oafishadj.
/ˈəʊfɪʃ/, U.S. /ˈoʊfɪʃ/ Of the nature of or resembling an oaf; dull-witted, loutish, rude.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > stupidity, dullness of intellect > clumsy stupidity, oafishness > [adjective]
heavy1340
plump1481
chubbish1566
lubberlike1572
lubberly1580
oafish1682
chubbed1702
slobbish1833
joulter1854
landlubberly1860
slobby1872
1682 R. Westcot tr. J. Selden Reverse Eng. Janus Pref. sig. b1 An idle oafish affront.
1699 B. E. New Dict. Canting Crew Oafish, Silly.
1798 T. Holcroft Knave; or Not? i. i. 4 And, thof he be a bit oafish and skittish, yet, i'the main, a's good conditioned.
1867 Q. Rev. Jan. 223 Josh never laughs downright. There may be a knowing light in the eye, an oafish pucker at the corners of the mouth, otherwise he is prim as a Puritan.
1896 Mrs. H. Ward Sir George Tressady 157 She's got that oafish lad..hung round her neck.
1934 D. Thomas Let. Oct. (1985) 169 I find..that the poems..are a poor lot,..with many thin lines, many oafish sentiments.
1958 J. Betjeman Christmas in Coll. Poems (1997) 153 Girls in slacks remember Dad, And oafish louts remember Mum, And sleepless children's hearts are glad, And Christmas-morning bells say ‘Come!’
1996 ikon Jan. 15/3 Tommy Boy follows the progress of a pair of well meaning ill-matched twits, one quiet and nerdish the other loud and oafish.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1682