Awrie

Part of speech: adjective, adverb

Definitions

1. Set at an angle or not in its proper position, or having gone astray from what was planned
2. Turned askew or off course, so that something no longer runs as it should or lies straight
3. Lying crooked or going amiss, departing from what was intended or from what is correct

Etymology: The "a-" in "awry" is the same prefix found in "ajar," "aside," and "afoot," meaning roughly "in" or "on." Attached to "wry," it describes something that is literally in a twisted or crooked state. "Wry" comes from Old English "wrigian," meaning to turn, twist, or bend, and the same root gave us the sense of a "wry" face contorted by disgust. The spelling "awrie," with its final "-ie," is an older form that appeared in English writing during the Middle Ages and early modern period, before spelling settled on "awry." Its sense of crooked or off-course has stayed fairly constant, though "wry" later gained its figurative meaning of dry or ironic humour, which is a separate development from the physical sense of twisting.

Synonyms: awry, askew, crooked

Antonyms: straight, level