misery

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
misery/ˈmɪzəri/

▶noun (pl. miseries) great physical or mental distress or discomfort.

■ a cause of misery: the miseries of war.

■ Brit. informal a person who is constantly miserable.

– phrases
put someone/thing out of their misery kill an animal in pain.

■ informal release someone from suspense or anxiety.

– origin ME: from OFr. miserie, from L. miseria, from miser ‘wretched’.