purgatory

1. N-PROPER Purgatory is the place where Roman Catholics believe the spirits of dead people are sent to suffer for their sins before they go to heaven. (罗马天主教相信的)炼狱

Prayers were said for souls in purgatory. 为炼狱中的亡灵做的祷告。

2. N-UNCOUNT You can describe a very unpleasant experience as purgatory. 炼狱般的经历

Every step of the last three miles was purgatory. 最后三英里中的每一步都是炼狱般的折磨。

...five years of economic purgatory. ...五年的经济炼狱之苦。