Calamity — may refer to: * A disaster, a terrible event * Al Qaria (English: The Calamity ), the 101st sura of the Qur an * Calamity Jane, a nineteenth century American frontierwoman ** Calamity Jane (1953 film), a 1953 film based on the person * Calamity… … Wikipedia
Calamity — Ca*lam i*ty .; pl. {Calamities}. [L. calamitas, akin to in columis unharmed: cf. F. calamit[ e]] 1. Any great misfortune or cause of misery; generally applied to events or disasters which produce extensive evil, either to communities or… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
calamity — early 15c., from M.Fr. calamite (14c.), from L. calamitatem (nom. calamitas) damage, loss, failure; disaster, misfortune, adversity, origin obscure. Early etymologists associated it with calamus straw, but it is perhaps from a lost root preserved … Etymology dictionary
calamity — *disaster, catastrophe, cataclysm Analogous words: *accident, casualty, mishap: *misfortune, mischance, adversity, mishap: tribulation, visitation, affliction, *trial, cross: ruin, wreck (see RUIN) Antonyms: boon Contrasted words: fortune, luck… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
calamity — [n] disaster; tragedy adversity, affliction, blue ruin*, cataclysm, catastrophe, collapse, cross, curtains, distress, downfall, hardship, holy mess*, misadventure, mischance, misfortune, mishap, reverse, ruin, scourge, the worst*, trial,… … New thesaurus
calamity — ► NOUN (pl. calamities) ▪ an event causing great and sudden damage or distress. DERIVATIVES calamitous adjective calamitously adverb. ORIGIN Latin calamitas … English terms dictionary
calamity — [kə lam′ətē] n. pl. calamities [MFr calamité < L calamitas: see CLASTIC] 1. deep trouble or misery 2. any extreme misfortune bringing great loss and sorrow; disaster SYN. DISASTER … English World dictionary
calamity — n. 1) to avert; ward off a calamity 2) to survive a calamity 3) a calamity befalls smb. 4) a crushing, dire, great; national calamity * * * [kə læmɪtɪ] dire great national calamity ward off a calamity a crushing a calamity befalls smb … Combinatory dictionary
calamity — [[t]kəlæ̱mɪti[/t]] calamities N VAR A calamity is an event that causes a great deal of damage, destruction, or personal distress. [FORMAL] He described drugs as the greatest calamity of the age. ...the calamity of war... It could only end in… … English dictionary
calamity — UK [kəˈlæmətɪ] / US noun [countable/uncountable] Word forms calamity : singular calamity plural calamities a) an event that causes serious damage, or causes a lot of people to suffer, for example a flood or fire b) used humorously about something … English dictionary