"last resource, what one would do at the worst," 1670s, French, literally "to go worse," from pis "worse," from Latin peius, neuter of peior "worse" (see pejorative) + aller "to go" (see alley (n.1)).
`pis aller' is French for `worst going'
piratical
pirl
pirogi
pirogue
pirouette
pis aller
Pisa
piscatology
piscatorial
piscatory
Pisces