Perilous

  • 1Perilous — Per il*ous, a. [OF. perillous, perilleus, F. p[ e]rilleux, L. periculosus. See {Peril}.] [Written also {perillous}.] 1. Full of, attended with, or involving, peril; dangerous; hazardous; as, a perilous undertaking. [1913 Webster] Infamous hills,… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2perilous — index dangerous, disastrous, insalubrious, insecure, noxious, ominous, peccant (unhealthy), portentous …

    Law dictionary

  • 3perilous — (adj.) late 13c., from O.Fr. perillous (Fr. périlleux) dangerous, hazardous, from L. periculosus, from periculum dangerous (see PERIL (Cf. peril)). Related: Perilously; perilousness …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 4perilous — *dangerous, hazardous, risky, precarious Analogous words: desperate, forlorn, hopeless (see DESPONDENT): chancy, chance, haphazard, *random …

    New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 5perilous — [adj] dangerous chancy, delicate, dicey*, dynamite, exposed, hairy*, hazardous, insecure, loaded*, on thin ice*, playing with fire*, precarious, risky, rugged, Russian roulette*, shaky, threatening, ticklish, touch and go*, touchy, treacherous,… …

    New thesaurus

  • 6perilous — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ full of danger or risk. DERIVATIVES perilously adverb perilousness noun …

    English terms dictionary

  • 7perilous — [per′ə ləs] adj. [OFr perilleus < L periculosus] involving peril or risk; dangerous perilously adv. perilousness n …

    English World dictionary

  • 8perilous — [[t]pe̱rɪləs[/t]] ADJ GRADED Something that is perilous is very dangerous. [LITERARY] ...a perilous journey across the war zone... The road grew even steeper and more perilous. ...perilous cliffs. Syn: dangerous Derived words: perilously ADV… …

    English dictionary

  • 9perilous — adjective Date: 14th century full of or involving peril < a perilous journey > Synonyms: see dangerous • perilously adverb • perilousness noun …

    New Collegiate Dictionary

  • 10perilous — perilously, adv. perilousness, n. /per euh leuhs/, adj. involving or full of grave risk or peril; hazardous; dangerous: a perilous voyage across the Atlantic in a small boat. [1250 1300; ME < AF perillous < L periculosus. See PERIL, OUS] Syn.&#8230; …

    Universalium