Agonize

a. [Fr. agoniser.] To feel agony; to be in exce ive pain. "Or touch, if, tremblingly alive all o'er, To smart and agonize at ev'ry pore."- Pope . Ag'onize, v. n. To afflict with agony. Agoniz'ingly, adv . With agony. Ag'ony, n. [Fr. agonie , from Gr. agonia , a struggle.] Lit- erally, the struggle of the wrestler in the public contests of Greece. Agony is therefore, primarily, pain so severe as to produce contortions of the muscles; thence, gen- crally great pain of mind or body. The pangs of death; properly the last contest between life and death. Agra, the public square of ancient Greek cities, corresponding to the Forum of the Romans. Agorac'rites, a Grecian statuary of the 5th century B. C. He was a pupil of Phidias, and one of the most skilful artists of his time. Ag'oræa. ( Myth .) A name of Minerva at Sparta. Ag'ore us, n. (Myth.) One of the names of Mercury, from his presiding over markets. Agos'ta, or AUGUST A, a town of Sicily, in Val di Noto, with an excellent harbor. In 1763 it was mostly swallowed up by an earthquake, but has been rebuilt. Lat. 37° 13 N.; Lon. 15° 13' E.; about 18 miles N. of Syracuse. Pop . 9,735. It was off this port that De Ruyter, the famous Dutch admiral, in command of the united Dutch and Spanish fleet, 22d April, 1676, was defeated by the French under Duquesne, and received his death-wound. A'got, a small island in the English channel. Lat. 48° 38' N.; Lon. 2° 4' W.