1In a way that is not securely in position and is likely to fall or collapse.
the homes hung precariously over the edge of a huge crevice
precariously stacked towers of blocks
Example sentencesExamples
The stage resembled an oblong squash court with seating perched precariously on scaffolding above the set.
These works portray a San Francisco of exaggerated hills, where buildings cling precariously to steeply sloping cliffs.
The form as a whole thrusts out from the neat pedestal on which it precariously rests.
Entire clusters of painted wood strips were raised off the ground by a pair of precariously positioned folding tables.
In the first of many gripping scenes, a horrendous accident leaves all three hanging precariously by one rope.
They sit precariously on top of one another on a square of unpainted plywood around which are scattered little metal balls of varying sizes.
Iceland sits precariously atop the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a vast undersea mountain range whose subsurface volcanoes account for much of the country's tumultuous terrain.
They propel themselves forward without toppling the wine bottles perched precariously on their hats.
The smaller stage was covered with equipment—too many guitars to number, a series of keyboards, pedals, and a precariously perched laptop.
The painting depicts two naked figures balancing precariously on a fish-filled wooden boat.
1.1In a way that is uncertain or dependent on chance.
a country poised precariously between economic boom and social catastrophe
the team clung precariously to their lead
Example sentencesExamples
The professor and his wife find their union precariously balanced between life and death.
Even if programmatically attractive, this is a precariously fragile hypothesis.
The associations she infers are numerous—and precariously contradictory.
Its economy is precariously dependent upon foreign trade, and foreign trade is an immediate casualty of war.
In a culture like theirs, so precariously balanced between nature and culture, such reactionary Calvinist rhetoric seems odd.
They were always careful not to saw away the branch upon which their own livelihood was precariously, if tenaciously, hanging.
On the basis of this analysis, it would seem that the answer lies precariously between the last two possibilities.
His performance here finds him teetering precariously between majesty and ludicrousness.
Labour backbenchers precariously hanging on to marginal seats began to stir.
It gives the band an ability to loose the reigns and do something that precariously walks the line between excitement and embarrassment.
Definition of precariously in US English:
precariously
adverbprəˈkerēəslēprəˈkɛriəsli
1In a way that is not securely in position and is likely to fall or collapse.
the homes hung precariously over the edge of a huge crevice
precariously stacked towers of blocks
Example sentencesExamples
In the first of many gripping scenes, a horrendous accident leaves all three hanging precariously by one rope.
The smaller stage was covered with equipment—too many guitars to number, a series of keyboards, pedals, and a precariously perched laptop.
The stage resembled an oblong squash court with seating perched precariously on scaffolding above the set.
The form as a whole thrusts out from the neat pedestal on which it precariously rests.
The painting depicts two naked figures balancing precariously on a fish-filled wooden boat.
These works portray a San Francisco of exaggerated hills, where buildings cling precariously to steeply sloping cliffs.
Entire clusters of painted wood strips were raised off the ground by a pair of precariously positioned folding tables.
Iceland sits precariously atop the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a vast undersea mountain range whose subsurface volcanoes account for much of the country's tumultuous terrain.
They sit precariously on top of one another on a square of unpainted plywood around which are scattered little metal balls of varying sizes.
They propel themselves forward without toppling the wine bottles perched precariously on their hats.
1.1In a way that is uncertain or dependent on chance.
a country poised precariously between economic boom and social catastrophe
the team clung precariously to their lead
Example sentencesExamples
The professor and his wife find their union precariously balanced between life and death.
On the basis of this analysis, it would seem that the answer lies precariously between the last two possibilities.
Even if programmatically attractive, this is a precariously fragile hypothesis.
It gives the band an ability to loose the reigns and do something that precariously walks the line between excitement and embarrassment.
Its economy is precariously dependent upon foreign trade, and foreign trade is an immediate casualty of war.
His performance here finds him teetering precariously between majesty and ludicrousness.
The associations she infers are numerous—and precariously contradictory.
In a culture like theirs, so precariously balanced between nature and culture, such reactionary Calvinist rhetoric seems odd.
Labour backbenchers precariously hanging on to marginal seats began to stir.
They were always careful not to saw away the branch upon which their own livelihood was precariously, if tenaciously, hanging.