predicament

Definitions

From Latin praedicāmentum, originally 'something asserted, a category' (prae- + dicāre, to proclaim) — a logician's term for a class of things. Through medieval logic it drifted from 'category one is placed in' to 'an awkward situation one is stuck in.' The 'saying/asserting' sense faded entirely, leaving only the trap.

Why It Means This

Surprising member: predicament shares pre- + dic with predict, but its meaning travelled far. In old logic, a 'predicament' was a category you could be 'asserted into' (one of Aristotle's classes of being). Being placed in a fixed category came to feel like being boxed in — and the word slid toward today's meaning: a tight, awkward spot you can't easily get out of.

Common Collocations

• 1.in a predicament陷入困境
• 2.find oneself in a predicament发现自己处于困境
• 3.difficult predicament棘手的困境
• 4.get out of a predicament摆脱困境

Example Sentences

• 1.

  Losing his passport abroad put him in a real predicament.

• 2.

  She found herself in a financial predicament after losing her job.

• 3.

  There seemed to be no easy way out of the predicament.