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rickety

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From dialectal ricket (unstable, rickety) +‎ -y, and/or ricket (to move noisily and in a reckless way) +‎ -y.

Alternatively, and perhaps less likely, from rickets +‎ -y.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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rickety (comparative ricketier or more rickety, superlative ricketiest or most rickety)

  1. Of an object: not strong or sturdy, as because of poor construction or upkeep; not safe or secure.
    Synonyms: precarious, rachitic, shaky, tottering, unsafe, unstable, unsteady, wobbly
    He hesitated about climbing such a small, rickety ladder.
  2. (of a person) Feeble in the joints; tottering.
    The rickety old man hardly managed to climb the stairs.
  3. (pathology) Affected with or suffering from rickets; rachitic.

Translations

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Anagrams

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