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agonizing

 - 3 dictionary results

ag⋅o⋅niz⋅ing

  [ag-uh-nahy-zing]
Use agonizing in a Sentence
–adjective
accompanied by, filled with, or resulting in agony or distress: We spent an agonizing hour waiting to hear if the accident had been serious or not.
Origin:
1660–70; agonize + -ing 2

Related forms:
ag⋅o⋅niz⋅ing⋅ly, adverb

ag⋅o⋅nize

  [ag-uh-nahyz] verb, -nized, -niz⋅ing.
–verb (used without object)
1. to suffer extreme pain or anguish; be in agony.
2. to put forth great effort of any kind.
–verb (used with object)
3. to distress with extreme pain; torture.
Also, especially British, ag⋅o⋅nise.

Origin:
1575–85; < ML agōnizāre < Gk agōnízesthai to struggle (for a prize), equiv. to agōn- agon + -izesthai -ize
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To agonizing
ag·o·nize   (āg'ə-nīz')   
v.   ag·o·nized, ag·o·niz·ing, ag·o·niz·es

v.   intr.

  1. To suffer extreme pain or great anguish.

  2. To make a great effort; struggle.

v.   tr.
To cause great pain or anguish to. See Synonyms at afflict.

[Medieval Latin agōnizāre, from Greek agōnizesthai, to struggle, from agōn, contest; see agony.]
ag'o·niz'ing·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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