1. [v]  cause bodily suffering to
2. [v]  cause pain or suffering in; "afflict with the plague"; "That debasement of the verbal currency that afflicts terms used in advertisement"
3. [v]  cause great unhappiness for; distress; "she was afflicted by the death of her parents"

AFFLICT is a 7 letter word that starts with A.

1. \Af*flict"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Afflicted}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Afflicting}.] [L. afflictus, p. p. of affigere to
   cast down, deject; ad + fligere to strike: cf. OF. aflit,
   afflict, p. p. Cf. {Flagellate}.]
   1. To strike or cast down; to overthrow. [Obs.]
      ``Reassembling our afflicted powers.'' --Milton.
   2. To inflict some great injury or hurt upon, causing
      continued pain or mental distress; to trouble grievously;
      to torment.
            They did set over them taskmasters to afflict them
            with their burdens.                   --Exod. i. 11.
            That which was the worst now least afflicts me.
                                                  --Milton.
   3. To make low or humble. [Obs.] --Spenser.
            Men are apt to prefer a prosperous error before an
            afflicted truth.                      --Jer. Taylor.
   Syn: To trouble; grieve; pain; distress; harass; torment;
        wound; hurt.
   

2. \Af*flict"\, p. p. & a. [L. afflictus, p. p.]
   Afflicted. [Obs.] --Becon.