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Palsy

Medical Terms
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

An old term for paralysis or uncontrollable trembling, especially associated with age or nervous disorders. In poetry it symbolises weakness, decay, and the loss of vitality.

Detailed Definition
Palsy historically referred to paralysis, trembling, or loss of muscular control, conditions often linked to neurological disorders or advanced age. The term appeared widely in early medical writing and everyday speech before modern diagnostic language replaced it. In poetry, palsy evokes images of shaking limbs, failing strength, and the gradual decline of the body. Writers used it to symbolise the frailty of old age, the weakening of human power, or the trembling fear of approaching death, making it a vivid metaphor for physical and spiritual deterioration.
Example
Example in poetry:
Shakespeare wrote of the palsy of old age; The veteran suffered from shaking palsy; Poets use palsy to describe trembling or paralysis; The hand shook with the palsy of nervousness; He was struck down by a sudden palsy; Palsy was a common term for paralysis in verse.
Additional Notes
Palsy historically referred to paralysis or trembling disorders. In poetry it often symbolises weakness, ageing, or loss of control. The trembling associated with palsy can represent fear or vulnerability. Writers sometimes contrast youthful strength with the palsied limbs of old age.
Also Known As
Shaking Palsy Paralytic Tremor palsied
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