adversity

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English

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WOTD – 8 May 2012

Etymology

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From Old French adversité, from Latin adversitātem, the accusative singular of adversitās, from adversus, the perfect passive participle of advertō (“I turn toward”).

Pronunciation

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Noun

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adversity (usually uncountable, plural adversities)

  1. (uncountable) The state of adverse conditions; state of misfortune or calamity.
    • 1858, Anthony Trollope, Doctor Thorne‎[1], Read Books, published 2008, →ISBN, Chapter III, page 55:
      The doctor loved the squire, loved him as his oldest friend; but he loved him ten times better as being in adversity than he could ever have done had things gone well at Greshansbury in his time.
    • 2007, Earl Crouch, “When Adversity Strikes”, in Do You Know?‎[2], PublishAmerica, →ISBN, page 60:
      God approves all adversity. Not all adversity that the Christian encounters is due to sins in the Christian's life. Not all adversity is the fault of the Christian.
    • 1998, Karel Montor et al., “Directing and Coordinating Operations”, in Karel Montor, editor, Naval Leadership: Voices of Experience‎[3], 2nd edition, Naval Institute Press, →ISBN, Efficient and Professional Conduct, page 278:
      These are the people who will overcome the adversity, chaos, and destruction of combat and defeat the enemy in war.
  2. (countable) An event that is adverse; calamity.
    • 1859 September, “The Great Earl of Cork”, in The Dublin University Magazine: A Literary and Political Journal‎[4], volume LIV, Alex Thom & Sons, page 326:
      Having “secret notice,” the writer of “True Remembrances” declares of the above complains, he retired into Munster, intending to proceed to England, to justify himself; but was detained there for want of money by the breaking out of rebellion. This adversity befell him in the autumn of 1598.
    • 1977, Genevieve Burton, “Family Adversity and the Nurse”, in Interpersonal Relations: A Guide for Nurses‎[5], 4th edition, Routledge, published 1979, →ISBN, page 101:
      Every family is struck by adversity at one time or another. No matter how mature the patients are, regardless of the care an advantages they give their children, despite a desirable interactive love between family members, adversity will attack any family
    • 2006, Elizabeth Wissner-Gross, “Getting Your Kid off the Waiting List and into the School of His or Her Dreams”, in What Colleges Don't Tell You (and Other Parents Don't Want You to Know: 272 Secrets for Getting Your Kid Into the Top Schools‎[6], Plume, published 2007, →ISBN, page 272:
      Make sure that your child’s adversity is really an adversity. Not having parents who can buy a new car upon your son’s sixteenth birthday is not an adversity. Being the only girl on the block who doesn’t own a designed handbag is not an adversity

Synonyms

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Antonyms

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  • (antonym(s) of “adverse event”): fortuity
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Translations

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