Adjacent Words

Untoward definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

UNTO'WARD, a.
1. Froward; perverse; refractory; not easily guided or taught. Acts 2.
2. Awkward; ungraceful; as untoward words.
3. Inconvenient; troublesome; unmanageable; as an untoward vow.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: not in keeping with accepted standards of what is right or proper in polite society; "was buried with indecent haste"; "indecorous behavior"; "language unbecoming to a lady"; "unseemly to use profanity"; "moved to curb their untoward ribaldry" [syn: indecent, indecorous, unbecoming, uncomely, unseemly, untoward]
2: contrary to your interests or welfare; "adverse circumstances"; "made a place for themselves under the most untoward conditions" [syn: adverse, inauspicious, untoward]

Merriam Webster's

adjective Date: 15th century 1. difficult to guide, manage, or work with ; unruly, intractable 2. a. marked by trouble or unhappiness ; unlucky b. not favorable ; adverse, unpropitious <untoward side effects> 3. improper, indecorous • untowardly adverb • untowardness noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. 1 inconvenient, unlucky. 2 awkward. 3 perverse, refractory. 4 unseemly. Derivatives: untowardly adv. untowardness n.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Untoward Un*to"ward, prep. [Unto + -ward.] Toward. [Obs.] --Gower.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Untoward Un*to"ward, a. [Pref. un- not + toward.] 1. Froward; perverse. ``Save yourselves from this untoward generation.'' --Acts ii. 40. 2. Awkward; ungraceful. ``Untoward words.'' --Creech. ``Untoward manner.'' --Swift. 3. Inconvenient; troublesome; vexatious; unlucky; unfortunate; as, an untoward wind or accident. -- Un*to"ward*ly, adv. -- Un*to"ward*ness, n.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

If you say that something untoward happens, you mean that something happens that is unexpected and causes difficulties. (FORMAL) The surveyor's report didn't highlight anything untoward... Tampering with a single enzyme can lead to untoward effects elsewhere. ADJ: pron-indef ADJ, ADJ n

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

un-to'-erd, un-tord' (skolios): Appears only in Ac 2:40, the King James Version "Save yourselves from this untoward generation." It means "perverse," "willful," "crooked," and is so translated in Revised Version: "this crooked generation" (apo tes geneas tes skolias tautes). the King James Version headings to Isa 28 and Ho 6 have "untowardness." This now obsolete term probably derived its orgin from the idea of the heart that was not inclined toward the divine will and teaching. Hence, "not-toward," or "untoward."

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

a. 1. Froward, perverse, intractable, stubborn, refractory. 2. Inconvenient, unmanageable, annoying, troublesome, vexatious. 3. Awkward, ungainly, ungraceful, uncouth.

Moby Thesaurus

adverse, annoying, antagonistic, apocalyptic, awkward, bad, baleful, baneful, black, bleak, bodeful, boding, boorish, conflicting, contrary, counter, counteractive, criminal, dark, detrimental, difficult, dire, discouraging, doomful, dreary, evil, evil-starred, fateful, foolish, foreboding, fractious, gloomy, hapless, hard, harmful, hostile, ill, ill-boding, ill-conceived, ill-considered, ill-fated, ill-omened, ill-seasoned, ill-starred, ill-timed, impolite, improper, imprudent, in opposition, inaccurate, inappropriate, inauspicious, inconvenient, indecent, indecorous, indelicate, indocile, inexpedient, infelicitous, inferior, inimical, inopportune, intempestive, intractable, intrusive, invalid, irrelevant, irritating, late, lowering, luckless, mal a propos, malapropos, malevolent, malodorous, menacing, miserable, mistimed, not easy, of evil portent, off base, ominous, opposed, opposing, opposite, out of line, out of phase, out of time, peccant, portending, portentous, premature, recalcitrant, rigorous, rough, rude, silly, sinful, sinister, somber, star-crossed, stressful, stupid, tactless, threatening, too late, too soon, troublesome, troublous, trying, unapt, unbecoming, unbefitting, uncalled-for, undecorous, undiplomatic, undisciplined, unfavorable, unfit, unfitting, unfortunate, ungentlemanly, ungodly, ungovernable, unhandy, unhappy, unhealthy, unkind, unladylike, unlucky, unmanageable, unpleasant, unpromising, unpropitious, unready, unrefined, unripe, unseasonable, unseemly, unskillful, unsuitable, untactful, untimely, unwarranted, unwise, vexatious, vexing, vicious, wicked, wild, wretched, wrong