purgatory

Word family

pur·ga·tory /ˈpɜːɡətəri $ ˈpɜːrɡətɔːri/ noun

1 SUFFER[uncountableU] something that makes you suffer – used humorously 折磨人的事〔幽默用法〕

Sewing is relaxation for some, purgatory for others.

缝纫对有些人来说是享受，而对另一些人则是受罪。

n2. → Purgatory

—purgatorial /ˌpɜːɡəˈtɔːriəl◂ $ ˌpɜːr-/ adjectiveadj

Examples from the Corpus

purgatory• The island was turned into a purgatory for slaves before they were sold.• McCree suffered in an employment purgatory.• She landed on the altar and spoke of her journey through heaven, hell, purgatory, and back.• On some, the soul in purgatory peeps from a bowl of flame.• Christina believed she was released from the afterlife to pray for the souls in purgatory.• In stark contrast to such kindness and understanding was my purgatory at work.• The idea of being marooned at Balmoral for months on end is her vision of purgatory.• This was purgatory, worse than anything she'd faced in her life.

Purgatory

RRCin Roman Catholic belief, a place where the souls of dead people suffer until they are pure enough to enter heaven 〔天主教教义中的〕炼狱

Origin purgatory

(1100-1200) Anglo-French purgatorie, from Latin purgatus, past participle of purgare; → PURGE1

pur·ga·tory nounPurgatory

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