misery

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a feeling of intense unhappiness

   They were exhausted by misery and grief.

2. 2
   noun

   a state of ill-being due to affliction or misfortune

   the misery and wretchedness of those slums is intolerable

3. 3
   noun

   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.

4. 4
   noun

   A bodily ache or pain.

   [...] and I had a misery in my left breast and shoulder. I was hurt, but knew not how or how much.

5. 5
   noun

   poverty.

   The Widdow that hath but a pan of braſſe, […] Muſt pay her Landlord many a groat, Or twil be puld out of her throat: […] The rich haue all, the poore liue in miſerie: […]

6. 6
   name

   Derogatory name for Missouri: a state of the United States.

   First, the young lady whom you spoke as becoming [a] mistress of the establishment would most likely (if she could become as such) be brought into a state of misery, instead of being brought from the state of misery, (or Missouri), [...]

7. 7
   noun

   Cause of misery; calamity; misfortune.

8. 8
   noun

   greed; avarice.

Etymology

From Middle English miserie, from Old French miserie (modern: misère), from Latin miseria, from miser, equivalent to miser + -y. Doublet of misère and mizeria.