limbos

noun

(by extension) (countable, uncountable) Chiefly preceded by in: any in-between place, or condition or state, of neglect or oblivion which results in deadlock, delay, or some other unresolved status.

(Roman Catholicism, uncountable) A speculation, thought possibly to be on the edge of the bottomless pit of Hell, where the souls of innocent deceased people might exist temporarily until they can enter heaven, specifically those of the saints who died before the advent of Jesus Christ (who occupy the limbo patrum or limbo of the patriarchs or fathers) and those of unbaptized infants (who occupy the limbo infantum or limbo of the infants); (countable) the possible place where each category of souls might exist, regarded separately.

(dance, also attributively) A competitive dance originating from Trinidad and Tobago in which dancers take turns to cross under a horizontal bar while bending backwards. The bar is lowered with each round, and the competition is won by the dancer who passes under the bar in the lowest position without dislodging it or falling down.

(countable, military, nautical, weaponry) A type of antisubmarine mortar installed on naval vessels.

(by extension) (slang, archaic, uncountable) Jail, prison; (countable) a jail cell or lockup.

(by extension) (uncountable, obsolete) Synonym of Hades or Hell.

(by extension) (uncountable, obsolete) Synonym of pawn (“the state of something being held as security for a loan, or as a pledge”).

Alternative letter-case form of limbo (“a type of antisubmarine mortar installed on naval vessels”). [(Roman Catholicism, uncountable) A speculation, thought possibly to be on the edge of the bottomless pit of Hell, where the souls of innocent deceased people might exist temporarily until they can enter heaven, specifically those of the saints who died before the advent of Jesus Christ (who occupy the limbo patrum or limbo of the patriarchs or fathers) and those of unbaptized infants (who occupy the limbo infantum or limbo of the infants); (countable) the possible place where each category of souls might exist, regarded separately.]

verb

(dance) To dance the limbo (etymology 2, noun etymology 2, sense 1).

(by extension, also figuratively) Often followed by under: to pass under something, especially while bending backwards.

(transitive, rare) To place (someone or something) in an in-between place, or condition or state, of neglect or oblivion which results in deadlock, delay, or some other unresolved status.

Roots

limbuslimbo- · Latin · edge, border

Words related to limbos

purgatoryn oblivionn purgatorialadj abyssn abeyancen eternityn hellholen helln infernon pendingadj indefinitelyadv miredadj

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Words related to limbos

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