misery

a misery guts (informal)

someone who complains all the time and is never happy. Of course, your father, old misery guts, wanted to come home after half an hour because he was bored.

See also: gut

Misery loves company.

something that you say which means that people who are feeling sad usually want the people they are with to also feel sad. On a bad day, she isn't satisfied till the entire family is in tears. Misery loves company.

See also: company, love

put someone out of their misery

to stop someone worrying, usually by giving them information that they have been waiting for. I thought I'd call her with the results today and put her out of her misery.

put something/someone out of their misery

to kill an animal or person because they are in a lot of pain and you want to end their suffering. Both of its back legs were shattered and I figured the kindest thing would be to put it out of its misery with a bullet.

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put someone/something out of their/its misery

1. to kill an animal or person because they are in extreme pain. The horse's leg was badly broken, and the kindest thing was to put it out of its misery. Badly wounded himself, he put a gun in his buddy's hand and asked his friend to put him out of his misery.

2. to end someone's worry or something's suffering. I thought I'd call her with the test results today and put her out of her misery. Business was so bad, they considered bankruptcy to put the company out of its misery.