If you say that someone or something is inlimbo, you mean that they are in a situation where they seem to be caught between two stages and it is unclear what will happen next.
I didn't know whether my family was alive or dead. I felt as if I was in limbo.
The negotiations have been in limbo since mid-December.
2. singular noun [theNOUN, NOUN noun]
The limbo is a West Indian dance in which you have to pass under a low bar while leaning backwards.The bar is moved nearer to the floor each time you go under it.
limbo in British English1
(ˈlɪmbəʊ)
nounWord forms: plural-bos
1. (often capital) Roman Catholic Church
the supposed abode of infants dying without baptism and the just who died before Christ
2.
an imaginary place for lost, forgotten, or unwanted persons or things
3.
an unknown intermediate place or condition between two extremes
in limbo
4.
a prison or confinement
Word origin
C14: from Medieval Latin in limbo on the border (of hell)
limbo in British English2
(ˈlɪmbəʊ)
nounWord forms: plural-bos
a Caribbean dance in which dancers pass, while leaning backwards, under a bar
Word origin
C20: origin uncertain
limbo in American English1
(ˈlɪmboʊ)
nounWord forms: pluralˈlimbos
1. [usuallyL-]
in some Christian theologies, the eternal abode or state, neither heaven nor hell, of the souls of infants or others dying in original sin but free of grievous personal sin, or, before the coming of Christ, the temporary abode or state of all holy souls after death
2.
any intermediate, indeterminate state
3.
a place or condition of confinement, neglect, or oblivion
Word origin
ME < L, abl. of limbus, edge, border (in in limbo, in or on the border) < IE *(s)lemb-, to hand down: see limp1
limbo in American English2
(ˈlɪmboʊ)
nounWord forms: pluralˈlimbos
a dance, originated in the West Indies, in which the dancers bend from the knees as far back as possible to pass beneath a bar that is put lower and lower
Word origin
prob. altered < limber1
Examples of 'limbo' in a sentence
limbo
But despite her good intentions, separated from Finn and stuck in conversational limbo with Charles, the evening crawled past.
Cathy Kelly JUST BETWEEN US (2002)
Once Zegarnald had a hold of him, he was powerless to resist being drawn into this grey limbo.
Jennifer Fallon TREASON KEEP (2002)
"And I explained about my father's wedding, my state of limbo because of the grant.
Miller, Sue FAMILY PICTURES (2002)
In other languages
limbo
British English: limbo NOUN
If you say that someone or something is in limbo, you mean that they are in a situation where they seem to be caught between two stages and it is unclear what will happen next.
The negotiations have been in limbo since mid-December.
American English: limbo
Brazilian Portuguese: limbo
Chinese: 前途未卜的境地
European Spanish: limbo
French: impasse
German: Schwebe
Italian: stato di incertezza
Japanese: 宙ぶらりんの状態
Korean: 중간 상태
European Portuguese: limbo
Latin American Spanish: limbo
Chinese translation of 'limbo'
limbo
(ˈlɪmbəu)
n
to be in limbo处(處)于(於)不定状(狀)态(態) (chǔyú bù dìng zhuàngtài)