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Meaning of DISTRESS

Pronunciation:  di'stres

WordNet Dictionary
 
 Definition: 
  1. [n]  the seizure and holding of property as security for payment of a debt or satisfaction of a claim; "Originally distress was a landloard's remedy against a tenant for unpaid rents or property damage but now the landlord is given a landlord's lien"
  2. [n]  psychological suffering; "the death of his wife caused him great distress"
  3. [n]  extreme physical pain; "the patient appeared to be in distress"
  4. [n]  a state of adversity (danger or affliction or need); "a ship in distress"; "she was the classic maiden in distress"
  5. [v]  cause mental pain to
 
 Websites: 
 
 Synonyms: distraint, hurt, suffering
 
 See Also: adversity, anguish, anguish, besiege, disturb, hardship, hurting, pain, pain, painfulness, pressure, seizure, self-torment, self-torture, throe, torment, torture, trouble, upset, wound

 

 

Webster's 1913 Dictionary
 
 Definition: 
  1. \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; anguish of body or mind; as, to
   suffer distress from the gout, or from the loss of
   friends.
         Not fearing death nor shrinking for distress.
                                               --Shak.
2. That which occasions suffering; painful situation;
   misfortune; affliction; misery.
         Affliction's sons are brothers in distress. --Burns.
3. A state of danger or necessity; as, a ship in distress,
   from leaking, loss of spars, want of provisions or water,
   etc.
4. (Law)
   (a) The act of distraining; the taking of a personal
       chattel out of the possession of a wrongdoer, by way
       of pledge for redress of an injury, or for the
       performance of a duty, as for nonpayment of rent or
       taxes, or for injury done by cattle, etc.
   (b) The thing taken by distraining; that which is seized
       to procure satisfaction. --Bouvier. Kent. Burrill.
             If he were not paid, he would straight go and
             take a distress of goods and cattle. --Spenser.
             The distress thus taken must be proportioned to
             the thing distrained for.         --Blackstone.
{Abuse of distress}. (Law) See under {Abuse}.
Syn: Affliction; suffering; pain; agony; misery; torment;
     anguish; grief; sorrow; calamity; misfortune; trouble;
     adversity. See {Affliction}.

  2. \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.
         We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed.
                                               --2 Cor. iv.
                                               8.
2. To compel by pain or suffering.
         Men who can neither be distressed nor won into a
         sacrifice of duty.                    --A. Hamilton.
3. (Law) To seize for debt; to distrain.
Syn: To pain; grieve; harass; trouble; perplex; afflict;
     worry; annoy.
 
Dream Dictionary
 
 Definition: Dreaming that you or others are in distress, suggest that things will turn out better than you expected. You will find that all your worries were for nothing and need to lighten up.
 
Thesaurus Terms
 
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