perversely,
improperly . - adjective Turned or twisted toward one side;
crooked ,distorted , out of place. - adjective Wrong or distorted;
perverse ,amiss .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective turned or twisted toward one side
- adjective not functioning properly
- adverb away from the correct or expected course
- adverb turned or twisted to one side
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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She fought tears after finishing her balance beam routine that went awry from the start.
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John Grishams first work of nonfiction, an exploration of small town justice gone terribly awry, is his most extraordinary legal thriller yet.
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Where things go a little awry is when it comes to telling the truth.
Lying to be honest 2007
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EnlargeAP file photoJeff George stands as a cautionary tale for quarterbacks gone awry from the top overall draft spot.
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Where things go a little awry is when it comes to telling the truth.
December 2007 2007
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Besides, if there was a pin awry in her dress, he did make such a fuss – and, really, such an active, busy young lady couldn't look always as if she came trim out of a band-box.
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Tractor's one-off about the word awry touched me in that pace.
Wired Campus 2010
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In this book, for example, the kids find their Hallowe’en going a bit awry from the start, but the taunting of the class mean girls really kicks the strange happenings into high gear.
13 Picks From The Pumpkin Patch kittenpie 2006
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In this book, for example, the kids find their Hallowe’en going a bit awry from the start, but the taunting of the class mean girls really kicks the strange happenings into high gear.
Archive 2006-10-01 kittenpie 2006
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Now too much has gone awry, that is out of alignment with our emotional compass.
Michael Brenner: Celebrities as Heroes Michael Brenner 2010
amcd56 commented on the word awry
Awry and askew - the story of my life.
June 11, 2007
frindley commented on the word awry
Had a boyfriend once who pronounced this AWE-ree instead of uh-RYE. Kind of cute really.
April 1, 2008
bilby commented on the word awry
"Widespread opposition to and unhappiness with the war (and its expense) has long fueled a broader feeling that the U.S. is "on the wrong track" and needs change of some kind. About 80% of voters were voicing that feeling even before the recent financial collapse began. Much of it came from frustration over a major Vietnam-like military effort that, somehow, once again went terribly awry. Once again, we tried to save a nation by destroying it."
- Ira Chernus, 'How Forgotten Iraq May Elect the Next President', 30 Sep 2008.
October 1, 2008
bilby commented on the word awry
- Gary Kamiya, 'Remember Iraq', 30 Sep 2008.
October 1, 2008
bilby commented on the word awry
I'd like awry sandwich please, with tomato and pickles.
June 23, 2020
bilby commented on the word awry
Three bilby comments on this modest word? Trying a bit hard aren't we, ole ear-we-go nightmare rabbit?
June 23, 2020