purgatory

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++pur·ga·tory /ˈpɜːɡətəri $ ˈpɜːrɡətɔːri/ noun 1 SUFFER[uncountable] 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-/ adjective

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.nPurgatoryRRCin 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 nounPurgatoryLDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable

used makes suffer that – humorously Corpus something you

purgatory
pur‧ga‧tory /ˈpɜːɡətəri $ ˈpɜːrɡətɔːri/

noun

Date: 1100-1200
Language: Anglo-French
Origin: purgatorie, from Latin purgatus, past participle of purgare; ⇨ purge¹

1. [uncountable] something that makes you suffer – used humorously:

Sewing is relaxation for some, purgatory for others.
2. Purgatory in Roman Catholic belief, a place where the souls of dead people suffer until they are pure enough to enter heaven
—purgatorial /ˌpɜːɡəˈtɔːriəl◂ $ ˌpɜːr-/ adjective

pur·ga·tory

BrE

/ˈpɜːɡətri/

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NAmE

/ˈpɜːrɡətɔːri/

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noun

[uncountable]

(

usually Purgatory

) (in Roman Catholic teaching 天主教教义) a place or state in which the souls of dead people suffer for the bad things they did when they were living, so that they can become pure enough to go to heaven 炼狱

(

informal,

humorous

)

any place or state of suffering 受难的处所（或状态）；惩戒所；折磨；磨难

SYN

hell

◆Getting up at four o'clock every morning is sheer purgatory. 每天早上四点起床简直是活受罪。

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