/ˈpɔːlzi/
OriginFrom Middle English palesie, from Anglo-Norman paralisie, parleisie et al., from Latin paralysis, from Ancient Greek παράλυσις (parálusis, “palsy”), from παραλύω (paralúō, “to disable on one side”), from παρα- (para-, “beside”) + λύω (lúō, “loosen”). Doublet of paralysis.
- countable, uncountableComplete or partial muscle paralysis of a body part, often accompanied by a loss of feeling and uncontrolled body movements such as shaking.
“The palsie plagues my pulses
when I prigg yoͬ: piggs or pullen
your culuers take, or matchles make
your Chanticleare or sullen”
“"Young lady, there is no hope; one side of the Duchesse is struck with palsy; she retains her senses, and will, most probably, to the last; but she cannot live through the night."”
“"Ah! now we come to business! Barber, who's dead?"
"Alderman Croten, sir."
"Tut-tut. Croten gone?"
"Yes, sir; palsy took him at a ripe age. And Abel's gone, the Town Crier;"”
- slangMate, chum.
“Listen, palsy, you're not the boss.”
- To paralyse, either completely or partially.
“1831, William Lloyd Garrison, The Liberator, To The Public http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4h2928t.html
In the month of August, I issued proposals for publishing "THE LIBERATOR" in Washington city; ”
“Its streets were blocked up with snow - the few passengers seemed palsied with snow, and frozen by the ungenial visitation of winter.”
- colloquialChummy, friendly.
Formspalsies(plural) · palsie(alternative, obsolete) · palsies(present, singular, third-person) · palsying(participle, present) · palsied(participle, past) · palsied(past) · more palsy(comparative) · most palsy(superlative)