paralysis
/pəˈralɪsɪs
/noun (plural paralyses /pəˈralɪsiːz/) [mass noun]
1The loss of the ability to move (and sometimes to feel anything) in part or most of the body, typically as a result of illness, poison, or injury: the fast-acting venom causes paralysis, breathing difficulties, and sometimes death [in singular]: a creeping paralysis accompanied by nausea and vomiting...
- Traditional stroke symptoms were defined as loss of balance and paralysis of at least one part of the body.
- The effect of facial paralysis with loss of muscle and skin tone in the elderly patient leads to laxity or ectropion of the lower lid.
- Specialist equipment such as splints, callipers and braces can help with paralysis and contractures.
Synonyms
immobility, powerlessness, lack of sensation, numbness, deadness, incapacity, debilitation;
Medicine paraplegia, quadriplegia, tetraplegia, monoplegia, hemiplegia, diplegia, paresis, paraparesis
dated palsy
1.1Inability to act or function properly: the paralysis gripping the country...
- Downing Street, if not quite yet gripped by paralysis, is at least on edge waiting for malevolent treachery to strike again.
- Finally he yanked himself out of the paralysis that gripped him and pulled the blinds tightly shut.
- I can only suggest that the paralysis that has gripped this country in recent years is causing us huge angst.
Synonyms
shutdown, immobilization, stoppage, halt, standstill, stopping
Origin
Late Old English, via Latin from Greek paralusis, from paraluesthai 'be disabled at the side', from para 'beside' + luein 'loosen'.
This is a Latin word, formed from Greek paraluesthai ‘be disabled at the side’, formed from para ‘beside’ and luein ‘loosen’. Paralytic is late Middle English, and comes via French from the same source. The sense ‘extremely drunk’ dates from the late 19th century. Palsy (Middle English) is from Old French paralisie, which was an alteration of Latin paralysis. The Greek luein is also found in analysis (late 16th century) literally a ‘loosening up’.