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precariousmore about precarious

precarious

 

  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Precarious  \Pre*ca"ri*ous\,  a.  [L.  precarius  obtained  by  begging 
  or  prayer,  depending  on  request  or  on  the  will  of  another, 
  fr  precari  to  pray,  beg.  See  {Pray}.] 
  1.  Depending  on  the  will  or  pleasure  of  another;  held  by 
  courtesy;  liable  to  be  changed  or  lost  at  the  pleasure  of 
  another;  as  precarious  privileges.  --Addison. 
 
  2.  Held  by  a  doubtful  tenure;  depending  on  unknown  causes  or 
  events;  exposed  to  constant  risk;  not  to  be  depended  on 
  for  certainty  or  stability;  uncertain;  as  a  precarious 
  state  of  health;  precarious  fortunes.  ``Intervals  of 
  partial  and  precarious  liberty.''  --Macaulay. 
 
  Syn:  Uncertain;  unsettled;  unsteady;  doubtful;  dubious; 
  equivocal. 
 
  Usage:  {Precarious},  {Uncertain}.  Precarious  in  stronger  than 
  uncertain.  Derived  originally  from  the  Latin  precari, 
  it  first  signified  ``granted  to  entreaty,''  and 
  hence  ``wholly  dependent  on  the  will  of  another.'' 
  Thus  it  came  to  express  the  highest  species  of 
  uncertainty,  and  is  applied  to  such  things  as  depend 
  wholly  on  future  casualties.  --  {Pre*ca"ri*ous*ly}, 
  adv  --  {Pre*ca"ri*ous*ness},  n. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  precarious 
  adj  1:  affording  no  ease  or  reassurance;  "a  precarious  truce"  [syn: 
  {unstable}] 
  2:  fraught  with  danger;  "dangerous  waters";  "a  parlous  journey 
  on  stormy  seas";  "a  perilous  voyage  across  the  Atlantic  in 
  a  small  boat";  "the  precarious  life  of  an  undersea  diver"; 
  "dangerous  surgery  followed  by  a  touch-and-go  recovery" 
  [syn:  {parlous},  {perilous},  {touch-and-go}] 
  3:  dangerously  insecure;  "a  precarious  footing  on  the  ladder" 
  4:  not  secure;  beset  with  difficulties;  "a  shaky  marriage" 
  [syn:  {shaky}]




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