Untoward describes something unexpected that also causes trouble or embarrassment — bad news, awkward, not what should have happened. Its natural home is the negative sentence, and this is the single most useful thing to know about it.

Untoward describes something unexpected that also causes trouble or embarrassmentuntoward形容的是某件出乎意料、而且會造成麻煩或尷尬的事 — bad news壞消息, awkward尷尬的狀況, not what should have happened不該發生卻發生的事。Its natural home is the negative sentence它最自然出現的地方是否定句, and this is the single most useful thing to know about it這是關於這個字最重要的一件事。

'Nothing untoward happened.' 'The doctors found nothing untoward.' 'There was no sign of anything untoward.' You will meet this word saying that everything was fine far more often than saying something went wrong. Because of that habit, it lives in reports, news, police statements, medical notes, and formal speech — places where people are calmly telling you there is nothing to worry about.

'Nothing untoward happened.'『沒發生什麼異狀』 'The doctors found nothing untoward.'『醫生沒發現什麼異常』 'There was no sign of anything untoward.'『沒有任何不對勁的跡象』 You will meet this word saying that everything was fine你會發現這個字說『一切都沒事』的次數 far more often than saying something went wrong遠比說『出了什麼問題』的次數多得多。Because of that habit正因為這個習慣, it lives in reports, news, police statements, medical notes, and formal speech它常出現在報告、新聞、警方聲明、病歷和正式場合的用語裡 — places where people are calmly telling you there is nothing to worry about這些都是人們平靜地告訴你『沒什麼好擔心的』的地方。

It is a careful, slightly distant word, chosen partly because it is polite. Saying a guest's behaviour was 'untoward' is much softer than saying it was rude or improper, though everyone understands what you mean.

It is a careful, slightly distant word這是一個謹慎、帶點距離感的字, chosen partly because it is polite部分原因是它比較有禮貌。Saying a guest's behaviour was 'untoward'說一位客人的行為『untoward』 is much softer than saying it was rude or improper比直接說他無禮或不得體要委婉得多, though everyone understands what you mean雖然大家都懂你的意思。

It also goes AFTER the word it describes when used with 'nothing', 'anything', 'something' — nothing untoward, not untoward nothing. That is normal for these words, but worth noticing.

It also goes AFTER the word it describes when used with 'nothing', 'anything', 'something'跟『nothing』『anything』『something』連用時，它會放在被形容的字後面 — nothing untoward是nothing untoward, not untoward nothing而不是untoward nothing。That is normal for these words這對這類字來說很正常, but worth noticing但值得留意。

Two pronunciations exist. In Britain many people say it as three syllables, un-tuh-WORD; in America un-TORD is common. Both are correct.

Two pronunciations exist這個字有兩種發音。In Britain many people say it as three syllables, un-tuh-WORD在英國，很多人念成三個音節un-tuh-WORD; in America un-TORD is common在美國常見的是un-TORD。Both are correct兩種都對。