Definitions
state of uncertainty or perplexity especially as requiring a choice between equally unfavorable options
Word origin
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”).
Used in a sentence
“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.”
“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.”
“But we may suppose that John has set his priorities in such a way that the quandary is spurious.”
Source: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0
Used as a crossword answer2 curated clues
01“Tough dilemma”8 letters
02“Difficult dilemma”8 letters
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