palsy

views updated May 23 2018

pal·sy / ˈpôlzē/ • n. (pl. -sies) dated paralysis, esp. that which is accompanied by involuntary tremors: a kind of palsy had seized him. ∎ archaic a condition of incapacity or helplessness.• v. (-sies, -sied) [tr.] (often be palsied) affect with paralysis and involuntary tremors: she feels as if the muscles on her face are palsied | [as adj.] (palsied) fig. the old-boy network laid its palsied hand upon the business of wealth creation.

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

palsy

views updated Jun 11 2018

palsy (pawl-zi) n. paralysis. See Bell's palsy, cerebral palsy.

A Dictionary of Nursing

palsy

views updated May 29 2018

palsy XIII. ME. pa(r)lesi — (O)F. paralisie (AN. parlesie) — Rom. *paralisia, for L. paralysis PARALYSIS.
Hence palsied XVI.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

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