Word · Frequency #22064
purgatory
炼狱；磨难
a temporary condition of torment or suffering
- 1.
Any situation where suffering is endured, particularly as part of a process of redemption.
任何忍受痛苦的情境,尤指作为救赎过程的一部分。
- 2.
a temporary condition of torment or suffering
暂时的痛苦或折磨状态
- 3.
(theology) in Roman Catholic theology the place where those who have died in a state of grace undergo limited torment to expiate their sins
(神学)天主教中指已蒙恩者死后为赎罪而受有限折磨的地方
任何忍受痛苦的情境,尤指作为救赎过程的一部分。；暂时的痛苦或折磨状态；(神学)天主教中指已蒙恩者死后为赎罪而受有限折磨的地方；涤罪；炼狱
In use
Waiting for the exam results felt like purgatory.
The airport delay was pure purgatory, but we finally boarded the plane.
She described the endless meetings as a kind of purgatory.
a purgatory of drug abuse
spend time in purgatory
强调处于一种痛苦的等待或煎熬状态。
He spent years in purgatory waiting for a decision.
他多年来就像在炼狱中一样，等待一个决定。
a purgatory of sth
隐喻用法，sth 指造成痛苦的事物。
The office was a purgatory of endless meetings.
这间办公室就像一个充满无尽会议的炼狱。
be like purgatory
Connections
Collocations
- in purgatory
- 在炼狱中；处于痛苦的煎熬中
- The proposal has been in purgatory for two years, awaiting approval.这个提案已搁置两年，迟迟未获批准。
- a living purgatory
- 活地狱；活受罪
- For many commuters, the daily train ride is a living purgatory.对许多通勤者来说，每天的火车之旅简直是活受罪。
- release from purgatory
- 从炼狱中解脱
- The priest asked the faithful to pray for the dead, hoping for their release from purgatory.神父请求信众为亡者祈祷，希望他们能从炼狱中解脱。
- souls in purgatory
- 炼狱中的灵魂
- According to traditional belief, souls in purgatory are purified before entering heaven.根据传统信仰，炼狱中的灵魂在进入天堂前会得到净化。
- a purgatory of
- 充满…的煎熬；像炼狱般的处境
- The signing ceremony was a purgatory of long speeches and handshakes.
Learner notes
Memory Tip
联想 purge（净化）：purgatory 像灵魂在痛苦中被净化的‘炼狱’，受苦后变纯洁。
Context & Register
语域：mixed 常见场景：日常交谈、书评/影评 此义（指一段受折磨或难熬的时期）多用于比喻：日常口语带夸张色彩，书面评论或叙述中也较常见。选择该词时通常带有一定文学或修辞感，不宜视为纯中性口语词。
Pronunciation & Spelling
这些词中，laboratory、observatory、obligatory、regulatory 与 purgatory 都以 -atory 结尾，读作 /ətɔri/，末尾重音在 -tor- 上，可视为同韵。territory 以 -tory 结尾，读 /tɔri/，也与 purgatory 末尾押韵。注意 category 虽然也以 -ory 结尾，但其中的 -gory 读 /ɡɔri/，和 purgatory 的 -gatory /ɡətɔri/ 不同，不要照拼写类推。
Learn the forms together
页面下方列出了常见词形变化。学习时注意它们在句子中的语法位置。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.