agonize
verbUK /ˈæɡ.ɪ.naɪz/ · CA, US /ˈæɡ.ɪ.naɪz/
Etymology From French agoniser, from Late Latin agonizare, from Ancient Greek ἀγωνίζομαι (agōnízomai, “to fight, contend”). See agony. By surface analysis, agon + -ize.
1
To writhe with agony; to suffer violent anguish.
- His Touch, if tremblingly alive all o’er, / To smart, and agonize at ev’ry pore?1733, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Man. […], epistle I, London: […] J[ohn] Wilford, […], →OCLC, page 13, lines 223–24:
2
Literary To struggle; to wrestle; to strive desperately, whether mentally or physically.
- So I took a last stare round, agonizing to see if there was any way of escape; but the stone walls and roof were solid enough to crush me, and the stack of casks too closely packed to hide more than a rat.[1898], J[ohn] Meade Falkner, Moonfleet, London; Toronto, Ont.: Jonathan Cape, published 1934, →OCLC:
3
To cause agony or anguish in someone.
- That dreadful bill […] was one of the chief torments of her life. At all hours of the night or day it was waiting just round the corner of her consciousness, ready to spring upon her and agonise her […]1935, George Orwell, A Clergyman’s Daughter, page 8:
4
Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Medicine, Microbiology, Natural sciences, Pharmacology, Physical sciences, Sciences To act as an agonist upon; to combine with a receptor on a cell to produce a physiological reaction.
- Antonyms
- chill, relax, take it easy
- Derived terms
- agonizer, overagonize
- Related terms
- agon, agony, agonization, deagonize, agonizing