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beggary

American  
[beg-uh-ree] / ˈbɛg ə ri /

noun

plural

beggaries
  1. a state or condition of utter poverty.

  2. beggars collectively.

  3. a place lived in or frequented by beggars.


beggary British  
/ ˈbɛɡərɪ /

noun

  1. extreme poverty or need

  2. the condition of being a beggar

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of beggary

1350–1400; Middle English beggerie. See beggar, -y 3 ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Victims of enclosure could toil as day laborers, work in the woolen industry, or turn to beggary and crime.

From Textbooks • Jan. 18, 2018

“We started our drive against the menace of beggary three months back.”

From The Guardian • Nov. 27, 2017

But when their booty-laden wagons trundled away, they left behind a city reduced to beggary.

From Time Magazine Archive

As Governor of Hunan he reduced the province to a state of beggary.

From Time Magazine Archive

So he appealed to them, one after another, going from left to right, with open palm, as though his life time had been spent in beggary.

From "The Odyssey" by Homer