From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Affliction \Af*flic"tion\, n. [F. affliction, L. afflictio, fr.
affligere.]
1. The cause of continued pain of body or mind, as sickness,
losses, etc.; an instance of grievous distress; a pain or
grief.
[1913 Webster]
To repay that money will be a biting affliction.
--Shak.
[1913 Webster]
2. The state of being afflicted; a state of pain, distress,
or grief.
[1913 Webster]
Some virtues are seen only in affliction. --Addison.
[1913 Webster]
Syn: Calamity; sorrow; distress; grief; pain; adversity;
misery; wretchedness; misfortune; trouble; hardship.
Usage: {Affliction}, {Sorrow}, {Grief}, {Distress}.
Affliction and sorrow are terms of wide and general
application; grief and distress have reference to
particular cases. Affliction is the stronger term. The
suffering lies deeper in the soul, and usually arises
from some powerful cause, such as the loss of what is
most dear -- friends, health, etc. We do not speak of
mere sickness or pain as "an affliction," though one
who suffers from either is said to be afflicted; but
deprivations of every kind, such as deafness,
blindness, loss of limbs, etc., are called
afflictions, showing that term applies particularly to
prolonged sources of suffering. Sorrow and grief are
much alike in meaning, but grief is the stronger term
of the two, usually denoting poignant mental suffering
for some definite cause, as, grief for the death of a
dear friend; sorrow is more reflective, and is tinged
with regret, as, the misconduct of a child is looked
upon with sorrow. Grief is often violent and
demonstrative; sorrow deep and brooding. Distress
implies extreme suffering, either bodily or mental. In
its higher stages, it denotes pain of a restless,
agitating kind, and almost always supposes some
struggle of mind or body. Affliction is allayed, grief
subsides, sorrow is soothed, distress is mitigated.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
affliction
n 1: a state of great suffering and distress due to adversity
2: a condition of suffering or distress due to ill health
3: a cause of great suffering and distress
From French-English FreeDict Dictionary ver. 0.3.4 [fd-fra-eng]:
affliction /afliksjɔ̃/
sadness; affliction
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