calamity

Related to calamity: Calamity Jane

ca·lam·i·ty

(kə-lăm′ĭ-tē)

n. pl. ca·lam·i·ties

1. An event that brings terrible loss, lasting distress, or severe affliction; a disaster: A hurricane would be a calamity for this low-lying coastal region.

2. Dire distress resulting from loss or tragedy.

[Middle English calamite, from Old French, from Latin calamitās.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

calamity

(kəˈlæmɪtɪ)

n, pl -ties

1. a disaster or misfortune, esp one causing extreme havoc, distress, or misery

2. a state or feeling of deep distress or misery

[C15: from French calamité, from Latin calamitās; related to Latin incolumis uninjured]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ca•lam•i•ty

(kəˈlæm ɪ ti)

n., pl. -ties.

1. a great misfortune or disaster; catastrophe.

2. grievous affliction; misery: the calamity of war.

[1375–1425; late Middle English calamite < Middle French < Latin calamitās]

syn: See disaster.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun

calamity - an event resulting in great loss and misfortune; "the whole city was affected by the irremediable calamity"; "the earthquake was a disaster"

catastrophe, tragedy, cataclysm, disaster

misfortune, bad luck - unnecessary and unforeseen trouble resulting from an unfortunate event

act of God, force majeure, inevitable accident, unavoidable casualty, vis major - a natural and unavoidable catastrophe that interrupts the expected course of events; "he discovered that his house was not insured against acts of God"

apocalypse - a cosmic cataclysm in which God destroys the ruling powers of evil

famine - a severe shortage of food (as through crop failure) resulting in violent hunger and starvation and death

kiss of death - something that is ruinous; "if this were known it would be the kiss of death for my political career"

meltdown - a disaster comparable to a nuclear meltdown; "there is little likelihood of a meltdown comparable to the American banking collapse in March 1933"

plague - any large scale calamity (especially when thought to be sent by God)

visitation - any disaster or catastrophe; "a visitation of the plague"

tidal wave - an unusual (and often destructive) rise of water along the seashore caused by a storm or a combination of wind and high tide

tsunami - a cataclysm resulting from a destructive sea wave caused by an earthquake or volcanic eruption; "a colossal tsunami destroyed the Minoan civilization in minutes"

calamity

noun disaster, tragedy, ruin, distress, reverse of fortune, hardship, catastrophe, woe, misfortune, downfall, adversity, scourge, mishap, affliction, trial, tribulation, misadventure, cataclysm, wretchedness, mischance This course of action could only end in calamity.
help, benefit, advantage, blessing, good luck, boon, good fortune

Quotations
"Calamities are of two kinds: misfortune to ourselves, and good fortune to others" [Ambrose Bierce The Devil's Dictionary]

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

calamity

noun

An occurrence inflicting widespread destruction and distress:

cataclysm, catastrophe, disaster, tragedy.

Translations

نَكْبَةٌ، فاجِعَه

neštěstípohroma

katastrofeulykke

Unheil Elend Kalamität Katastrophe Unglück

calamité désastre fléau plaie

ógæfa, hörmulegt slys

calamit...calamità calamitoso

baisi nelaimė

liela nelaimelikstaposts

katastrofe stor ulykke

belâfelâket

不幸之事灾难

calamity

[kəˈlæmɪtɪ] N → calamidad f, desastre m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

calamity

[kəˈlæmɪti] n → calamité f, désastre m

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

calamity

n → Katastrophe f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

calamity

[kəˈlæmɪtɪ] n → calamità f inv

calamity

(kəˈlӕməti) – plural caˈlamities – noun

a great misfortune. It will be a calamity if he fails his exam.

caˈlamitous adjective

Mentioned in ?

References in classic literature ?

I want you to get word to the king that I am a magician myself -- and the Supreme Grand High-yu-Muck- amuck and head of the tribe, at that; and I want him to be made to understand that I am just quietly arrang- ing a little calamity here that will make the fur fly in these realms if Sir Kay's project is carried out and any harm comes to me.

It occurred to me that I had made another blunder: I had sent the boy off to alarm his betters with a threat -- I intending to invent a calamity at my leisure; now the people who are the readiest and eagerest and willingest to swallow miracles are the very ones who are hungriest to see you perform them; suppose I should be called on for a sample?

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"Ah what a calamity! You say the affair was decisive?

View in context

While they were assembled in anxious expectation of some terrible calamity, out came a Mouse.

View in context

How did I know what new calamity might not confront me when the door was opened?

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If you knew how I feel on the brink of calamity at this instant, how afraid I am of myself!" And she turned away, hiding her sobs.

And she, remembering the words that had given her the victory, "how I feel on the brink of calamity, how afraid I am of myself," saw that this weapon was a dangerous one, and that it could not be used a second time.

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He knew it by every shrinking fibre in his body, he knew it by the sudden dizzy whirling of his brain, at the mere thought of that calamity. An hour and a half, perhaps an hour and three-quarters, if the doctor was long-winded, and then would begin again that active agony from which, even in the dull ache of the present, he shrunk as from the bite of fire.

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I think their presence made the closing scene of this dreadful calamity doubly painful, and doubly touching.

"He talks as if there was some worse calamity than the calamity which has made them orphans." She paused once more; and rallied her sinking courage.

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The most furious private wars, accompanied with every species of calamity, were carried on between the different princes and states.

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Upon the shrubby hill of its edge Weena would have stopped, fearing the darkness before us; but a singular sense of impending calamity, that should indeed have served me as a warning, drove me onward.