misery

Universal Words noun (plural miseries) 1 [U] great suffering of the mind or body SYNDISTRESS: Fame brought her nothing but misery. 2 [U] very poor living conditions SYNPOVERTY: The vast majority of the country live in utter misery. 3 [C] something that causes great suffering of mind or body: the miseries of unemployment 4 [C] (BrE, informal) a person who is always unhappy and complaining: Don't be such an old misery! * Old misery guts here doesn't want to go out. IDIOMS make sb's life a misery to behave in a way that makes sb else feel very unhappy put an animal, a bird, etc. out of its misery to kill a creature because it has an illness or injury that cannot be treated put sb out of their misery (informal) to stop sb worrying by telling them sth that they are anxious to know: Put me out of my misery-did I pass or didn't I?