/ ˈmɪzrəbl; NAmE / adjective
1.
very unhappy or uncomfortable :
We were cold, wet and thoroughly miserable.
Don't look so miserable!
She knows how to make life miserable for her employees.
2.
making you feel very unhappy or uncomfortable
SYN depressing :
miserable housing conditions
I spent a miserable weekend alone at home.
What a miserable day (= cold and wet) !
The play was a miserable failure .
3.
[ only before noun ] ( disapproving ) ( of a person ) always unhappy, bad-tempered and unfriendly
SYN grumpy :
He was a miserable old devil.
4.
too small in quantity
SYN paltry :
How can anyone live on such a miserable wage?
► mis·er·ably / -əbli; NAmE / adverb :
They wandered around miserably.
a miserably cold day
He failed miserably as an actor.
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IDIOMS
see sin noun
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from French misérable , from Latin miserabilis pitiable, from miserari to pity, from miser wretched.