Experiencing severe emotional or mental pain, often involving a combination of grief, anxiety, and despair. Describes deep suffering that affects both mind and body.
From Old French 'angoisse' (distress), from Latin 'angustia' (narrowness, difficulty), related to 'angere' (to choke, strangle). The word literally suggests being constricted or squeezed, reflecting how emotional pain can feel physically suffocating.
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