Moving or doing something in a graceful, elegant, and skillful way; the opposite of clumsy.
From Old Norse 'gegn' meaning 'suitable' or 'direct,' this word entered Middle English to describe movements that were fitting and well-coordinated. Over time, it came to mean graceful and elegant in bearing or movement.
Gainly is almost never used today compared to its negative form 'ungainly'—it's a perfect example of how we only remember the opposite of something when it becomes more common! Shakespeare and earlier writers used it regularly, but modern English speakers prefer the more dramatic-sounding 'ungainly.'
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