af·flict
Audio Help [uh-flikt] Pronunciation Key
Audio Help [uh-flikt] Pronunciation Key –verb (used with object)
| 1. | to distress with mental or bodily pain; trouble greatly or grievously: to be afflicted with arthritis. |
| 2. | Obsolete.
|
| Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006. |
afflict
To learn more about afflict visit Britannica.com
| © 2008 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. |
| af·flict
Audio Help (ə-flĭkt') Pronunciation Key
tr.v. af·flict·ed, af·flict·ing, af·flicts To inflict grievous physical or mental suffering on. [Middle English afflighten, from afflight, disturbed, frightened, from Latin afflictum, past participle of afflīgere, to cast down : ad-, ad- + flīgere, to strike.] af·flict'er n., af·flic'tive adj., af·flic'tive·ly adv. Synonyms: These verbs mean to bring great harm or suffering to someone: afflicted with arthritis; was agonized to see her suffering; racked with cancer; tormented by migraine headaches; tortured by painful memories. |
| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
afflict
1393, "to cast down," from O.Fr. afflicter, from L. afflictare "to damage, harass, torment," freq. of affligere (pp. afflictus) "to dash down, overthrow," from ad- "to" + fligere (pp. flictus) "to strike," from PIE base *bhlig- "to strike" (cf. Gk. phlibein "to press, crush," Czech blizna "scar," Welsh blif "catapult"). Transf. meaning of "trouble, distress," is first recorded 1535; affliction "grief, distress, misery" is recorded from 1485.
| Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper |
| afflict | |
verb | |
| 1. | cause great unhappiness for; distress; "she was afflicted by the death of her parents" |
| 2. | cause physical pain or suffering in; "afflict with the plague" |
| WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University. |
afflict [əˈflikt] verb
to give pain or distress to (a person etc)
Example: She is continually afflicted by/with headaches.
See also: afflictionExample: She is continually afflicted by/with headaches.
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary, © 2000-2006 K Dictionaries Ltd. |
Afflict
Af*flict"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Afflicted; p. pr. & vb. n. Afflicting.] [L. afflictus, p. p. of affigere to cast down, deject; ad + fligere to strike: cf. OF. aflit, afflict, p. p. Cf. Flagellate.]1. To strike or cast down; to overthrow. [Obs.] "Reassembling our afflicted powers." --Milton. 2. To inflict some great injury or hurt upon, causing continued pain or mental distress; to trouble grievously; to torment. They did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. --Exod. i. 11. That which was the worst now least afflicts me. --Milton. 3. To make low or humble. [Obs.] --Spenser. Men are apt to prefer a prosperous error before an afflicted truth. --Jer. Taylor. Syn: To trouble; grieve; pain; distress; harass; torment; wound; hurt.| Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. |
Afflict
Af*flict"\, p. p. & a. [L. afflictus, p. p.] Afflicted. [Obs.] --Becon.| Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. |
View results from: Dictionary | Thesaurus | Encyclopedia | All Reference | the Web
Perform a new search, or try your search for "afflict" at:
- Amazon.com - Shop for books, music and more
- Reference.com - Encyclopedia Search
- Reference.com - Web Search powered by Google
- Thesaurus.com - Search for synonyms and antonyms














