Noun

(en-noun)

(uncountable) The state of adverse conditions; state of misfortune or calamity.

* {{quote-book, year=1858

, year_published=2008 , publisher=Read Books , author= , title= , section=Chapter III citation , isbn=9781443734035 , page=55 , passage=The doctor loved the squire, loved him as his oldest friend; but he loved him ten times better as being in adversity than he could ever have done had things gone well at Greshansbury in his time.}}

* {{quote-book, year=2007

, publisher=PublishAmerica , author=Earl Crouch , title=Do You Know? , chapter=When Adversity Strikes citation , isbn=9781424173914 , page=60 , passage=God approves all adversity'. Not all '''adversity''' that the Christian encounters is due to sins in the Christian's life. Not all ' adversity is the fault of the Christian.}}

* {{quote-book, year=1998

, publisher=Naval Institute Press , editor=Karel Montor , author=Karel Montor, et al , title=Naval Leadership: Voices of Experience , edition=2nd edition , chapter=Directing and Coordinating Operations , section=Efficient and Professional Conduct citation , isbn=9781557505965 , page=278 , passage=These are the people who will overcome the adversity , chaos, and destruction of combat and defeat the enemy in war.}}

(countable) An event that is adverse; calamity.

* {{quote-magazine, year=1859

, author= , coauthors= , title=The Great Earl of Cork , date=September 1859 , volume=LIV , issue= , page=326 , magazine=The Dublin University Magazine: A Literary and Political Journal , publisher=Alex Thom & Sons citation , passage=Having “secret notice,” the writer of “True Remembrances” declares of the above complains, he retired into Munster, intending to proceed to England, to justify himself; but was detained there for want of money by the breaking out of rebellion. This adversity befell him in the autumn of 1598. }}

* {{quote-book, year=1977

, year_published=1979 , publisher=Routledge , author=Genevieve Burton , title=Interpersonal Relations: A Guide for Nurses , edition=Fourth edition , chapter=Family Adversity and the Nurse citation , isbn=9780422769907 , page=101 , passage=Every family is struck by adversity' at one time or another. No matter how mature the patients are, regardless of the care an advantages they give their children, despite a desirable interactive love between family members, ' adversity will attack any family}}

* {{quote-book, year=2006

, year_published=2007 , publisher=Plume , author=Elizabeth Wissner-Gross , title=What Colleges Don't Tell You (and Other Parents Don't Want You to Know: 272 Secrets for Getting Your Kid Into the Top Schools , chapter=Getting Your Kid off the Waiting List and into the School of His or Her Dreams citation , isbn=9780452288546 , page=272 , passage=Make sure that your child’s adversity' is ''really'' an '''adversity'''. Not having parents who can buy a new car upon your son’s sixteenth birthday is not an '''adversity'''. Being the only girl on the block who doesn’t own a designed handbag is not an ' adversity }}

Noun

(en noun)

A precipitous decline in fortune; death or rapid deterioration, as in status or wealth.

Many economic and political reasons led to the downfall of the Roman Empire.

* {{quote-news

, year=2012 , date=May 13 , author=Alistair Magowan , title=Sunderland 0-1 Man Utd , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=The Black Cats contributed to their own downfall for the only goal when Titus Bramble, making his first appearance since Boxing Day, and Michael Turner, let Phil Jones' cross bounce across the six-yard box as Rooney tucked in at the back post.}}

The cause of such a fall; a critical blow or error.

*

It is the downfall of evil, that it never sees far enough ahead.

An act of falling down.

* (Thomas Hardy), A Laodicean