Adversity
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: /ædˈvɜ(ɹ)s.ɪ.ti/
Origin
From Old French adversité, from Latin adversitÄtem, the accusative singular of adversitÄs, from adversus, the perfect passive participle of advertÅ (" I turn toward").
Noun
adversity
(usually uncountable; plural adversities)- (uncountable) The state of adverse conditions; state of misfortune or calamity.
- 1858, w, w:Doctor Thorne, 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, Do You Know? Chapter When Adversity Strikes, 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, Naval Leadership: Voices of Experience Chapter Directing and Coordinating Operations, These are the people who will overcome the adversity, chaos, and destruction of combat and defeat the enemy in war.
- (countable) An event that is adverse; calamity.
- 1859, September 1859, , The Great Earl of Cork, 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, Interpersonal Relations: A Guide for Nurses Chapter Family Adversity and the Nurse, 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, 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 Chapter Getting Your Kid off the Waiting List and into the School of His or Her Dreams, 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