paralytic

Alternative forms

• paralytick (obsolete)

Etymology

From Ancient Greek παραλυτικός (paralutikós, “paralyzed”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌpæɹəˈlɪtɪk/

  Rhymes: -ɪtɪk

Noun

paralytic (plural paralytics)

1. Someone suffering from paralysis.
2. A drug that produces paralysis.
   • 2010, John J. Marini, Critical Care Medicine: The Essentials, page 312:

     For example, use of paralytics in morbidly obese patients or those with spinal instability can precipitate complete upper airway obstruction.

Adjective

paralytic (comparative more paralytic, superlative most paralytic)

1. Affected by paralysis; paralysed.
   • Prior

     the cold, shaking, paralytic hand

2. Pertaining to paralysis.
3. (Britain, Australia, Ireland, slang) Very drunk.
   • 1996 August 18, Ben McCulloch, “Para-olympics”, in aus.jokes, Usenet‎:

     Are the para-olympics the events in which the olympians, having finished their events in the normal olympics, go out and get pissed and then compete again?
     ie: the para-olympics become the paralytic olympics.

   • 1999 January 3, David McLoughlin, “Gundagai - Last Use Of Line?”, in aus.rail, Usenet‎:

     I'm amazed I survived so much drunken driving. Once he was so paralytic he even made me drive, and I was about 14 and barely able to see above the steering wheel. At least it was an automatic.

   • 2018 May 24, Peter Ryan, “ablett no from hall of fame”, in aus.sport.aussie-rules, Usenet‎:

     He hasn't even been openly accused of anything bar drinking himself paralytic at a time that, in hindsight, was inconvenient.

   • 2018 April 16, C e r b e r u s - T h e D o g O f H e l l, “On the Isle of Man.”, in free.jokes, Usenet‎:

     On returning to his friends at the bar he remarked " there's a fellow in the jaxx and he's just paralytic. He must be heading for the boat and didn't quite make it."