n Word of the week: “parlous.” Unrelated to the French word for “talk,” it’s a ten-dollar synonym for “dangerous.” It sort of sounds like “perilous,” which in fact is what the word is derived from.

n Unique celebrity descriptor update: Thanks to the readers who let us know about these one-word terms applied to just one person: “Emancipator” for Abraham Lincoln (Fred Burkart, Walnut Creek, Calif.) and “Venerable” to British historian St. Bede (Dave Evans, Bellingham, Wash.)

Former U.S. Senator and basketball Hall of Famer Bill Bradley got the nickname “Dollar Bill” in his hoops-playing days for his:

A) Value to his team

B) Frugality

C) Many commercial endorsements

D) Resemblance to George Washington

Friday’s answer: With a population of about 10,000, the current member of the United Nations that has the smallest population is the Polynesian island nation of Tuvalu.