Buffetings

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of receiving multiple blows or strikes ; enduring severe physical or emotional shocks or impacts
2. Experiencing a series of strong hits or punches ; suffering from intense hardship or distress
3. Being struck repeatedly with force ; undergoing harsh or violent treatment, physically or emotionally

Etymology: "Buffetings" is simply the plural of "buffeting," the noun formed from the verb "buffet." The verb itself comes from the Old French "buffet," meaning a blow or slap, a diminutive-style word tied to the sense of striking with the fist. Each strike or shock is counted as its own blow, which is why the plural suits the idea of receiving repeated hits. The noun "buffeting" carries the verb's sense of being struck again and again, first in a physical way and later in figurative speech about hardship. The plural gathers those separate impacts into a single phrase, so someone enduring "buffetings" of fortune has suffered many blows rather than one.

Synonyms: batterings, poundings