Precarious (5)
'precarious' is the definition.
(synonyms)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for parlous that I've seen before include "It's difficult" , "Risky" , "Dangerously uncertain" , "Fraught with danger" , "Precarious (state)" .)
'precarious' is the definition.
(I know that precarious can be written as shaky)
This is the entire clue.
(Other definitions for shaky that I've seen before include "Rickety" , "Unstable; not reliable" , "Unstable; trembling" , "Not reliable; trembling" , "Trembling; not safe" .)