butterfingered
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adjective: - Clumsy, especially with the hands; prone to dropping things: Describes a person who is awkward or unskillful in physical movements, often resulting in fumbling or letting objects fall.
Usage
This adjective is used to characterize someone as physically clumsy. It is typically applied directly before a noun or after a linking verb like "be" or "seem." - The butterfingered goalkeeper cost the team the game with his fumble. - Be careful handing that vase to him; he's notoriously butterfingered.
Examples
Advanced Usage
- Descriptive Use: Often used in a humorous or mildly critical tone rather than a harshly insulting one.
- We had to reassign the delicate assembly work; the task was too risky for our butterfingered colleague.
Variants and Related Words
- Butterfingers (noun): An informal term for a person who is butterfingered.
- Don't give the crystal to John; he's a real butterfingers.
Synonyms
- Clumsy
- Bumbling
- Ham-handed (or Ham-fisted)
- Maladroit
- Inept (in a physical context)
Antonyms
- Dexterous
- Nimble
- Adroit
- Skillful
- Graceful
Related Idioms/Phrases
- All thumbs: An idiom meaning very clumsy with one's hands.
- When it comes to sewing, I'm all thumbs.
- Drop something like a hot potato: To let go of something very quickly, which a butterfingered person might do accidentally.
Adjective
- lacking physical movement skills, especially with the hands
- a bumbling mechanic
- a bungling performance
- ham-handed governmental interference
- could scarcely empty a scuttle of ashes, so handless was the poor creature- Mary H. Vorse