名詞 purgatory:

1. a temporary condition of torment or suffering
2. (theology) in Roman Catholic theology the place where those who have died in a state of grace undergo limited torment to expiate their sins

1. The threat of a neglected cold is for doctor what the threat of purgatory is for priest- a gold mine.
   被忽視的感冒所構(gòu)成的威脅對醫(yī)生來說，正如地獄所構(gòu)成的威脅之對牧師——都是一座金礦。
2. A beautiful woman is paradise for the eyes, hell for the soul, and purgatory for the purse.
   漂亮的女人是眼睛的天堂、靈魂的地獄、錢包的煉獄。
3. He's so impatient that waiting in queues is sheer purgatory for him.
   他毫無耐性，對他來說排隊等候完全是活受罪。

pur.ga.to.ry

n.（名詞）
【復(fù)數(shù)】 pur.ga.to.ries
Roman Catholic Church A state in which the souls of those who have died in grace must expiate their sins.
【羅馬天主教】 煉獄：那些在幸福中死去的人的靈魂必須去贖罪的地方
A place or condition of suffering, expiation, or remorse:
受難之時或受難之地：受難、贖罪或懺悔的地方或狀態(tài)：
例句：
a purgatory of drug abuse.
濫用毒品而引起的痛苦

adj.（形容詞）
Tending to cleanse or purge.
愿意凈化或洗滌的

來源：
Middle English purgatorie
中古英語 purgatorie
from Old French purgatoire
源自 古法語 purgatoire
from Medieval Latin pôrg3tôrium
源自 中世紀拉丁語 pôrg3tôrium
from Late Latin [means of purgation] [from neuter of] pôrg3tôrius [cleansing]
源自 后期拉丁語 [贖罪的方式] [] 源自pôrg3tôrius的中性詞 [凈化]
from Latin pôrg3re [to cleanse] * see purge
源自 拉丁語 pôrg3re [凈化] *參見 purge