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tagbisi

tagbísi with stress marks

a famine

noun tag-BI-si Native origin Rare

Usage Note

Tagbisi denotes a period of severe food scarcity or famine, often linked to crop failure, drought, or prolonged flooding. It is a formal and somewhat literary term; taggutom is more commonly used in everyday speech for hunger-related scarcity. Tagbisi appears in historical accounts of pre-colonial and colonial-era food crises.

Examples

Beginner

" Nagkaroon ng tagbisi noon. "

Natural Translation

There was a famine before.

Literal Translation

Had of famine before.

Intermediate

" Nagkaroon ng tagbisi noong nakaraang taon. "

Natural Translation

There was a famine last year.

Literal Translation

Had of famine last past year.

Advanced

" Nang sumiklab ang tagbisi dahil sa matagal na tagtuyot, marami ang napilitang lumikas papunta sa kalapit na bayan. "

Natural Translation

When the famine broke out because of the prolonged drought, many were forced to flee to the neighboring town.

Literal Translation

When broke-out the famine because of long drought, many the forced to-flee toward at neighboring town.

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