The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Infliction \In*flic"tion\, n. [L. inflictio: cf. F. infliction.]
   1. The act of inflicting or imposing; as, the infliction of
      torment, or of punishment.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. That which is inflicted or imposed, as punishment,
      disgrace, calamity, etc.
      [1913 Webster]

            His severest inflictions are in themselves acts of
            justice and righteousness.            --Rogers.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

infliction
    n 1: the act of imposing something (as a tax or an embargo)
         [syn: imposition, infliction]
    2: an act causing pain or damage
    3: something or someone that causes trouble; a source of
       unhappiness; "washing dishes was a nuisance before we got a
       dish washer"; "a bit of a bother"; "he's not a friend, he's
       an infliction" [syn: annoyance, bother, botheration,
       pain, infliction, pain in the neck, pain in the ass]