ag·o·ny 
(ăgə-nē)
(ăgə-nē)n. pl. ag·o·nies
1.
a. The suffering of intense physical or mental pain: The injured soldier writhed in agony.
b. An instance of such suffering: the agonies of adolescence.
2. A sudden or intense emotion: "Jones then fell upon his knees, and kissed her hand in an agony of joy" (Henry Fielding).
3. A violent, intense struggle, especially the struggle that precedes death.
[Middle English agonie, from Old French, from Late Latin agōnia, from Greek agōniā, from agōn, struggle, from agein, to drive; see ag- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]