Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun The suffering of intense physical or mental pain.
- noun An instance of such suffering.
- noun A sudden or intense emotion.
- noun A violent, intense struggle, especially the struggle that precedes death.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A violent contest or struggle.
- noun The struggle, frequently unconscious, that often precedes natural death: in this sense often used in the plural: as, he is in the agonies of death.
- noun Extreme, and generally prolonged, bodily or mental pain; intense suffering; hence, intense mental excitement of any kind: as, the agony of suspense or uncertainty.
- noun In a special sense, the sufferings of Christ in the garden of Gethsemane.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun Violent contest or striving.
- noun Pain so extreme as to cause writhing or contortions of the body, similar to those made in the athletic contests in Greece; and hence, extreme pain of mind or body; anguish; paroxysm of grief; specifically, the sufferings of Christ in the garden of Gethsemane.
- noun Paroxysm of joy; keen emotion.
- noun The last struggle of life; death struggle.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun Violent contest or striving.
- noun Pain so extreme as to cause writhing or contortions of the body, similar to those made in the athletic contests in Greece; and hence, extreme pain of mind or body; anguish; paroxysm of grief; specifically, the sufferings of Christ in the garden of Gethsemane.
- noun
Paroxysm of joy; keen emotion. - noun The last struggle of life; death struggle.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun intense feelings of suffering; acute mental or physical pain
- noun a state of acute pain
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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It rises naturally to a suffering man's lips as expressive of agony, though not exactly framed for _his_ individual _agony_.
Autobiographical Sketches Annie Wood Besant 1890
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Watching collision-injured wildlife scream and writhe in agony is very disturbing to everyone, particularly the nonshooting, nonhunting public.
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But pain, passing a little blood preceeding a few large kidney stones and being in agony is not a bad punishment for his evilness …. for now.
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Persons in sorrow are too apt to be cross and peevish with those about them, and to lay it grievously to heart, if they but seem to neglect them; but Christ in his agony is as meek as ever, and carries it as patiently toward his followers as toward his Father, and is not apt to take things ill.
Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume V (Matthew to John) 1721
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Exercise leaves me in agony for days and so it pretty much rules it out, even walking and swimming leave me in pain.
Must.Stop.Moaning. 2010
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I put my hand before my eyes, and cried out in agony — Oh! take him away!
Chapter 4 2010
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He had been walking by, but stopped at my desk after seeing the expression of agony on my face.
Chocolate & Vicodin Jennette Fulda 2011
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I wept bitterly; and clasping my hands in agony, I exclaimed, "Oh! stars and clouds, and winds, ye are all about to mock me: if ye really pity me, crush sensation and memory; let me become as nought; but if not, depart, depart, and leave me in darkness."
Chapter 17 2010
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He had been walking by, but stopped at my desk after seeing the expression of agony on my face.
Chocolate & Vicodin Jennette Fulda 2011
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I tried to push through it and was left in agony for a week.
Sick 2010
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