Affliction Af·flic"tion noun [ French
affliction , Latin
afflictio , from
affligere .]
1. The cause of continued pain of body or mind, as sickness, losses, etc.; an instance of grievous distress; a pain or grief. To repay that money will be a biting affliction .
Shak.
2. The state of being afflicted; a state of pain, distress, or grief. Some virtues are seen only in affliction .
Addison.
Syn. -- Calamity; sorrow; distress; grief; pain; adversity; misery; wretchedness; misfortune; trouble; hardship. --
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.
Afford Af·ford" (ăf*fōrd")
transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Afforded ;
present participle & verbal noun Affording .] [ Middle English
aforthen , Anglo-Saxon
geforðian ,
forðian , to further, accomplish, afford, from
forð forth, forward. The prefix
ge- has no well defined sense. See
Forth .]
1. To give forth; to supply, yield, or produce as the natural result, fruit, or issue; as, grapes afford wine; olives afford oil; the earth affords fruit; the sea affords an abundant supply of fish. 2. To give, grant, or confer, with a remoter reference to its being the natural result; to provide; to furnish; as, a good life affords consolation in old age. His tuneful Muse affords the sweetest numbers.
Addison.
The quiet lanes . . . afford calmer retreats.
Gilpin.
3. To offer, provide, or supply, as in selling, granting, expending, with profit, or without loss or too great injury; as, A affords his goods cheaper than B; a man can afford a sum yearly in charity. 4. To incur, stand, or bear without serious detriment, as an act which might under other circumstances be injurious; -- with an auxiliary, as can , could , might , etc.; to be able or rich enough. The merchant can afford to trade for smaller profits.
Hamilton.
He could afford to suffer
With those whom he saw suffer.
Wordsworth.
Affray Af·fray" noun [ Middle English
afrai ,
affrai , Old French
esfrei , French
effroi , from Old French
esfreer . See
Affray ,
transitive verb ]
1. The act of suddenly disturbing any one; an assault or attack. [ Obsolete]
2. Alarm; terror; fright. [ Obsolete]
Spenser. 3. A tumultuous assault or quarrel; a brawl; a fray. "In the very midst of the
affray ."
Motley. 4. (Law) The fighting of two or more persons, in a public place, to the terror of others. Blackstone. » A fighting in private is not, in a legal sense, an
affray .
Syn. -- Quarrel; brawl; scuffle; encounter; fight; contest; feud; tumult; disturbance.