In a way that is twisted, crooked, or not straight; in the wrong direction or manner, often meaning something has gone wrong or gone unexpectedly badly.
From Middle English 'awrie,' possibly from Old Norse 'á-vrá' (turned to one side). The prefix 'a-' means 'on' and combined with a word meaning 'to turn,' it described something twisted or turned sideways.
When something goes 'awry,' it's literally gone 'on the wry'—meaning turned sideways or crooked—and we still see 'wry' in 'wry humor,' which is humor twisted or turned in an unexpected way.
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