parlous state
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parlous — was described by Fowler (1926) as ‘a word that wise men leave alone’, and the current edition (2006) of the Concise Oxford Dictionary marks it as ‘archaic or humorous’. This is a sad fate for a long serving word, originally formed as a variant of … Modern English usage
parlous — [[t]pɑ͟ː(r)ləs[/t]] ADJ GRADED: usu ADJ n If something is in a parlous state, it is in a bad or dangerous condition. [FORMAL] ...the parlous state of our economy. Syn: dire … English dictionary
parlous — 1. adjective a) Attended with peril; dangerous; risky. The situation became parlous when the weather made resupply impossible. b) Dire, terrible, appalling. Those manning the facility were in a parlous s … Wiktionary
parlous — adjective Etymology: Middle English, alteration of perilous Date: 14th century 1. obsolete dangerously shrewd or cunning 2. full of danger or risk ; hazardous < the parlous state of the country > • parlously adverb … New Collegiate Dictionary
parlous — par|lous [ˈpa:ləs US ˈpa:r ] adj formal [Date: 1300 1400; Origin: perilous] in a very bad or dangerous condition ▪ The country s police force was in a parlous state in 1990 … Dictionary of contemporary English
parlous — par|lous [ parləs ] adjective VERY FORMAL full of dangers or difficulties: There is a general belief that the arts are in a parlous state … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
parlous — [ pα:ləs] adjective archaic or humorous full of uncertainty; precarious: the parlous state of the economy. Derivatives parlously adverb parlousness noun Origin ME: contr. of perilous (see peril) … English new terms dictionary
parlous — adjective formal in a very bad or dangerous condition: the parlous state of the country … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
parlous — UK [ˈpɑː(r)ləs] / US [ˈpɑrləs] adjective very formal full of dangers or difficulties There is a general belief that the arts are in a parlous state … English dictionary
parlous — /ˈpaləs / (say pahluhs) adjective 1. precarious; endangered; dire: the parlous state of the health system. 2. Obsolete clever; shrewd. {Middle English; variant of perilous} –parlously, adverb …
