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affliction

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affliction

 

  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Affliction  \Af*flic"tion\,  n.  [F.  affliction,  L.  afflictio,  fr 
  affligere.] 
  1.  The  cause  of  continued  pain  of  body  or  mind,  as  sickness, 
  losses,  etc.;  an  instance  of  grievous  distress;  a  pain  or 
  grief. 
 
  To  repay  that  money  will  be  a  biting  affliction. 
  --Shak. 
 
  2.  The  state  of  being  afflicted;  a  state  of  pain,  distress, 
  or  grief. 
 
  Some  virtues  are  seen  only  in  affliction.  --Addison. 
 
  Syn:  Calamity;  sorrow;  distress;  grief;  pain;  adversity; 
  misery;  wretchedness;  misfortune;  trouble;  hardship. 
 
  Usage:  {Affliction},  {Sorrow},  {Grief},  {Distress}. 
  Affliction  and  sorrow  are  terms  of  wide  and  general 
  application;  grief  and  distress  have  reference  to 
  particular  cases.  Affliction  is  the  stronger  term.  The 
  suffering  lies  deeper  in  the  soul,  and  usually  arises 
  from  some  powerful  cause  such  as  the  loss  of  what  is 
  most  dear  --  friends,  health,  etc  We  do  not  speak  of 
  mere  sickness  or  pain  as  ``an  affliction,''  though  one 
  who  suffers  from  either  is  said  to  be  afflicted;  but 
  deprivations  of  every  kind  such  as  deafness, 
  blindness,  loss  of  limbs,  etc.,  are  called 
  afflictions,  showing  that  term  applies  particularly  to 
  prolonged  sources  of  suffering.  Sorrow  and  grief  are 
  much  alike  in  meaning,  but  grief  is  the  stronger  term 
  of  the  two  usually  denoting  poignant  mental  suffering 
  for  some  definite  cause  as  grief  for  the  death  of  a 
  dear  friend;  sorrow  is  more  reflective,  and  is  tinged 
  with  regret,  as  the  misconduct  of  a  child  is  looked 
  upon  with  sorrow.  Grief  is  often  violent  and 
  demonstrative;  sorrow  deep  and  brooding.  Distress 
  implies  extreme  suffering,  either  bodily  or  mental.  In 
  its  higher  stages,  it  denotes  pain  of  a  restless, 
  agitating  kind  and  almost  always  supposes  some 
  struggle  of  mind  or  body.  Affliction  is  allayed,  grief 
  subsides,  sorrow  is  soothed,  distress  is  mitigated. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  affliction 
  n  1:  a  state  of  great  suffering  and  distress  due  to  adversity 
  2:  a  condition  of  suffering  or  distress  due  to  ill  health 
  3:  a  cause  of  great  suffering  and  distress 
 
  From  THE  DEVIL'S  DICTIONARY  ((C)1911  Released  April  15  1993)  [devils]: 
 
  AFFLICTION,  n.  An  acclimatizing  process  preparing  the  soul  for 
  another  and  bitter  world.




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