ungainly
不格好な、ぎこちない
解説 Definition
見た目や動作が洗練されておらず、どこか不器用でぎこちない様子を表す形容詞です。体の動きがもたついて優雅さに欠ける場合にも、形や姿が不格好でバランスが悪く見える場合にも使われ、人にも動物にも物にも用いられます。
If something is ungainly, it looks awkward or moves in a clumsy, ungraceful way. It is often used for a person's body movements, an animal, or an object with an unattractive shape. The word suggests a lack of balance, smoothness, or elegance.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
まず `un-` で「マイナス方向」と見て、核は「姿や動きが整っていない」。`awkward` や `clumsy` に近いですが、`ungainly` は手先の不器用さだけでなく、体つき・歩き方・形そのものの不格好さまで含みやすい語です。`a tall ungainly teenager`、`an ungainly movement` のように、人にも動作にも使えます。`graceful` の反対側に置き、見た目のバランスの悪さまで一緒に覚えると残りやすいです。
See `un-` as a negative sign, then link the rest to `gainly`, an old word connected with graceful movement. So `ungainly` sits on the opposite side of `graceful`. Think of collocations like `an ungainly teenager` or `an ungainly movement` to remember that it can describe both a body and a motion.
例文
The ungainly pelican waddled across the dock before taking flight gracefully.
その不格好なペリカンは桟橋をよちよち歩いたあと、優雅に飛び立った。
He made an ungainly attempt to climb over the fence and fell on the other side.
彼は不格好な身のこなしでフェンスを乗り越えようとして、反対側に落ちた。
The teenager moved with ungainly limbs, not yet accustomed to his sudden growth spurt.
その十代の少年は急な成長期にまだ慣れず、ぎこちない手足の動きで歩いていた。
ungainly の類義語・関連語
ungainly の語源・成り立ち Etymology
ungainly は un-「〜でない」+ gainly「身のこなしがよい」。gainly は古ノルド語系の「まっすぐ・都合がよい」にさかのぼり、もとは「形も動きも整った」が芯なので、否定が付いて「ぎこちない・不格好な」になった。関連語は gainly, ungainliness。
"Ungainly" is made from "un-" plus the older adjective "gainly." "Gainly" comes from Old Norse roots meaning something like straight, suitable, or convenient. Because "gainly" originally suggested good form or smooth movement, "ungainly" came to mean awkward or clumsy; related words include "gainly" and "ungainliness."
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