agony
nouncommon in dialogue
- United States//ˈæɡ.ə.ni//
- //ˈeɪ̯ɡ.ə.ni//
Extreme pain or anguish.
noun
- 1
Extreme pain or anguish.
When the weight fell on her foot, she cried out in agony.
- 2
The sufferings of Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane (often capitalized).
And being in an agonie, he prayed more earneſtly,[…].
- 3
datedViolent contest or striving.
The world is convulsed by the agonies of great nations.
- 4
datedParoxysm of joy; keen emotion.
With cries and agonies of wild delight.
- 5
The last struggle of life; death struggle.
Etymology
14th century, via Old French and Latin from Ancient Greek ἀγωνία (agōnía, “emulation, competition, struggle”), from ἀγών (agṓn, “contest”). Specifically of the struggle that precedes death (mortal agony) from the 1540s. By surface analysis, agon + -y. The sense of "extreme pain" from c. 1600.
Forms
- plural
- agonies