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Webster 1913 Edition


Misery

Mi′ser-y

,
Noun.
;
pl.
Miseries
(#)
.
[OE.
miserie
, L.
miseria
, fr.
miser
wretched: cf. F.
misère
, OF. also,
miserie
.]
1.
Great unhappiness; extreme pain of body or mind; wretchedness; distress; woe.
Chaucer.
Destruction and
misery
are in their ways.
Rom. iii. 16.
2.
Cause of misery; calamity; misfortune.
When we our betters see bearing our woes,
We scarcely think our
miseries
our foes.
Shakespeare
3.
Covetousness; niggardliness; avarice.
[Obs.]
Syn. – Wretchedness; torture; agony; torment; anguish; distress; calamity; misfortune.

Webster 1828 Edition


Misery

MIS'ERY

,
Noun.
s as z. [L. miseria.]
1.
Great unhappiness; extreme pain of body or mind. A man suffers misery from the gout, or from great afflictions, distress, calamity,and other evils. Misery expresses somewhat less than wretchedness.
Misery is as really the fruit of vice reigning in the heart, as tares are the produce of tares sown in the field.
2.
Calamity; misfortune; natural evils which are the cause of misery.
And mourn the miseries of human life.
3.
Covetousness. [Not used.]

Definition 2024


misery

misery

English

Noun

misery (plural miseries)

  1. Great unhappiness; extreme pain of body or mind; wretchedness; distress; woe.
    Ever since his wife left him you can see the misery on his face.
  2. Cause of misery; calamity; misfortune.
  3. (Extreme) poverty.
  4. (archaic) Greed; avarice.

Synonyms

  • see Wikisaurus:greed

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations