limbo

¹

[lim-boh]

noun

plural

limbos 

1. (often initial capital letter),  a region on the border of hell or heaven, serving as the abode after death of unbaptized infants limbo of infants and of the righteous who died before the coming of Christ limbo of the fathers, or limbo of the patriarchs.

2. a place or state of oblivion to which persons or things are regarded as being relegated when cast aside, forgotten, past, or out of date.

   My youthful hopes are in the limbo of lost dreams.

3. an intermediate, transitional, or midway state or place.

4. a place or state of imprisonment or confinement.

limbo

²

[lim-boh]

noun

plural

limbos 

1. a dance from the West Indies, originally for men only, in which the dancer bends backward from the knees and moves with a shuffling step under a horizontal bar that is lowered after each successive pass.

limbo

¹

/ ˈlɪmbəʊ /

noun

1. (often capital) RC Church the supposed abode of infants dying without baptism and the just who died before Christ

2. an imaginary place for lost, forgotten, or unwanted persons or things

3. an unknown intermediate place or condition between two extremes

   in limbo

4. a prison or confinement

limbo

²

/ ˈlɪmbəʊ /

noun

1. a Caribbean dance in which dancers pass, while leaning backwards, under a bar

limbo

1. In the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church regarding the afterlife, the condition of innocent persons who die without benefit of baptism; those in limbo do not suffer damnation, but they do not enjoy the presence of God. Limbo means “a bordering place.”

Figuratively, “limbo” is a state of nonresolution or uncertainty: “Until he receives notice of his new posting, he'll be in limbo.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of limbo¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Medieval Latin phrase in limbō “on hell's border” ( Latin: “on the edge”), from Latin in “in, on” + limbō, ablative of limbus “edge, border”

Origin of limbo²

First recorded in 1955–60; of disputed origin; perhaps compare Jamaican English limba “to bend; easily bending”; limber ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of limbo¹

C14: from Medieval Latin in limbo on the border (of hell)

Origin of limbo²

C20: origin uncertain

Idioms and Phrases

see in limbo.

Example Sentences

Now, shaky job prospects have her worried and in financial limbo.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The Telegraph has been in limbo for over two years, when the RedBird IMI consortium paid off the debts of the Telegraph's previous owners, the Barclay family, hoping to take eventual ownership of the newspapers.

Read more on BBC

It said the deal would give "much-needed certainty and confidence" to the staff at the newspaper, whose sale has been in limbo for over two years.

Read more on Barron's

Majid, who managed to slip through the airport in Turkey, has been living in limbo since, while his lawyer follows up on his case.

Read more on BBC

The foiaball.com story contended that Shelter 37 was used as a workaround for donor-advised funds that were in limbo.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• oblivion