Found 2 items, similar to penury.
English → English (WordNet) Definition: penury penury n : a state of extreme poverty or destitution; “their indigence appalled him”; “a general state of need exists among the homeless” [syn: indigence, need, beggary, pauperism, pauperization]
English → English (gcide) Definition: Penury Penury \Pen"u*ry\, n. [L. penuria; cf. Gr. ? hunger, ? poverty, need, ? one who works for his daily bread, a poor man, ? to work for one's daily bread, to be poor: cf. F. p['e]nurie.] 1. Absence of resources; want; privation; indigence; extreme poverty; destitution. “A penury of military forces.” --Bacon. [1913 Webster] They were exposed to hardship and penury. --Sprat. [1913 Webster] It arises in neither from penury of thought. --Landor. [1913 Webster] 2. Penuriousness; miserliness. [Obs.] --Jer. Taylor. [1913 Webster]