Definition of "parlous"
parlous
adjective
comparative more parlous, superlative most parlous
Attended with peril; dangerous, risky.
Quotations
[B]ables and comedies are parlous fellowes to decipher, and diſcourage men (that is the point) with their wittie flowtes and learned jerkes, enough to laſh any man out of countenance.
1593, Gabriel Harvey, Pierces Supererogation: Or A New Prayse of the Old Asse, London: […] Iohn Wolfe; republished as John Payne Collier, editor, Pierces Supererogation: Or A New Prayse of the Old Asse. A Preparative to Certaine Larger Discourses, Intituled Nashes S. Fame (Miscellaneous Tracts. Temp. Eliz. & Jac. I; no. 8), [London: [s.n.], 1870], page 137
The tongue is a sharp and parlous weapon, which we are bound to keep up in the sheath, or never to draw forth but advisedly, and upon just occasion; it must ever be wielded with caution and care: to brandish it wantonly, to lay about with it blindly and furiously, to slash and smite therewith any that happeth to come in our way, doth argue malice or madness.
a. 1678, Isaac Barrow, “Sermon XVII. The Folly of Slander.”, in The Theological Works of Isaac Barrow, D.D. […], volume I (Containing Twenty-four Sermons on Several Occasions), Oxford, Oxfordshire: University Press, published 1830, paragraph 6, pages 502–503
The safest way in such a parlous doubt, / Is steady watch and keep a sharp look out.
1807 December, C[harles] Lamb, “Epilogue to Time’s a Tell-tale”, in The Literary Panorama. Being a Review of Books, Magazine of Varieties, and Annual Register; [...], volume III, London: […] Cox, Son, and Baylis, […], for C. Taylor, […], published March 1808, article III, column 607
Quotations
All whiche offences and mysdemenors abovesaid have bene commytted to the grete hurte and undoyng of your orator, and the right evill and parlous example, [etc.]; […]
1520, Thomas Worthyngton, “No. LXXV”, in William Brown, editor, Yorkshire Star Chamber Proceedings (The Yorkshire Archæological Society Record Series; LI), volume III, [Leeds, West Yorkshire]: [<span title="Printed [by]]">…] [J. Whitehead and Son] for the [Yorkshire Archaeological] Society, published 1914, page 178
Bot[tom]. There are things in this Comedy of Piramus and Thisby, that will neuer pleaſe. Firſt, Piramus muſt draw a ſword to kill himſelfe; which the Ladys cannot abide. How anſwer you that? / Snout. Berlaken, a parlous feare.Bottom. There are things in this comedy of Pyramus and Thisbe that will never please. First, Pyramus must draw a sword to kill himself, which the ladies cannot abide. How do you answer that? / Snout. By our Lady, a dire problem.
c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, A Midsommer Nights Dreame. […] (First Quarto), London: […] [Richard Bradock] for Thomas Fisher, […], published 1600, [Act III, scene i]
Thou haſt a parlous judgement; but let that paſſe, / She is as truly vertuous, faire, and noble, / As her great Mother's good; and that's not ordinary.
c. 1619–1623, John Fletcher, “Women Pleas’d”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, Act I, scene i, page 25, column 1
This is a Nero-like fiddling Budget which will frustrate and annoy people and will do nothing effective to get us out of this parlous state of near bankruptcy which the Labour Government has landed us in.
1975 June 5, L[ancelot] R[aymond] Adams-Schneider, “Appropriation Bill—Financial Statement”, in Parliamentary Debates (Hansard): Third Session, Thirty-seventh Parliament (House of Representatives), volume 398, Wellington: A. R. Shearer, government printer, page 1844
Citizens who have endured the pain of short-term "reform" for the prospect of "gain" in the future grow impatient; incomplete or corrupted reform efforts have left many new democracies vulnerable and many new market economies in a parlous state.
2002 February 6, Carl W. Ford, Jr., “Statement by Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research Carl W. Ford, Jr. before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Hearing on Current and Projected Threats to the National Security of the United States”, in Current and Projected National Security Threats to the United States: Hearing before the Select Committee on Intelligence of the United States Senate, One Hundred Seventh Congress, Second Session, Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, page 31
Relics of the old GWR broad gauge are rare on the national network. This overtrack canopy was one such, so the decision by the C&WR to retrieve it after electrification necessitated its demolition was a brave one, because its condition by then was parlous.
2021 December 15, Robin Leleux, “Awards Honour the Best Restoration Projects: The Chairman’s Special Award: Cholsey & Wallingford Railway”, in Rail, number 946, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire: Bauer Media, page 54
(rare or obsolete, also England, dialectal) Dangerously clever or cunning; also, remarkably good or unusual.
Quotations
A parlous Boy: go too, you are too ſhrew'd.
c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act II, scene iv], page 185, column 1
This Midas knew: and durſt communicate / To none but to his wife his ears of ſtate: / One muſt be truſted, and he thought her fit, / As paſſing prudent, and a parlous wit.
a. 1701 (date written), John Dryden, “[Tales from [Geoffrey] Chaucer] The Wife of Bath, Her Tale”, in The Miscellaneous Works of John Dryden, […], volume III, London: […] J[acob] and R[ichard] Tonson, […], published 1760, page 222
adverb
not comparable
Quotations
[L]ast week I had a distinctly unpleasant experience, and came parlous near qualifying as a beachcomber. [...] I cast round, trying one or two charming little hotels within reasonable radius, only to find the "house full" boards up everywhere.
1919 August 6, Gerald Biss, “A Warning to Tourists: Shortage of Hotel Room”, in Bruce Ingram, editor, The Sketch, volume CVII, number 1384, London: Illustrated London News & Sketch, page 210