Tragedies

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Tragedy \Trag"e*dy\, n.; pl. {Tragedies}. [OE. tragedie, OF.
     tragedie, F. trag['e]die, L. tragoedia, Gr. ?, fr. ? a tragic
     poet and singer, originally, a goat singer; ? a goat (perhaps
     akin to ? to gnaw, nibble, eat, and E. trout) + ? to sing;
     from the oldest tragedies being exhibited when a goat was
     sacrificed, or because a goat was the prize, or because the


     actors were clothed in goatskins. See {Ode}.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. A dramatic poem, composed in elevated style, representing
        a signal action performed by some person or persons, and
        having a fatal issue; that species of drama which
        represents the sad or terrible phases of character and
        life.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Tragedy is to say a certain storie,
              As olde bookes maken us memorie,
              Of him that stood in great prosperitee
              And is yfallen out of high degree
              Into misery and endeth wretchedly.    --Chaucer.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              All our tragedies are of kings and princes. --Jer.
                                                    Taylor.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              tragedy is poetry in its deepest earnest; comedy is
              poetry in unlimited jest.             --Coleridge.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A fatal and mournful event; any event in which human lives
        are lost by human violence, more especially by
        unauthorized violence.
        [1913 Webster] Tragic