Dictionary

afflict en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /əˈflɪkt/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Middle English afflicten (attested in past participle afflicte), from Latin afflīctō (“to damage, harass, torment”), from ad- + flīctus, past participle of afflīgō (“strike, beat”), from ad- + flīgō (“strike”) (whence af-).

Meanings

1. (transitive) To cause (someone) pain, suffering or distress.
   • While the defense lawyers have likened the condition to the post traumatic stress disorders afflicting war veterans and battered women, which have been used in other insanity defense cases, they have said that they know of no previous trials when a "black rage" defense has been raised. 1997 April 7, Jonathan Rabinovitz, “Hearing Held on Bid to Repress Lawyers in Murder Case”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 16 Jul 2014:
   • To me it seems that extensive investment in relatively low-powered units may have the same ultimate result of motive power shortage as that which afflicts the London Midland Region today, and which has compelled the re-engining of some of the earlier multiple-unit diesel train sets. 1958 June 14, Cecil J. Allen, “British Locomotive Practice and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, page 412:
   • Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Leviticus 23:27:
   • Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Exodus 1:11–12:
   • [T]he wench was afflicted with religion and unapproachably austere. 1930, Norman Lindsay, Redheap, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, →OCLC, page 41:
2. (obsolete) To strike or cast down; to overthrow; to result.
   • reassembling our afflicted powers 1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
3. (obsolete) To make low or humble.
   • Men are apt to prefer a prosperous error before an afflicted truth. 1651, Jer[emy] Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Francis Ashe […], →OCLC:
   • The Argument of mine afflicted stile 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:

Forms

Deriveds

reafflict · unafflicting · afflictingly · afflictee · afflicter

Relateds

afflictive · affliction

Synonyms

dere · pang · engrieve · trouble · smite · excruciate · cag · rack · agonize · grame · aggrieve · pine · afflict · irritate · atray · torment · aggrieve · harry · ache · torture · afflict · rend · hurt · throe · harass · anguish · torture · harrow · wring · wring · lacerate · vex · distress · torment · torment · plague

Translations (35)

bg измъчвам (to cause pain to) · nl teisteren (to cause pain to) · fi koetella (to cause pain to) · eo aflikti (to cause pain to) · he אמלל (to cause pain to) · es acorar (to cause pain to) · uk причиняти (to cause pain to) · cs postihovat (to cause pain to) · he ייסר (to cause pain to) · ru причиня́ть боль (to cause pain to) · la afflīgō (to cause pain to) · eo ĉagreni (to cause pain to) · uk дошкуляти (to cause pain to) · ru мучать (to cause pain to) · mi whakawhiu (to cause pain to) · fa دچار کردن (to cause pain to) · de bekümmern (to cause pain to) · es afligir (to cause pain to) · mi makimaki (to cause pain to) · fa آزردن (to cause pain to) · cs trápit (to cause pain to) · cs postihnout (to cause pain to) · eo malĝojigi (to cause pain to) · nl bedroeven (to cause pain to) · nl kwellen (to cause pain to) · bg причинявам болка (to cause pain to) · fi vaivata (to cause pain to) · cmn 使痛苦 (to cause pain to) · io afliktar (to cause pain to) · pt afligir (to cause pain to) · mi ngau (to cause pain to) · nl treffen (to cause pain to) · fa دامنگیر کردن (to cause pain to) · it affliggere (to cause pain to) · he הכאיב (to cause pain to)