Present participle of inflict: to cause something painful, harmful, or unpleasant to happen to someone else.
From Latin 'infligere,' combining 'in-' (upon) and 'fligere' (to strike). The word literally means 'to strike upon' someone, emphasizing the violent or forceful nature of imposing harm.
The word 'inflict' has a deliberately harsh, striking sound—it comes from Latin for 'to strike'—which is why we talk about 'inflicting pain' rather than 'giving pain,' emphasizing the violence of the act!
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