Perilous \Per"il*ous\, a. [OF. perillous, perilleus, F. p['e]rilleux, L. periculosus. See {Peril}.] [Written also {perillous}.] 1. Full of, attended with, or involving, peril; dangerous; hazardous; as, a perilous undertaking. Infamous hills, and sandy, perilous wilds. --Milton. 2. Daring; reckless; dangerous. [Obs.] --Latimer. For I am perilous with knife in hand. --Chaucer. -- {Per"il*ous*ly}, adv. -- {Per"il*ous*ness}, n.