anguish Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun extreme mental distress
    torment; torture.
  2. noun extreme distress of body or mind
  3. verb suffer great pains or distress
  4. verb cause emotional anguish or make miserable
    pain; hurt.
    • It pains me to see my children not being taught well in school

WordNet

An"guish noun
Etymology
OE. anguishe, anguise, angoise, F. angoisse, fr. L. angustia narrowness, difficulty, distress, fr. angustus narrow, difficult, fr. angere to press together. See Anger.
Definitions
  1. Extreme pain, either of body or mind; excruciating distress.
    But they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage. Ex. vi. 9.
    Anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child. Jer. iv. 31.
    Rarely used in the plural: -
    Ye miserable people, you must go to God in anguishes, and make your prayer to him. Latimer.
     Syn. -- Agony; pang; torture; torment. See Agony.
An"guish transitive verb
Etymology
Cf. F. angoisser, fr. L. angustiare.
Definitions
  1. To distress with extreme pain or grief. R. Temple.

Webster 1913