[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

calamity \calam"ity\n.; 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 individuals.
      1913 webster

   note: the word calamity was first derived from calamus when
         the corn could not get out of the stalk. --bacon.
         1913 webster

               strokes of calamity that scathe and scorch the
               soul.                              --w. irving.
         1913 webster

   2. a state or time of distress or misfortune; misery.
      1913 webster

            the deliberations of calamity are rarely wise.
                                                  --burke.
      1913 webster

            where'er i came i brought calamity.   --tennyson.

   syn: disaster; distress; affliction; adversity; misfortune;
        unhappiness; infelicity; mishap; mischance; misery;
        evil; extremity; exigency; downfall.

   usage: calamity, disaster, misfortune, mishap,
          mischance. of these words, calamity is the
          strongest. it supposes a somewhat continuous state,
          produced not usually by the direct agency of man, but
          by natural causes, such as fire, flood, tempest,
          disease, etc, disaster denotes literally ill-starred,
          and is some unforeseen and distressing event which
          comes suddenly upon us, as if from hostile planet.
          misfortune is often due to no specific cause; it is
          simply the bad fortune of an individual; a link in the
          chain of events; an evil independent of his own
          conduct, and not to be charged as a fault. mischance
          and mishap are misfortunes of a trivial nature,
          occurring usually to individuals. "a calamity is
          either public or private, but more frequently the
          former; a disaster is rather particular than private;
          it affects things rather than persons; journey,
          expedition, and military movements are often attended
          with disasters; misfortunes are usually personal; they
          immediately affect the interests of the individual."
          --crabb.
          1913 webster
see also:
calamities calamity disaster misfortune mishap mischance 

Calamities >> C Words
Calamities, definition of term: Calamities
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