Misery

//ˈmɪz(ə)ɹɪ// name, noun, slang

Definitions

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    Derogatory name for Missouri: a state of the United States. derogatory, humorous, slang

    "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), [...]"

Noun
  1. 1
    Great unhappiness; extreme pain of body or mind; wretchedness; distress; woe. countable, uncountable

    "Ever since his wife left him you can see the misery on his face."

  2. 2
    a feeling of intense unhappiness wordnet
  3. 3
    A bodily ache or pain. UK, US, countable, dialectal, uncountable

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

  4. 4
    a state of ill-being due to affliction or misfortune wordnet
  5. 5
    Cause of misery; calamity; misfortune. countable, uncountable
Show 2 more definitions
  1. 6
    poverty. countable, uncountable

    "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: […]"

  2. 7
    greed; avarice. archaic, countable, uncountable

Etymology

Etymology 1

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

Etymology 2

Blend of Missouri + misery.

Next best steps

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: misery