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Posted: **Wed Dec 07, 2005 1:42 pm**

This brief and mostly unsung monosyllable is not without its uses, as I discovered to my surprise when responding to two different threads - here and here. It also has, as can be seen via the link provided below, a most interesting IE origin. Perhaps Dr G could be convinced to raise its status by appointing it GWotD on one of those wintry days when wryness seems apt ?...

Henri

wry Listen: [ rī ]
adj. wri·er [ rī'ǝr ] or wry·er, wri·est [ rī'ǝst ] or wry·est

1. Dryly humorous, often with a touch of irony.

2. Temporarily twisted in an expression of distaste or displeasure: made a wry face.

3. Abnormally twisted or bent to one side; crooked: a wry nose.

4. Being at variance with what is right, proper, or suitable; perverse.
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[From Middle English wrien, to turn, from Old English wrīgian; see wer-[sup]2[/sup] in Indo-European roots.]
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wryly adv.
wryness n.

Posted: **Wed Dec 07, 2005 2:28 pm**

Let's not forget it's progenitor:

awry

SYLLABICATION: a·wry

ADVERB: 1. In a position that is turned or twisted toward one side; askew. 2. Away from the correct course; amiss. See synonyms at
amiss.
OTHER FORMS: a·wry —ADJECTIVE

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Etymology from the Online Etymology Dictionary:

awry
c.1375, "crooked, askew," from a- (1) "on" + wry (q.v.).

wry (adj.)
1523, "distorted, somewhat twisted," from obs. verb wry "to contort, to twist or turn," from O.E. wrigian "to turn, bend, move, go," from P.Gmc. *wrig- (cf. O.Fris. wrigia "to bend," M.L.G. wrich "turned, twisted"), from PIE *wreik- "to turn" (cf. Gk. rhoikos "crooked," Lith. raisas "paralysed"), from base *wer- "to turn, bend" (see versus). Of words, thoughts, etc., from 1599. The original sense is in awry.

Wry and Ginger

Posted: **Wed Dec 07, 2005 2:57 pm**

With this regard, their currents turn ham on awry, and lose the name of action....

Henri

Posted: **Thu Dec 08, 2005 12:53 am**

With this regard, their currents turn ham on awry, and lose the name of action....
Henri

"When you to make a deli sandwich, pile the cold-cuts high.
Customers should see salami comin' through the rye."

Posted: **Thu Dec 08, 2005 5:08 pm**

Please don't do that, Larry ! Upon reading your bit of doggerel, I just had to duck out to the kitchen and fix a sandwich....

Henri