distress

distress
dis•tress
[[t]dɪˈstrɛs[/t]] n.
1) acute anxiety, pain, or sorrow
2) anything that causes anxiety, pain, or sorrow
3) a state of extreme necessity, trouble, or misfortune
4) the state of a ship or airplane requiring immediate assistance, as when on fire in transit
5) law the legal seizure and detention of another's goods as security for debt, etc.; a distraint
6) to afflict with pain, anxiety, or sorrow; trouble; worry
7) to subject to pressure or strain:
to be distressed by excessive work[/ex]
8) to compel by pain or force of circumstances
9) fur to scratch or stain (furniture, wood, etc.) so as to give an appearance of age
Etymology: 1250–1300; ME destresse < AF distresse, destresse, OF « L district(us) (see district) dis•tress′ing•ly, adv.

From formal English to slang. 2014.

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  • distress — dis·tress n [Anglo French destrece, literally, tightness, anguish, deprivation, from Old French, ultimately from Late Latin districtus severe, from past participle of distringere to hinder, punish see distrain] 1: seizure and detention of the… …   Law dictionary

  • distress — n Distress, suffering, misery, agony, dolor, passion are comparable when denoting the state of one that is in great trouble or in pain of mind or body. Distress commonly implies conditions or circumstances that cause physical or mental stress or… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Distress — Dis*tress , n. [OE. destresse, distresse, OF. destresse, destrece, F. d[ e]tresse, OF. destrecier to distress, (assumed) LL. districtiare, fr. L. districtus, p. p. of distringere. See {Distrain}, and cf. {Stress}.] 1. Extreme pain or suffering;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • distress — dis‧tress [dɪˈstres] noun [uncountable] LAW when someone s goods are taken with the permission of a court of law so that they can be sold to pay unpaid rent, bills etc: • The corporation had a power of absolute and immediate distress in the event …   Financial and business terms

  • Distress — may refer to: Distress (medicine), occurring when an individual cannot adapt to stress Suffering Distress signal, an internationally recognized means for obtaining help Distressed inventory, the process whereby materials are worn down by time and …   Wikipedia

  • Distress — Pays d’origine France Genre musical Doom metal Death mélodique Metal Années d activité 1996 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • distress — [di stres′] vt. [ME distressen < OFr destrecier, orig., to constrain (to do something) < destrece, constraint < ML destrescia < L districtus, pp. of distringere: see DISTRAIN] 1. to cause sorrow, misery, or suffering to; pain 2. to… …   English World dictionary

  • distress — [n1] pain, agony ache, affliction, anguish, anxiety, bad news*, blues*, care, concern, cross, dejection, desolation, disappointment, discomfort, disquietude, dolor, embarrassment, grief, headache, heartache, heartbreak, irritation, malaise,… …   New thesaurus

  • Distress — Dis*tress , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Distressed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Distressing}.] [Cf. OF. destrecier. See {Distress}, n.] 1. To cause pain or anguish to; to pain; to oppress with calamity; to afflict; to harass; to make miserable. [1913 Webster] We… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • distress — ► NOUN 1) extreme anxiety or suffering. 2) the state of a ship or aircraft when in danger or difficulty. 3) Medicine a state of physical strain, especially difficulty in breathing. ► VERB 1) cause distress to. 2) give (furniture, leather, etc.)… …   English terms dictionary

  • distress — noun ADJECTIVE ▪ acute, considerable, deep, extreme, great, immense (BrE), severe, significant ▪ genuine, real …   Collocations dictionary

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