Calamity

Calamity
Calamity Ca*lam"i*ty .; pl. {Calamities}. [L. calamitas, akin to in-columis unharmed: cf. F. calamit['e]] 1. Any great misfortune or cause of misery; -- generally applied to events or disasters which produce extensive evil, either to communities or individuals. [1913 Webster]

Note: The word calamity was first derived from calamus when the corn could not get out of the stalk. --Bacon. [1913 Webster]

Strokes of calamity that scathe and scorch the soul. --W. Irving. [1913 Webster]

2. A state or time of distress or misfortune; misery. [1913 Webster]

The deliberations of calamity are rarely wise. --Burke. [1913 Webster]

Where'er I came I brought calamity. --Tennyson.

Syn: Disaster; distress; affliction; adversity; misfortune; unhappiness; infelicity; mishap; mischance; misery; evil; extremity; exigency; downfall.

Usage: {Calamity}, {Disaster}, {Misfortune}, {Mishap}, {Mischance}. Of these words, calamity is the strongest. It supposes a somewhat continuous state, produced not usually by the direct agency of man, but by natural causes, such as fire, flood, tempest, disease, etc, Disaster denotes literally ill-starred, and is some unforeseen and distressing event which comes suddenly upon us, as if from hostile planet. Misfortune is often due to no specific cause; it is simply the bad fortune of an individual; a link in the chain of events; an evil independent of his own conduct, and not to be charged as a fault. Mischance and mishap are misfortunes of a trivial nature, occurring usually to individuals. ``A calamity is either public or private, but more frequently the former; a disaster is rather particular than private; it affects things rather than persons; journey, expedition, and military movements are often attended with disasters; misfortunes are usually personal; they immediately affect the interests of the individual.'' --Crabb. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Calamity — may refer to: * A disaster, a terrible event * Al Qaria (English: The Calamity ), the 101st sura of the Qur an * Calamity Jane, a nineteenth century American frontierwoman ** Calamity Jane (1953 film), a 1953 film based on the person * Calamity… …   Wikipedia

  • calamity — I noun act of God, adverse fortune, adversity, affliction, bad fortune, blight, calamitas, cataclysm, catastrophe, clades, destruction, disaster, evil fortune, evil lot, evil luck, grievous harm, hardship, ill fortune, loss, major misfortune,… …   Law dictionary

  • calamity — early 15c., from M.Fr. calamite (14c.), from L. calamitatem (nom. calamitas) damage, loss, failure; disaster, misfortune, adversity, origin obscure. Early etymologists associated it with calamus straw, but it is perhaps from a lost root preserved …   Etymology dictionary

  • calamity — *disaster, catastrophe, cataclysm Analogous words: *accident, casualty, mishap: *misfortune, mischance, adversity, mishap: tribulation, visitation, affliction, *trial, cross: ruin, wreck (see RUIN) Antonyms: boon Contrasted words: fortune, luck… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • calamity — [n] disaster; tragedy adversity, affliction, blue ruin*, cataclysm, catastrophe, collapse, cross, curtains, distress, downfall, hardship, holy mess*, misadventure, mischance, misfortune, mishap, reverse, ruin, scourge, the worst*, trial,… …   New thesaurus

  • calamity — ► NOUN (pl. calamities) ▪ an event causing great and sudden damage or distress. DERIVATIVES calamitous adjective calamitously adverb. ORIGIN Latin calamitas …   English terms dictionary

  • calamity — [kə lam′ətē] n. pl. calamities [MFr calamité < L calamitas: see CLASTIC] 1. deep trouble or misery 2. any extreme misfortune bringing great loss and sorrow; disaster SYN. DISASTER …   English World dictionary

  • calamity — n. 1) to avert; ward off a calamity 2) to survive a calamity 3) a calamity befalls smb. 4) a crushing, dire, great; national calamity * * * [kə læmɪtɪ] dire great national calamity ward off a calamity a crushing a calamity befalls smb …   Combinatory dictionary

  • calamity — [[t]kəlæ̱mɪti[/t]] calamities N VAR A calamity is an event that causes a great deal of damage, destruction, or personal distress. [FORMAL] He described drugs as the greatest calamity of the age. ...the calamity of war... It could only end in… …   English dictionary

  • calamity — UK [kəˈlæmətɪ] / US noun [countable/uncountable] Word forms calamity : singular calamity plural calamities a) an event that causes serious damage, or causes a lot of people to suffer, for example a flood or fire b) used humorously about something …   English dictionary

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