单词 | purgatory |
释义 | purgatory (once / 1785 pages) n Being stuck in standstill traffic can feel like purgatory, but this brief spell of unpleasantness is nothing compared to the misery endured by souls waiting to get into heaven, which is the original meaning of the word. Purgatory comes from a Late Latin verb meaning "to cleanse" — purge shares the same root. In Roman Catholic doctrine, souls atoned for past sins in purgatory before entering heaven. In fact, for centuries, purgatory was often regarded as an actual physical place. Today, if you say you are in purgatory, you feel stuck or not able to continue towards a goal. High school might feel like purgatory because even though you're finished with your carefree childhood, you don't have the freedoms of adulthood yet. WORD FAMILYpurgatory: purgatorial, purgatories USAGE EXAMPLESOn this specific measure the polling industry still appears to be languishing in Purgatory. BBC(Dec 23, 2016) A weak government leaves the banks in purgatory — but not quite hell. New York Times(Dec 05, 2016) Those were a means by which a Catholic sinner might buy his way out of seemingly interminable purgatory after death, speeding directly into heavenly bliss. Los Angeles Times(Nov 21, 2016) 1n (theology) in Roman Catholic theology the place where those who have died in a state of grace undergo limited torment to expiate their sins Hyper fictitious place, imaginary place, mythical place a place that exists only in imagination; a place said to exist in fictional or religious writings 2n a temporary condition of torment or suffering a purgatory of drug abuse Hyper situation a complex or critical or unusual difficulty |
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