| source : web1913 |
Penury \Pen"u*ry\, n. [L. penuria; cf. Gr. ? hunger, ? poverty,
need, ? one who works for his daily bread, a poor man, ? to
work for one's daily bread, to be poor: cf. F. p['e]nurie.]
1. Absence of resources; want; privation; indigence; extreme
poverty; destitution. ``A penury of military forces.''
--Bacon.
They were exposed to hardship and penury. --Sprat.
It arises in neither from penury of thought.
--Landor.
2. Penuriousness; miserliness. [Obs.] --Jer. Taylor.
| source : wn |
penury
n : a state of extreme poverty or destitution; "their indigence
appalled him"; "a general state of need exists among the
homeless" [syn: {indigence}, {need}, {pauperism}]