misery

mis|e|ry

S3 [ˈmızəri] n plural miseries

[Date: 1300-1400; : Old French; Origin: miserie, from Latin miseria, from miser; MISER]

1.) [U and C]

great suffering that is caused for example by being very poor or very sick

▪ What we are witnessing here is human misery on a vast scale.

▪ the misery of unemployment

▪ the miseries of war

2.) [U and C]

great unhappiness

▪ She looked away so that Tom wouldn't see her misery.

▪ His face was a picture of sheer misery.

▪ The news plunged him into abject misery .

3.) make sb's life a misery

BrE to cause so much trouble for someone that they cannot enjoy their life

▪ Competitive mothers can make their daughters' lives a misery.

4.) put sth/sb out of their misery

a) informal to make someone stop feeling worried, especially by telling them something they are waiting to hear

▪ Go on, put them out of their misery and announce the winner.

b) to kill a sick or injured animal in order to end its suffering

= ↑put down

▪ I think you should put the poor creature out of its misery.

5.) BrE spoken someone who is always complaining and never enjoys anything

▪ Don't be such a misery.

▪ What's the matter with you, misery guts (=a name for someone like this) ?