Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Precarious
Pre-ca′ri-ous
,Adj.
[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
privilegesAddison.
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;
“Intervals of partial and precarious liberty.” as, a
precarious
state of health; precarious
fortunes. Macaulay.
Syn. – Uncertain; unsettled; unsteady; doubtful; dubious; equivocal.
–
– 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
, Noun.
Webster 1828 Edition
Precarious
PRECA'RIOUS
,Adj.
1.
Depending on the will or pleasure of another; held by courtesy liable to be changed or lost at the pleasure of another. A privilege depending on another's will is precarious, or held by a precarious tenure.2.
Uncertain; held by a doubtful tenure; depending on unknown or unforeseen causes or events. Temporal prosperity is precarious; personal advantages, health, strength and beauty are all precarious, depending on a thousand accidents.We say also,the weather is precarious; a phrase in which we depart not more from the primary sense of the word, than we do in a large part of all the words in the language.