palsy

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Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈpɔːlzi/

Noun

palsy

1. (pathology) Complete or partial muscle paralysis of a body part, often accompanied by a loss of feeling and uncontrolled body movements such as shaking.
   • c. 1620, anonymous, “Tom o' Bedlam” in Giles Earle his Booke (British Museum, Additional MSS. 24, 665):

     The palsie plagues my pulses
     when I prigg yoͬ: piggs or pullen
     your culuers take, or matchles make
     your Chanticleare or sullen

   Synonyms: paralysis

Translations

• French: paralysie
• German: Lähmung
• Italian: paralisi
• Russian: парали́ч
• Spanish: parálisis

Verb

palsy (palsies, present participle palsying; past and past participle palsied)

1. To paralyse, either completely or partially.
   • 1831, William Lloyd Garrison, The Liberator, To The Public

     In the month of August, I issued proposals for publishing "THE LIBERATOR" in Washington city; but the enterprise, though hailed in different sections of the country, was palsied by public indifference.

   • 1826, Mary Shelley, The Last Man, volume 2, chapter 9

     Its streets were blocked up with snow - the few passengers seemed palsied with snow, and frozen by the ungenial visitation of winter.

Pronunciation

• (British) IPA: /ˈpælzi/

Adjective

palsy

1. (colloquial) Chummy, friendly.

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