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palsied

Adjective
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Affected with palsy; trembling, weak, or paralyzed. It is a medical or archaic-sounding word.

Detailed Definition
Hardy uses this word to make the pane-fly’s movement seem suddenly stopped and lifeless. The term carries an older medical flavor, so it may feel unfamiliar even though the context suggests weakness or paralysis.
Example
Example in poetry:
“And palsied unto death / The pane-fly’s tune” means afflicted with paralysis or trembling weakness; “Palsied hands lifted the cup against the cold” gives the adjective bodily specificity; Older poetry may use palsied for age, illness, or ruined motion; Because the term can stigmatize disability, contemporary poets may choose precise medical or embodied language instead.
Additional Notes
In “And palsied unto death,” the word is an uncommon medical/archaic adjective that readers may need to look up.; Found in the poem, At An Inn by Thomas Hardy
Other Meanings of “palsied”
Also Known As
palsy tremor weakness unsteady
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