Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A situation, especially an unpleasant, troublesome, or trying one, from which extrication is difficult. See Usage Note at dilemma.
- n. Logic One of the basic states or classifications described by Aristotle into which all things can be placed; a category.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. That which is predicated; specifically, in the Aristotelian philos., one of the ten categories. See category, 1.
- n. A definite class, state, or condition.
- n. A dangerous or trying situation; an unpleasant position.
- n. Synonyms Position, plight, case.
Wiktionary
- n. A definite class, state or condition.
- n. An unfortunate or trying position or condition; a tight spot.
- n. logic That which is predicated; a category.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. A class or kind described by any definite marks; hence, condition; particular situation or state; especially, an unfortunate or trying position or condition.
- n. (Logic) See Category.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a situation from which extrication is difficult especially an unpleasant or trying one
Etymologies
- From Old French, from Late Latin praedicamentum ("that which is predicated, a predicament, category, Medieval Latin also a preaching, discourse"), from Latin praedicare ("to declare, proclaim, predicate"); see predicate. (Wiktionary)
- Middle English, class, category, from Old French, from Late Latin praedicāmentum (translation of Greek katēgoriā, from katēgoreuein, to speak against, signify, predicate), from Latin praedicāre, to proclaim publicly, predicate; see preach. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“This time the predicament is a different one and knives are being sharpened.”
“This could have been a great way to give some background metaphor characterization to Emma, but alas, her predicament is never fully explained beyond that; it's only mentioned that she has experienced loss.”
“At the core of Joanna's predicament is a conflict of values, inherent in the affair itself, not just in its resolution.”
“Their predicament is unfortunate, since there are many emerging Internet and Web 2.0 legal technologies that can save law offices time and money by increasing efficiency and reducing costs, including:”
“The plight of people who have exhausted all 99 weeks of unemployment insurance available in some states -- the "99ers" -- has received some attention from Congress and the media, but mostly their predicament is regarded as an intractable and pitiful part of a bigger problem.”
The Huffington Post: 99ers: How Many People Have Run Out Of Unemployment Benefits?
“Making the most of its impressive single location (freezing Utah as opposed to heated Hollywood) the premise lurches from "Open Water with snow" to "Jaws with wolves" with impressively gripping results; we know enough about the characters to care when they get hurt, and their chilly predicament is just on the right side of believable.”
“This teenage predicament is not unfamiliar in my memory and I think, based on no evidence at all, that the male takes longer to get to shades of grey.”
“Because the only person Moss has to blame for his current predicament is himself.”
“I generally agree with the recently expressed sentiments that Clinton has run a poor campaign overall, and that her current predicament is a product of faulty assumptions and a fundamental misreading of the political landscape over the last year or more.”
“Even though events play out like they have to (that's the predicatble part), Hector's predicament is still fascinating to roll around in your head.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘predicament’.
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GRE Barrons Wordlist
A complete Barron's Wordlist for GRE preparation. Your online flashcard replacement.
abase, abash, abate, abbreviate, abdicate, aberrant, aberration, abet, abeyance, abhor, abject, abjure and 4087 more...
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2nd part
prelude, ample, escalate, prototype, accession, acquisition, archives, zealot, indict, verdict, intimidating, timid and 454 more...
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GRE
predilection, explicit, appeal, supplication, appealing, enchanting, ovation, pertinent, apropos, opportunely, applicable, germane and 381 more...
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FUN - Jeeves and Wooster - Jeeves
"Jeevesisms" as heard from the valet Jeeves in P.G. Wodehouse's "Jeeves and Wooster" stories.
abject, attire, boudoir, be agog to learn, breach of peace, companionship of ..., contract an engag..., correct orifice, determined temper..., edifice, endeavor to ascer..., expatiate and 46 more...
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P
letters starting with p
predicament, presumptuous, predilection, plausible, preeminent, plaintive, paragon, partisan, pathological, paucity, pedantic, penchant and 28 more...
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fix
set, anchor, mend, rivet, moor, clinch, emend, circumfix, fixated, cefixime, fixed cost, confix and 87 more...
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See Usage Note at
Being a list of words with the phrase "See Usage Note at" in their definitions. Most of these come from the American Heritage Dictionary.
upon, seldom, among, compliment, thus, further, predicament, latter, repel, inflammable, gentleman, adage and 12 more...
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big book gre
abase, abbess, abbey, abbot, abdicate, abdomen, abdominal, abduction, abed, aberration, abet, abeyance and 6691 more...
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gre2
aberrant, aberration, aboveboard, abrasive, abstemious, acme, admonish, affable, affluent, alacrity, allegory, alleviate and 1901 more...
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kalidas's Words
crepuscular, mellifluous, ephemeral, diaphanous, zeitgeist, geisterfahrer, infinite, eternal, idyllic, azure, reminiscent, oblivion and 521 more...
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The Sog Collection
My big word list.
chaos, flaccid, empirical, flotsam, cacophony, grumble, assuage, awe, romance, mortality, coalesce, fortuitous and 3282 more...
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nominative case collection
wine stopper, pyre, roster, hamper, moleskin, elastic, pinnacle, facsimile, nook, plonk, contortionist, dismay and 342 more...
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Vocab
Words that I come across, and go blank, or want to clarify.
nefarious, edifice, malevolent, ostensible, folderol, bauble, livid, amnesty, calculus, saddlery, maisonette, cuisse and 423 more...
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The New Yorker
prejudice, ignominious, quintessence, disparity, vanguard, repudiated, eclectic, dredge, taxonomy, pugnacious, surreptitiously, pudgy and 113 more...
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Stumbled Words
A list of words that I stumbled upon while reading.
penumbra, prolix, propitious, resplendence, sepulchral, Weltschmerz, apparition, brigand, probity, chalice, paroxysm, pallor and 160 more...
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My Revised GRE Preparation List
Words from the new GRE : This list consists mostly of words from the book Magoosh-GRE-vocab-ebook, which is one of the best vocab materials available, especially if you have started preparing one ...
mulct, dupe, pittance, stipend, defray, cupidity, avarice, prodigal, profligate, affluent, insolvent, penurious and 533 more...
Tweets
Looking for tweets for predicament.
abcede please
Dec 27, 2009
abcede wla ba pong sentence ng predicament
Dec 27, 2009