Dictionary
pa•ral•y•sis
Pronunciation: (pu-ral'u-sis), [key]—
n.,
—pl. -sesPronunciation: (-sēz"). [key]
1. Pathol.
a. a loss or impairment of voluntary movement in a body part, caused by injury or disease of the nerves, brain, or spinal cord.
b. a disease characterized by this, esp. palsy.
2. a state of helpless stoppage, inactivity, or inability to act:
The strike caused a paralysis of all shipping. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.