| Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993. |
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| parlous (adj.) |
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| is a word that nearly became archaic but then made a comeback, even though some commentators think it is a bit pretentious. It means “perilous, risky, clever,” and the like, and it is a cliché when used with times and state: These are parlous times. The economy is in a parlous state. It is Standard, but use it carefully, for it can be taken as jocular when you don’t mean it to be. | 1 |
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| | | The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. Copyright © 1993 Columbia University Press. |
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