limboes

Noun

limbo (countable and uncountable, plural limbos or limboes)

1. (uncountable) A speculative place or state, thought possibly to be on the edge of the bottomless pit of Hell, where the souls of innocent deceased people might exist temporarily until they can enter heaven, specifically those of the saints who died before the advent of Jesus Christ (who occupy the limbo patrum or limbo of the patriarchs or fathers) and those of unbaptized infants (who occupy the limbo infantum or limbo of the infants); (countable) the possible place where each category of souls might exist, regarded separately.
   • Of vvhat texte thou proveſt hell / vvill a nother prove purgatory / a nother lymbo patrum / and a nother the aſſumpcion of oure ladi: And a nother ſhall prove of the ſame texte that an Ape hath a tayle.1528 October 12 (Gregorian calendar), William Tyndale, “William Tyndale other wise Called William Hychins vnto the Reader”, in The Obediẽce of a Christen Man […], [Antwerp]: [Johannes Hoochstraten]...
2. (broadly) Chiefly preceded by in: any in-between place, or condition or state, of neglect or oblivion which results in deadlock, delay, or some other unresolved status.
   • My passport application has been stuck in bureaucratic limbo for two weeks.
3. (archaic, broadly, slang, uncountable) Jail, prison; (countable) a jail cell or lockup.
   • Adr[iana]. VVhere is thy Maſter Dromio? Is he vvell? / S. Dro. [Dromio of Syracuse] No, he's in Tartar limbo, vvorſe then hell: […] / S. Dro. I doe not knovv the matter, hee is reſted [i.e., arrested] on the caſe. / Adr. VVhat is he arreſted? tell me at vvhoſe ſuite?c. 1594 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Comedie of Errors”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount...
4. (broadly, obsolete, uncountable) Synonym of Hades or Hell.
   • Nor quite of future Povv'r himſelf bereft, / But Limbo's large for Unbelievers left.1682, [Nahum Tate; John Dryden], The Second Part of Absalom and Achitophel. A Poem, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 4

   Synonyms:

   Hades or Hell

5. (broadly, obsolete, uncountable) Synonym of pawn (“the state of something being held as security for a loan, or as a pledge”).
   • […] I let him have all my ready Mony to redeem his great Svvord from Limbo— […]1693, Will[iam] Congreve, The Old Batchelour, a Comedy. […], London: […] Peter Buck, […], →OCLC, Act II, scene i, page 11

   Synonyms:

   pawn

6. (countable) A type of antisubmarine mortar installed on naval vessels.

See all 10 meanings of limbo