Read full poem →Thou from Here, so far?
'Twouldn't afflict a Robin --
All His Goods have Wings --
Dictionary Entry
afflict
Part of SpeechverbPronunciation/əˈflɪkt/Word FrequencyUncommon (3.74)Curriculum FrequencyLess common (1)Used In Literature ↓To cause (someone) pain, suffering or distress.
In a Sentence
“The disease continued to afflict the villagers, causing them great pain and hardship.”
Published Usage Examples
“That he will not afflict, that is, that he will not afflict willingly; it is no pleasure to him to grieve the children of men, much less his own children.”
“Sundry marplots, such as afflict all public bodies did, indeed, start to their feet, but a universal cry of ` ` question '' drowned all their efforts, and Mr. Raymond's motion was carried, to all appearance unanimously.”
This entry also appears in ReadingWillow Year 10 word lists, so students can move between the dictionary and year-level study sets.
Origin
From Latin afflictus, past participle of affligere ‘to strike down’, from ad‑ ‘to’ + fligere ‘to strike’.
Common Phrases
mankind afflict
