From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Anguish \An"guish\, n. [OE. anguishe, anguise, angoise, F.
angoisse, fr. L. angustia narrowness, difficulty, distress,
fr. angustus narrow, difficult, fr. angere to press together.
See Anger.]
Extreme pain, either of body or mind; excruciating distress.
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But they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of
spirit, and for cruel bondage. --Ex. vi. 9.
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Anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child.
--Jer. iv. 31.
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Note: Rarely used in the plural:
Ye miserable people, you must go to God in
anguishes, and make your prayer to him.
--Latimer.
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Syn: Agony; pang; torture; torment. See Agony.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Anguish \An"guish\, v. t. [Cf. F. angoisser, fr. L. angustiare.]
To distress with extreme pain or grief. [R.] --Temple.
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From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
anguish
n 1: extreme mental distress [syn: anguish, torment,
torture]
2: extreme distress of body or mind
v 1: suffer great pains or distress
2: cause emotional anguish or make miserable; "It pains me to
see my children not being taught well in school" [syn:
pain, anguish, hurt]