par ‧ lous /ˈpɑːləs $ ˈpɑːr-/ BrE AmE adjective 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.
par ‧ lous /ˈpɑːləs $ ˈpɑːr-/ BrE AmE adjective 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.
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English. Longman - Словарь современного английского языка. 2012