limbo1
/ˈlɪmbəʊ
/noun [mass noun]
1(In some Christian beliefs) the supposed abode of the souls of unbaptized infants, and of the just who died before Christ’s coming.She wore a black bonnet to match her dress and gloves; to Jeremiah she looked like an engraving he'd once seen of a restless soul in limbo....
- Some theologians have taught the existence of a place or state called Limbo which is intermediate between Heaven and Hell.
- At school, like my peers, I was indoctrinated in the mysteries of original and venal sin, virgin birth, the respective criteria for entry to limbo, purgatory, and heaven.
Synonyms
oblivion, void, non-existence, neither heaven nor hell
2An uncertain period of awaiting a decision or resolution; an intermediate state or condition: the legal battle could leave the club in limbo until next year...
- So there they stayed, in limbo, until after resolution 1441 when last November they were allowed to return.
- But the decision still left them in limbo until a final decision could be made on the park's future.
- The players and the many supporters who turn out each week to get behind their club, deserve much better than being left in limbo for an indefinite period.
2.1A state of neglect or oblivion: these prisoners are in limbo: no one is responsible for their welfare...
- In time, argues Winnicott, the transitional object is relegated to limbo, neither mourned nor forgotten, just losing its meaning.
Origin
Late Middle English: from the medieval Latin phrase in limbo, from limbus 'hem, border, limbo'.
In some versions of Christian theology limbo is the abode, on the border of hell, of the souls of unbaptized infants and of just people who died before Christ's coming. The word represents a form of Latin limbus ‘edge, hem, border’. From the late 16th century it developed uses such as ‘an uncertain period of awaiting a decision’ and ‘a state of neglect or oblivion’. There is no linguistic connection with the West Indian dance the limbo recorded from the 1950s, which is an alteration of limber (mid 16th century) ‘lithe, supple’.
Rhymes
limbo2
/ˈlɪmbəʊ/noun (plural limbos)
A West Indian dance in which the dancer bends backwards to pass under a horizontal bar which is progressively lowered to a position just above the ground.Play limbo, dance barefoot and swim like a tropical fish....
- The Trinidadians must take credit/responsibility for the limbo, that impressive athletic feat which is now the scourge of every tropical party.
verb [no object]
Perform the limbo: the children limboed under the bar...
- While listening to calypso music, many of those being entertained like to dance the limbo, a dance very popular among Grenadian Americans.
- Conway Twitty was playing on my dad's phonograph, and she was dancing the limbo.
- Children from the day nursery made their own party food and danced and performed the limbo.
Origin
1950s: from limber1.