PREDICAMENT, now used only in the sense of a dangerous or unpleasant position or situation. It meant properly that which is "predicated" or affirmed (Lat. praedicare) of anything, in logic, one of the ten Aristotelian categories (see Category), and so any definite state or condition. The use of "predicament" in the sense of "bad predicament," without the limiting adjective, is paralleled by "plight," for "bad plight," "success" for "good success."