afflict

t. [Fronı Lat. aflictus, pa. par. of affligo (1) to fling, strike, or dash against or down; (2) to damage, to ruin, to weaken, to cast down: ad to, and fligo to strike, to strike down.] 1. To inflict on one for some considerable time, or even for a briefer period, bodily pain or anything else fitted to produce mental dis tre . "Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to aflict them with their burdens."- Exod. 1. 11. 2. To cast down in mind, to make the mind distre ed; to trouble. (a) In a general sense: "The mother was so aflicted at the lo of a fine boy who was her only son, that she died for grief of it."Add is on: Spectator . +(b) Spec. (reciprocally): To practise self humiliation as a religious duty. "And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall aflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it it be one of your own wn country, country.or or a stranger that sojourn eth among you."- Lev . xvi. 29.