What does precarious mean?
Word: Precarious
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Precarious means not steady or safe, and likely to fall or go wrong at any moment.
Synonyms: unsteady
Word origin: From Latin precarius.
How do you spell precarious?
Syllables: pre - car - i - ous
Tricky part: The middle is the trap. Students hear the word care there and try to write it in.
Watch out for: precairious, precarrious
Memory tip: A word about wobbling cannot carry extra weight, so write one a and one r, and add nothing between them.
Precarious in a sentence
Example 1: The tower of plates in Asha's arms looked precarious as she walked to the sink.
Example 2: We made a precarious crossing over the stepping stones, holding on to each other's hands.
Example 3: With one wicket left, our team was in a precarious position.
Fun Fact
In the 1600s precarious described something you held only by another person's favour, so you could lose it at any time.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Champ
Choose the correct option to make a meaningful word:
precar_ _ _ _
a) ious
b) uous
c) oius
d) eous
Show answer
a) ious. The same four letters end curious and serious.
Spell Probe
One word in the sentence is misspelt. Choose the meaning of that word:
The pricarious pile of textbooks on the library trolley wobbled as Neha steered it round the sharp corner.
a) a bend where two passages meet
b) a wheeled frame used for moving things
c) books used for study in school
d) so badly balanced that it could tumble
Show answer
d) so badly balanced that it could tumble. This word opens with pre, not pri, and it describes the wobbling pile.
Word Puzzle
Match the words with their opposites:
1. precarious 2. prominent 3. lenient a. strict b. stable c. obscure
a) 1-a, 2-c, 3-b
b) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
c) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c
d) 1-c, 2-b, 3-a
Show answer
b) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a. A stable tower will not topple, an obscure writer is barely known, and a strict teacher is not lenient.
Word Tally
Give 2 marks for each misspelt word. How many marks in all?
precarious, hazardus, perilous, vulnerible, unsteady
a) 4
b) 6
c) 2
d) 8
Show answer
a) 4. Hazardous needs an o and vulnerable ends in able, so two words earn marks.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these is in the most precarious position?
a) a vase near the table edge
b) a chair against a wall
c) a rug spread on the floor
d) a book flat on a shelf
Show answer
a) a vase near the table edge
2. A small shop's finances are called precarious. What does this suggest?
a) it has just opened a branch
b) it sells very costly goods
c) it may not survive long
d) it is run by two sisters
Show answer
c) it may not survive long
