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A state or time of distress or misfortune; misery. The deliberations of calamity are rarely wise. Burke. Where'er I came I brought calamity. Tennyson.

xtrinsic circumstance or accident which increases the guilt of a crime or the misery of a calamity.

r to be endured; as, to alleviate sorrow, pain, care, etc. ; -- opposed to aggravate. The calamity of the want of the sense of hearing is much alleviated by giving the use of letters. Bp. Horsley.

y have transmitted the benefit to us, it is but reasonable we should suffer the appendant calamity. Jer. Taylor.

Hence, to affect with some sudden violence, plague, calamity, or blighting influence, which destroys or causes to fail; to visit with a curse; to curse; to ruin; as, to blast pride, hopes, or character. I'll cross it, though it blast me. Shak. Blasted with excess of light. T. Gray.

The infliction of evil; a sudden calamity; something which produces mental, physical, or financial suffering or loss (esp. when sudden); a buffet. A most poor man, made tame to fortune's blows. Shak. At a blow, suddenly; at one effort; by a single vigorous act. "They lose a province at a blow." Dryden. -- To come to b…

Suffering calamity; wretched; miserable. [Obs.] Ten thousands of calamitous persons. South.

tem of things; a final event, usually of a calamitous or disastrous nature; hence, sudden calamity; great misfortune. The strange catastrophe of affairs now at London. Bp. Buret. The most horrible and portentous catastrophe that nature ever yet saw. Woodward.

An adverse or unfortunate event, esp. a sudden and extraordinary misfortune; a calamity; a serious mishap. But noble souls, through dust and heat, Rise from disaster and defeat The stronger. Longfellow.

To cause pain or anguish to; to pain; to oppress with calamity; to afflict; to harass; to make miserable. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed. 2 Cor. iv. 8.

Producing or threatening sorrow, distress, injury, or calamity; unpropitious; calamitous; as, evil tidings; evil arrows; evil days. Because he hath brought up an evil name upon a virgin of Israel. Deut. xxii. 19. The owl shrieked at thy birth -- an evil sign. Shak. Evil news rides post, while good news baits. Milton. E…

d or repeated manifestation; occurrence, as of events of any kind; as, the existence of a calamity or of a state of war. The existence therefore, of a phenomenon, is but another word for its being perceived, or for the inferred possibility of perceiving it. J. S. Mill.

An extreme state or condition; hence, calamity, danger, distress, etc. "Resolute in most extremes." Shak.

To be prescient of (some ill or misfortune); to have an inward conviction of, as of a calamity which is about to happen; to augur despondingly. His heart forebodes a mystery. Tennyson. Sullen, desponding, and foreboding nothing but wars and desolation, as the certain consequence of Cæsar's death. Middleton. I have a so…

d the end of that famous mathematician, Mr. Harriot. Wood. To come to grief, to meet with calamity, accident, defeat, ruin, etc., causing grief; to turn out badly. [Colloq.]

Whatever annoys or impairs happiness, or prevents success; evil of any kind; misfortune; calamity; disease; pain; as, the ills of humanity. Who can all sense of others' ills escape Is but a brute at best in human shape. Tate. That makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of. Shak.…

immense; gigantic; prodigious. Infinite riches in a little room. Marlowe. Which infinite calamity shall cause To human life. Milton.

That which is inflicted or imposed, as punishment, disgrace, calamity, etc. His severest inflictions are in themselves acts of justice and righteousness. Rogers.

A calamity regarded as sent by God, by way of recompense for wrong committed; a providential punishment. "Judgments are prepared for scorners." Prov. xix. 29. "This judgment of the heavens that makes us tremble." Shak.

or vexation caused by human agency or by some living being, intentionally or not; often, calamity, mishap; trivial evil caused by thoughtlessness, or in sport. Chaucer. Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs. Ps. lii. 2. The practice whereof shall, I hope, secure me from many mischiefs. Fuller.