Agony
Origin: L. Agonia, gr, orig. A contest, fr., cf. F. Agonie. See Agon.
1. Violent contest or striving. The world is convulsed by the agonies of great nations. (Macaulay)
2. Pain so extreme as to cause writhing or contortions of the body, similar to those made in the athletic contests in Greece; and hence, extreme pain of mind or body; anguish; paroxysm of grief; specifically, the sufferings of christ in the garden of Gethsemane. Being in an agony he prayed more earnestly. (Luke xxii. 44)
3. Paroxysm of joy; keen emotion. With cries and agonies of wild delight. (Pope)
4. The last struggle of life; death struggle.
Synonym: anguish, torment, throe, distress, pangs, suffering.
agony, anguish, pang. These words agree in expressing extreme pain of body or mind. Agony denotes acute and permanent pain, usually of the whole system, and often producing contortions. Anguish denotes severe pressure, and, considered as bodily suffering, is more commonly local (as anguish of a wound), thus differing from agony. A pang is a paroxysm of excruciating pain. It is severe and transient. The agonies or pangs of remorse; the anguish of a wounded conscience. Oh, sharp convulsive pangs of agonizing pride!
Dictionary > Agony
You will also like...
![Human Nervous System](https://www.biologyonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/The-Human-Nervous-System-182x168.jpg)
The Human Nervous System
The nervous system is essentially a biological information highway. This tutorial gives an overview of the nervous syste..
![Fossil trilobite imprint in the sediment](https://www.biologyonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Insects-252x168.jpg)
Insects
There are more species of insects than any other species combined. This surely illustrates that insects have the selecti..
![Gibberellins and Gibberellic Acid](https://www.biologyonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Gibberellins-and-Gibberellic-Acid-252x168.jpg)
Gibberellins and Gibberellic Acid
This tutorial describes the role of gibberellin family in plants. Find out the effects of gibberellin on plant growth an..
![dinosaurs](https://www.biologyonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/The-Dinosaurs-252x168.jpg)
The Dinosaurs
Dinosaurs represented a major turn in the evolutionary development of organisms on Earth. The first dinosaurs were presu..
![Cambial cells](https://www.biologyonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Plant-Tissues-253x168.jpg)
Plant Tissues
Plant organs are comprised of tissues working together for a common function. The different types of plant tissues are m..
![Homeostatic Mechanisms and Cellular Communication](https://www.biologyonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Homeostatic-Mechanisms-and-Cellular-Communication-259x168.jpg)
Homeostatic Mechanisms and Cellular Communication
Homeostasis is the relatively stable conditions of the internal environment that result from compensatory regulatory res..