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awk|ward /ɔː kwə ^r d/

1 ADJ An awkward situation is embarrassing and difficult to deal with. □  I was the first to ask him awkward questions but there'll be harder ones to come. □  There was an awkward moment as couples decided whether to stand next to their partners. ●  awk|ward|ly ADV [ADV adj/-ed] □  There was an awkwardly long silence.

2 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ , oft ADJ to-inf] Something that is awkward to use or carry is difficult to use or carry because of its design. A job that is awkward is difficult to do. □  It was small but heavy enough to make it awkward to carry. □  Full-size tripods can be awkward, especially if you're shooting a low-level subject. ●  awk|ward|ly ADV [ADV -ed] □  The autoexposure button is awkwardly placed under the lens release button.

3 ADJ An awkward movement or position is uncomfortable or clumsy. □  Amy made an awkward gesture with her hands. ●  awk|ward|ly ADV [ADV with v] □  He fell awkwardly and went down in agony clutching his right knee.

4 ADJ Someone who feels awkward behaves in a shy or embarrassed way. □  Women frequently say that they feel awkward taking the initiative in sex. ●  awk|ward|ly ADV [ADV with v] □  'This is Malcolm,' the girl said awkwardly, to fill the silence. ●  awk|ward|ness N‑UNCOUNT

5 ADJ If you say that someone is awkward , you are critical of them because you find them unreasonable and difficult to live with or deal with. [DISAPPROVAL ] □  She's got to an age where she is being awkward.

awn|ing /ɔː n I ŋ/ (awnings ) N‑COUNT An awning is a piece of material attached to a caravan or building which provides shelter from the rain or sun.

awoke /əwoʊ k/ Awoke is the past tense of awake .

awok|en /əwoʊ kən/ Awoken is the past participle of awake .

AWOL /e I wɒl/

1 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If someone in the Armed Forces goes AWOL , they leave their post without the permission of a superior officer. AWOL is an abbreviation for 'absent without leave'.

2 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you say that someone has gone AWOL , you mean that they have disappeared without telling anyone where they were going. [INFORMAL ]

awry /əra I / ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If something goes awry , it does not happen in the way it was planned. □  She was in a fury over a plan that had gone awry.

axe /æ ks/ (axes , axing , axed ) in AM, use ax 1 N‑COUNT An axe is a tool used for cutting wood. It consists of a heavy metal blade which is sharp at one edge and attached by its other edge to the end of a long handle.

2 VERB [usu passive] If someone's job or something such as a public service or a television programme is axed , it is ended suddenly and without discussion. □ [be V -ed] Community projects are being axed by hard-pressed social services departments.

3 N‑SING If a person or institution is facing the axe , that person is likely to lose their job or that institution is likely to be closed, usually in order to save money. [JOURNALISM ]

4 PHRASE If someone has an axe to grind , they are doing something for selfish reasons. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ [+ with ] He seems like a decent bloke and I've got no axe to grind with him.

axes Pronounced /æ ks I z/ for meaning 1 , and /æ ksiːz/ for meaning 2 . 1 Axes is the plural of axe .

2Axes is the plural of axis .

axi|om /æ ksiəm/ (axioms ) N‑COUNT [oft N that] An axiom is a statement or idea which people accept as being true. [FORMAL ] □  …the long-held axiom that education leads to higher income.

axio|mat|ic /æ ksiəmæ t I k/ ADJ If something is axiomatic , it seems to be obviously true. [FORMAL ]

axis /æ ks I s/ (axes )

1 N‑COUNT An axis is an imaginary line through the middle of something.

2 N‑COUNT An axis of a graph is one of the two lines on which the scales of measurement are marked.