4 uses
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Definition
unsafe or in danger of getting worse — especially in danger of falling
- That was so typical of him; that in the midst of a precarious situation, he would suggest—as a subject for criticism—something far removed from himself!p. 404.2
- It was Owen Meany who then blew his nose, which drew my attention to his pew, where Owen sat on a precarious stack of hymnals—in order to see over the Eastman family in general, and Uncle Alfred in particular.p. 121.3
- Rather, the intent gaze of our chief of police bore into the back of the head of Owen Meany, who sat precariously upon six or seven copies of The Pilgrim Hymnal; Owen tottered on the stack of hymnals, as if the police chief's gaze unbalanced him.p. 134.6
- The cow was three-legged—nearly as precarious as one of Mary Beth Baird's cows; it was propped against a rather menacing chicken that was almost half the cow's size, not unlike the proportions of Barb Wiggin's turtledoves.p. 187.1
There are no more uses of "precarious" in A Prayer for Owen Meany.
Typical Usage
(best examples)