pur‧ga‧tory/ˈpɜːɡətəri $ ˈpɜːrɡətɔːri/ noun [date : 1100-1200; Language : Anglo-French; Origin : purgatorie, from Latin purgatus, past participle of purgare; ⇨ purge1] 1. [UNCOUNTABLE] something that makes you suffer – used humorously: ▪ Sewing is relaxation for some, purgatory for others.
2. Purgatory in Roman Catholic belief, a place where the souls of dead people suffer until they are pure enough to enter heaven
—purgatorial /ˌpɜːɡəˈtɔːriəl◂ $ ˌpɜːr-/ adjective
noun EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES ▪ The island was turned into a purgatory for slaves before they were sold. EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS ▪ Christina believed she was released from the afterlife to pray for the souls in purgatory. ▪ In stark contrast to such kindness and understanding was my purgatory at work. ▪ McCree suffered in an employment purgatory. ▪ On some, the soul in purgatory peeps from a bowl of flame. ▪ She landed on the altar and spoke of her journey through heaven, hell, purgatory, and back. ▪ The idea of being marooned at Balmoral for months on end is her vision of purgatory. ▪ This was purgatory, worse than anything she'd faced in her life.
pur‧ga‧tory/ˈpɜːɡətəri $ ˈpɜːrɡətɔːri/ noun