"quandary" meaning in All languages combined

See quandary on Wiktionary

Noun [English]

IPA: /ˈkwɒn.də.ɹi/ [Received-Pronunciation], /ˈkwɒn.dɹi/ [Received-Pronunciation], /kwɒnˈdɛə.ɹɪ/ [Received-Pronunciation, dated], /ˈkwɑn.də.ɹi/ [General-American], /ˈkwɑn.dɹi/ [General-American], /ˈkwɔn-/ [General-American], /ˈkwɔn.də.ɹi/ [General-Australian], /ˈkwɔn.dɹi/ [General-Australian] Audio: en-au-quandary.ogg [Australia] Forms: quandaries [plural]
Rhymes: -ɑndɹi Etymology: 16th century. Origin unknown; perhaps a dialectal corruption (simulating a word of Latin origin with suffix -ary) of wandreth (“evil, plight, peril, adversity, difficulty”), from Middle English wandreth, from Old Norse vandræði (“difficulty, trouble”), from vándr (“difficult, requiring pains and care”). Etymology templates: {{unknown|en|unknown}} unknown, {{nc|la|-}} Latin, {{m|en|-ary}} -ary, {{m|en|wandreth|t=evil, plight, peril, adversity, difficulty}} wandreth (“evil, plight, peril, adversity, difficulty”), {{der|en|enm|wandreth}} Middle English wandreth, {{der|en|non|vandræði|t=difficulty, trouble}} Old Norse vandræði (“difficulty, trouble”), {{m|non|vándr|t=difficult, requiring pains and care}} vándr (“difficult, requiring pains and care”) Head templates: {{en-noun}} quandary (plural quandaries)
  1. A state of not knowing what to decide; a state of difficulty or perplexity; a state of uncertainty, hesitation or puzzlement. Synonyms: perplexity, pickle, predicament, uncertainty Translations (a state of not knowing what to decide): затруднение (zatrudnenie) [neuter] (Bulgarian), bezradnost [feminine] (Czech), rozpaky [masculine, plural] (Czech), besluiteloosheid (Dutch), onzekerheid (Dutch), kimbatus (Estonian), kitsikus (Estonian), embarras [masculine] (French), perplexité [feminine] (French), incertitude [feminine] (French), გაჭირვებული მდგომარეობა (gač̣irvebuli mdgomareoba) (Georgian), გართულება (gartuleba) (Georgian), Zwickmühle [feminine] (German), Verlegenheit [feminine] (German), tanácstalanság (Hungarian), недоумица (nedoumica) [feminine] (Macedonian), ngākau kōnatunatu (Maori), harapukatanga (Maori), matawaenga (Maori), indecisão [feminine] (Portuguese), impasse (Portuguese), затруднительное положе́ние (zatrudnitelʹnoje položénije) (Russian), затрудне́ние (zatrudnénije) [neuter] (Russian), недоуме́ние (nedouménije) [neuter] (Russian), nedoumica [feminine] (Serbo-Croatian), недоумица [feminine] (Serbo-Croatian), indecisión [feminine] (Spanish), penbleth [feminine] (Welsh), cyfyng-gyngor [masculine] (Welsh), dryswch [masculine] (Welsh)
    Sense id: en-quandary-en-noun-7IGGR3x2 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 68 32 Disambiguation of 'a state of not knowing what to decide': 95 5
  2. A dilemma, a difficult decision or choice. Synonyms: dilemma, dilemma, difficult situation Translations (a dilemma): дилема (dilema) [feminine] (Bulgarian), dilema [masculine] (Catalan), dilema [neuter] (Czech), dilemma (Dutch), dilemo (Esperanto), pulma (Finnish), dilemme [masculine] (French), დილემა (dilema) (Georgian), Dilemma [neuter] (German), verfahrene Situation [feminine] (German), dilemma (Hungarian), dilemma (Italian), недоумица (nedoumica) [feminine] (Macedonian), dilema (Portuguese), nedoumica [feminine] (Serbo-Croatian), недоумица [feminine] (Serbo-Croatian), dilema (Spanish), disyuntiva [feminine] (Spanish)
    Sense id: en-quandary-en-noun-CO~wYjYe Disambiguation of 'a dilemma': 22 78
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Related terms: doubt, indecision, dilemma

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

Download JSON data for quandary meaning in All languages combined (12.0kB)

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "unknown"
      },
      "expansion": "unknown",
      "name": "unknown"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "la",
        "2": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin",
      "name": "nc"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "-ary"
      },
      "expansion": "-ary",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "wandreth",
        "t": "evil, plight, peril, adversity, difficulty"
      },
      "expansion": "wandreth (“evil, plight, peril, adversity, difficulty”)",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "wandreth"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English wandreth",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "non",
        "3": "vandræði",
        "t": "difficulty, trouble"
      },
      "expansion": "Old Norse vandræði (“difficulty, trouble”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "non",
        "2": "vándr",
        "t": "difficult, requiring pains and care"
      },
      "expansion": "vándr (“difficult, requiring pains and care”)",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "16th century. Origin unknown; perhaps a dialectal corruption (simulating a word of Latin origin with suffix -ary) of wandreth (“evil, plight, peril, adversity, difficulty”), from Middle English wandreth, from Old Norse vandræði (“difficulty, trouble”), from vándr (“difficult, requiring pains and care”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "quandaries",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "quandary (plural quandaries)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenation": [
    "quan‧da‧ry"
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "doubt"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "indecision"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "dilemma"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "68 32",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1962 May, G. Freeman Allen, “Traffic control on the Great Northern Line”, in Modern Railways, page 343",
          "text": "As a Hitchin signalman once pointed out to me, when a regulating quandary arises concerning a fast-moving Class A train there is no time to consult Control and get their answer before the express is on one's doorstep.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2013 July 6, “The rise of smart beta”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8843, page 68",
          "text": "Investors face a quandary. Cash offers a return of virtually zero in many developed countries; government-bond yields may have risen in recent weeks but they are still unattractive. Equities have suffered two big bear markets since 2000 and are wobbling again. It is hardly surprising that pension funds, insurers and endowments are searching for new sources of return.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A state of not knowing what to decide; a state of difficulty or perplexity; a state of uncertainty, hesitation or puzzlement."
      ],
      "id": "en-quandary-en-noun-7IGGR3x2",
      "links": [
        [
          "decide",
          "decide"
        ],
        [
          "difficulty",
          "difficulty"
        ],
        [
          "perplexity",
          "perplexity"
        ],
        [
          "uncertainty",
          "uncertainty"
        ],
        [
          "hesitation",
          "hesitation"
        ],
        [
          "puzzlement",
          "puzzlement"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "perplexity"
        },
        {
          "word": "pickle"
        },
        {
          "word": "predicament"
        },
        {
          "word": "uncertainty"
        }
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "zatrudnenie",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "затруднение"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "bezradnost"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "tags": [
            "masculine",
            "plural"
          ],
          "word": "rozpaky"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "word": "besluiteloosheid"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "word": "onzekerheid"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "et",
          "lang": "Estonian",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "word": "kimbatus"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "et",
          "lang": "Estonian",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "word": "kitsikus"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "embarras"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "perplexité"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "incertitude"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "ka",
          "lang": "Georgian",
          "roman": "gač̣irvebuli mdgomareoba",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "word": "გაჭირვებული მდგომარეობა"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "ka",
          "lang": "Georgian",
          "roman": "gartuleba",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "word": "გართულება"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Zwickmühle"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Verlegenheit"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "word": "tanácstalanság"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "mk",
          "lang": "Macedonian",
          "roman": "nedoumica",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "недоумица"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "word": "ngākau kōnatunatu"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "word": "harapukatanga"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "word": "matawaenga"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "indecisão"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "word": "impasse"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "zatrudnitelʹnoje položénije",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "word": "затруднительное положе́ние"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "zatrudnénije",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "затрудне́ние"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "nedouménije",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "недоуме́ние"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "nedoumica"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "недоумица"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "indecisión"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "cy",
          "lang": "Welsh",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "penbleth"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "cy",
          "lang": "Welsh",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "cyfyng-gyngor"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "cy",
          "lang": "Welsh",
          "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "dryswch"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1995, Robert Frost, Collected Poems, Prose & Plays, page 475",
          "text": "To quote the oracle of Delphi, / Love thou thy neighbor as thyself, aye, / And hate him as thyself thou hatest. / There quandary is at its greatest.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1995, Douglas N. Walton, Erik C. W. Krabbe, Commitment in Dialogue: Basic Concepts of Interpersonal Reasoning, page 54",
          "text": "But we may suppose that John has set his priorities in such a way that the quandary is spurious.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2000, Carol Ann Strip, Gretchen Hirsch, Helping Gifted Children Soar, page 208",
          "text": "What a difficult quandary for a bright, talented child!",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2004, Jennifer Traig, Devil in the Details: Scenes from an Obsessive Girlhood, page 181",
          "text": "Then I would begin contemplating the next quandary: \"Does the Torah say it's okay to portray a hooker, and is a heart of gold a mitigating factor?\"",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2023 July 21, Rachel Hall, “Anti-nuclear groups welcome Oppenheimer film but say it fails to depict true horror”, in The Guardian, →ISSN",
          "text": "The film explores Oppenheimer’s moral quandary over his role in creating the most destructive weapon ever made, but nuclear disarmament campaigners fear its power to persuade people of the existential threat posed by nuclear arms may be diminished by its focus on scientific achievement.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A dilemma, a difficult decision or choice."
      ],
      "id": "en-quandary-en-noun-CO~wYjYe",
      "links": [
        [
          "dilemma",
          "dilemma"
        ],
        [
          "decision",
          "decision"
        ],
        [
          "choice",
          "choice"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "dilemma"
        },
        {
          "word": "dilemma"
        },
        {
          "word": "difficult situation"
        }
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "22 78",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "dilema",
          "sense": "a dilemma",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "дилема"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 78",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "a dilemma",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "dilema"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 78",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "a dilemma",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "dilema"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 78",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "a dilemma",
          "word": "dilemma"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 78",
          "code": "eo",
          "lang": "Esperanto",
          "sense": "a dilemma",
          "word": "dilemo"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 78",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "a dilemma",
          "word": "pulma"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 78",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "a dilemma",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "dilemme"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 78",
          "code": "ka",
          "lang": "Georgian",
          "roman": "dilema",
          "sense": "a dilemma",
          "word": "დილემა"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 78",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "a dilemma",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "Dilemma"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 78",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "a dilemma",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "verfahrene Situation"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 78",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "a dilemma",
          "word": "dilemma"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 78",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "a dilemma",
          "word": "dilemma"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 78",
          "code": "mk",
          "lang": "Macedonian",
          "roman": "nedoumica",
          "sense": "a dilemma",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "недоумица"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 78",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "a dilemma",
          "word": "dilema"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 78",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "a dilemma",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "nedoumica"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 78",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "a dilemma",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "недоумица"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 78",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "a dilemma",
          "word": "dilema"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 78",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "a dilemma",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "disyuntiva"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkwɒn.də.ɹi/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkwɒn.dɹi/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/kwɒnˈdɛə.ɹɪ/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation",
        "dated"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkwɑn.də.ɹi/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkwɑn.dɹi/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkwɔn-/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkwɔn.də.ɹi/",
      "tags": [
        "General-Australian"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkwɔn.dɹi/",
      "tags": [
        "General-Australian"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɑndɹi"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-au-quandary.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/fb/En-au-quandary.ogg/En-au-quandary.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/En-au-quandary.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "quandary"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English 2-syllable words",
    "English 3-syllable words",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms derived from Old Norse",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "English terms with unknown etymologies",
    "Rhymes:English/ɑndɹi",
    "Rhymes:English/ɑndɹi/2 syllables"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "unknown"
      },
      "expansion": "unknown",
      "name": "unknown"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "la",
        "2": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin",
      "name": "nc"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "-ary"
      },
      "expansion": "-ary",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "wandreth",
        "t": "evil, plight, peril, adversity, difficulty"
      },
      "expansion": "wandreth (“evil, plight, peril, adversity, difficulty”)",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "wandreth"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English wandreth",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "non",
        "3": "vandræði",
        "t": "difficulty, trouble"
      },
      "expansion": "Old Norse vandræði (“difficulty, trouble”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "non",
        "2": "vándr",
        "t": "difficult, requiring pains and care"
      },
      "expansion": "vándr (“difficult, requiring pains and care”)",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "16th century. Origin unknown; perhaps a dialectal corruption (simulating a word of Latin origin with suffix -ary) of wandreth (“evil, plight, peril, adversity, difficulty”), from Middle English wandreth, from Old Norse vandræði (“difficulty, trouble”), from vándr (“difficult, requiring pains and care”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "quandaries",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "quandary (plural quandaries)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenation": [
    "quan‧da‧ry"
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "doubt"
    },
    {
      "word": "indecision"
    },
    {
      "word": "dilemma"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1962 May, G. Freeman Allen, “Traffic control on the Great Northern Line”, in Modern Railways, page 343",
          "text": "As a Hitchin signalman once pointed out to me, when a regulating quandary arises concerning a fast-moving Class A train there is no time to consult Control and get their answer before the express is on one's doorstep.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2013 July 6, “The rise of smart beta”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8843, page 68",
          "text": "Investors face a quandary. Cash offers a return of virtually zero in many developed countries; government-bond yields may have risen in recent weeks but they are still unattractive. Equities have suffered two big bear markets since 2000 and are wobbling again. It is hardly surprising that pension funds, insurers and endowments are searching for new sources of return.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A state of not knowing what to decide; a state of difficulty or perplexity; a state of uncertainty, hesitation or puzzlement."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "decide",
          "decide"
        ],
        [
          "difficulty",
          "difficulty"
        ],
        [
          "perplexity",
          "perplexity"
        ],
        [
          "uncertainty",
          "uncertainty"
        ],
        [
          "hesitation",
          "hesitation"
        ],
        [
          "puzzlement",
          "puzzlement"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "perplexity"
        },
        {
          "word": "pickle"
        },
        {
          "word": "predicament"
        },
        {
          "word": "uncertainty"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Quotation templates to be cleaned"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1995, Robert Frost, Collected Poems, Prose & Plays, page 475",
          "text": "To quote the oracle of Delphi, / Love thou thy neighbor as thyself, aye, / And hate him as thyself thou hatest. / There quandary is at its greatest.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1995, Douglas N. Walton, Erik C. W. Krabbe, Commitment in Dialogue: Basic Concepts of Interpersonal Reasoning, page 54",
          "text": "But we may suppose that John has set his priorities in such a way that the quandary is spurious.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2000, Carol Ann Strip, Gretchen Hirsch, Helping Gifted Children Soar, page 208",
          "text": "What a difficult quandary for a bright, talented child!",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2004, Jennifer Traig, Devil in the Details: Scenes from an Obsessive Girlhood, page 181",
          "text": "Then I would begin contemplating the next quandary: \"Does the Torah say it's okay to portray a hooker, and is a heart of gold a mitigating factor?\"",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2023 July 21, Rachel Hall, “Anti-nuclear groups welcome Oppenheimer film but say it fails to depict true horror”, in The Guardian, →ISSN",
          "text": "The film explores Oppenheimer’s moral quandary over his role in creating the most destructive weapon ever made, but nuclear disarmament campaigners fear its power to persuade people of the existential threat posed by nuclear arms may be diminished by its focus on scientific achievement.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A dilemma, a difficult decision or choice."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "dilemma",
          "dilemma"
        ],
        [
          "decision",
          "decision"
        ],
        [
          "choice",
          "choice"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "dilemma"
        },
        {
          "word": "dilemma"
        },
        {
          "word": "difficult situation"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkwɒn.də.ɹi/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkwɒn.dɹi/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/kwɒnˈdɛə.ɹɪ/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation",
        "dated"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkwɑn.də.ɹi/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkwɑn.dɹi/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkwɔn-/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkwɔn.də.ɹi/",
      "tags": [
        "General-Australian"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkwɔn.dɹi/",
      "tags": [
        "General-Australian"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɑndɹi"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-au-quandary.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/fb/En-au-quandary.ogg/En-au-quandary.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/En-au-quandary.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "zatrudnenie",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "затруднение"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "bezradnost"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "tags": [
        "masculine",
        "plural"
      ],
      "word": "rozpaky"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "word": "besluiteloosheid"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "word": "onzekerheid"
    },
    {
      "code": "et",
      "lang": "Estonian",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "word": "kimbatus"
    },
    {
      "code": "et",
      "lang": "Estonian",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "word": "kitsikus"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "embarras"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "perplexité"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "incertitude"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "gač̣irvebuli mdgomareoba",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "word": "გაჭირვებული მდგომარეობა"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "gartuleba",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "word": "გართულება"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Zwickmühle"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Verlegenheit"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "word": "tanácstalanság"
    },
    {
      "code": "mk",
      "lang": "Macedonian",
      "roman": "nedoumica",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "недоумица"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "word": "ngākau kōnatunatu"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "word": "harapukatanga"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "word": "matawaenga"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "indecisão"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "word": "impasse"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "zatrudnitelʹnoje položénije",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "word": "затруднительное положе́ние"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "zatrudnénije",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "затрудне́ние"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "nedouménije",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "недоуме́ние"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "nedoumica"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "недоумица"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "indecisión"
    },
    {
      "code": "cy",
      "lang": "Welsh",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "penbleth"
    },
    {
      "code": "cy",
      "lang": "Welsh",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "cyfyng-gyngor"
    },
    {
      "code": "cy",
      "lang": "Welsh",
      "sense": "a state of not knowing what to decide",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "dryswch"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "dilema",
      "sense": "a dilemma",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "дилема"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "a dilemma",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "dilema"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "a dilemma",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "dilema"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "a dilemma",
      "word": "dilemma"
    },
    {
      "code": "eo",
      "lang": "Esperanto",
      "sense": "a dilemma",
      "word": "dilemo"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "a dilemma",
      "word": "pulma"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "a dilemma",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "dilemme"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "dilema",
      "sense": "a dilemma",
      "word": "დილემა"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "a dilemma",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "Dilemma"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "a dilemma",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "verfahrene Situation"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "a dilemma",
      "word": "dilemma"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "a dilemma",
      "word": "dilemma"
    },
    {
      "code": "mk",
      "lang": "Macedonian",
      "roman": "nedoumica",
      "sense": "a dilemma",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "недоумица"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "a dilemma",
      "word": "dilema"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "a dilemma",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "nedoumica"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "a dilemma",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "недоумица"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "a dilemma",
      "word": "dilema"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "a dilemma",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "disyuntiva"
    }
  ],
  "word": "quandary"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable All languages combined dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-03 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-05-02 using wiktextract (f4fd8c9 and c9440ce). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.