n. (pl. -ies)
1. extreme mental or physical suffering.
2 a severe struggle.
Phrases and idioms:
agony aunt colloq. a person (esp. a woman) who answers letters in an agony column. agony column colloq.
1. a column in a newspaper or magazine offering personal advice to readers who write in.
2 personal column.
Etymology: ME f. OF agonie or LL f. Gk agonia f. agon contest