lubberly
Like a landlubber
Lubberly describes someone clumsy, awkward, or unskilled—particularly in seamanship.
A lubber is a landlubber, someone unfamiliar with ships and sailing, and lubberly is the adjective form: his lubberly handling of the rigging.
The word extends beyond nautical contexts to mean generally ungainly or oafish: a lubberly attempt at dancing.
Lacking ease of movement
- lumberingMoving heavily and awkwardly
- clumsyLacking physical coordination
- hulkingMassive and unwieldy
- shamblingAwkward, unsteady walking
awkward · plodding · heavy-footed · uncoordinated · graceless · stumbling · oafish · blundering
Lacking physical coordination
- unseamanlikeLacking maritime skill
- incompetentLacking necessary skill
- awkwardLacking grace or ease
- greenhornInexperienced, gullible newcomer
novice · unskilled · bumbling · ham-fisted · amateurish · inexperienced · crude · sloppy
ungainly
Lacking ease of movement
shambling · awkward · plodding · heavy-footed · uncoordinated · graceless · stumbling · oafish · blundering · ponderous
clumsy
Lacking physical coordination
- unseamanlikeLacking maritime skill
- incompetentLacking necessary skill
- awkwardLacking grace or ease
greenhorn · novice · unskilled · bumbling · ham-fisted · amateurish · inexperienced · crude · sloppy · untrained
lubberlyseamanlike
Befitting an able mariner
seamanly · sailorly · nautical · able-bodied · shipshape