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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Awkwart, adv. and a. Also: auk-, ac-, ackwart, ack-, acquart, akword. [Northern ME. awkeward (14th c.), awkwarde, f. ME. awke turned the wrong way; froward, etc., ONhb. *afuh, ON. afug-r, ǫfug-r.]

1. adv. With a backward stroke. c1475 Wall. i. 407.
With the sweird awkwart he him gawe Wndyr the hatIb. iii. 175.
As he glaid by, aukwart he couth hym ta Ib. viii. 829.
Ane othir awkwart apon the face tuk he

2. adj. a. Froward, perverse, ill-natured. c1475 Wall. viii. 1135.
The King, with aukwart will, Halff in to yr, has giffyn consent thar till 1513 Doug. iv. vii. 2.
Dydo … With acquart luke gan towart hym behald Ib. vii. xii. 45.
Halesus can with fers mud acwart Adioyn hys horsis c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 286.
Ay quhen the ald did me anger with akword [M. akwart] wordis c1590 J. Stewart 165/9.
Thocht ackuart Zoile beir him at despyt 1603 Philotus xl.
Scho is sa ackwart and sa thra, That with refuse I come hir fra

b. Back-handed. 1570 Wall. iii. 175.
Ane awkwart straik [he] can him ta c1590 J. Stewart 31/58.
The Knycht of Clairmont … On Sacripant ane ackwart dint did ding

c. Untoward, unfavourable. 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xii. 16.
If we will but weigh ... how ackwart it is against our analogy