(of a situation )情势 not safe or certain; dangerous 不稳的;不确定的;不保险的;危险的 He earned a precarious living as an artist. 作为一个艺术家,他过的是朝不保夕的生活。 The museum is in a financially precarious position. 这家博物馆的财政状况不稳定。 The world is a precarious and unstable place. 这个世界是一个不稳定的地方。 They have a somewhat precarious existence. 他们的生活有些不稳定。
likely to fall or cause somebody to fall 摇摇欲坠的;不稳固的 That ladder looks very precarious. 那梯子看来摇摇晃晃的。 The path down to the beach is very precarious in wet weather. 通往海滨的小路在雨天非常湿滑危险。
Word Originmid 17th cent.: from Latin precarius ‘obtained by entreaty’ (from prex, prec- ‘prayer’) + -ous.