quandary
Preserved but no longer current.
Described in the dictionaries as a "low word," may fittingly be given here. It illustrates, like "hocus-pocus," and other compound colloquialisms, the singular origin of slang expressions. QUANDARY, a dilemma, a doubt, a difficulty, is from the French, QU’EN DIRAI-JE?—Skinner.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “quandary” mean?
Described in the dictionaries as a "low word," may fittingly be given here. It illustrates, like "hocus-pocus," and other compound colloquialisms, the singular origin of slang expressions. QUANDARY, a dilemma, a doubt, a difficulty, is from the French, QU’EN DIRAI-JE?—Skinner.
Is “quandary” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.