Definitions for Distressdɪˈstrɛs

Random House Webster's College Dictionary

dis•tressdɪˈstrɛs(n.)

acute anxiety, pain, or sorrow.
anything that causes anxiety, pain, or sorrow.
a state of extreme necessity, trouble, or misfortune.
the state of a ship or airplane requiring immediate assistance, as when on fire in transit.
the legal seizure and detention of another's goods as security for debt, etc.; a distraint.
Category: Law
(v.t.)to afflict with pain, anxiety, or sorrow; trouble; worry.
to subject to pressure or strain:
to be distressed by excessive work.
to compel by pain or force of circumstances.
to scratch or stain (furniture, wood, etc.) so as to give an appearance of age.
Category: Furniture

Origin of distress:

1250–1300; ME destresse < AF distresse, destresse, OF 蠐 L district(us) (see district )

dis•tress′ing•ly(adv.)

Princeton's WordNet

distress, hurt, suffering(noun)
psychological suffering
"the death of his wife caused him great distress"
distress(noun)
a state of adversity (danger or affliction or need)
"a ship in distress"; "she was the classic maiden in distress"
distress(noun)
extreme physical pain
"the patient appeared to be in distress"
distress, distraint(verb)
the seizure and holding of property as security for payment of a debt or satisfaction of a claim
"Originally distress was a landlord's remedy against a tenant for unpaid rents or property damage but now the landlord is given a landlord's lien"
straiten, distress(verb)
bring into difficulties or distress, especially financial hardship
distress(verb)
cause mental pain to
"The news of her child's illness distressed the mother"

Kernerman English Learner's Dictionary

distress(noun)ɪˈstrɛs
anxiety or worry
The newspaper apologized for causing distress to its readers.; a confused old woman in distress
distressɪˈstrɛs
trouble or danger
distress signals; a ship in distress
distress(verb)ɪˈstrɛs
≠ comfort
We didn't tell her because we didn't want to distress her.

Wiktionary

distress(Noun)
(Cause of) discomfort.
distress(Noun)
Serious danger.
distress(Noun)
A seizing of property without legal process to force payment of a debt.
distress(Verb)
To cause strain or anxiety to someone.
distress(Verb)
To retain someoneu2019s property against the payment of a debt; to distrain.
distress(Verb)
To treat an object, such as an antique, to give it an appearance of age.
She distressed the new media cabinet so that it fit with the other furniture in the room.

Webster Dictionary

Distress(noun)
extreme pain or suffering; anguish of body or mind; as, to suffer distress from the gout, or from the loss of friends
Distress(noun)
that which occasions suffering; painful situation; misfortune; affliction; misery
Distress(noun)
a state of danger or necessity; as, a ship in distress, from leaking, loss of spars, want of provisions or water, etc
Distress(noun)
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
Distress(noun)
the thing taken by distraining; that which is seized to procure satisfaction
Distress(noun)
to cause pain or anguish to; to pain; to oppress with calamity; to afflict; to harass; to make miserable
Distress(noun)
to compel by pain or suffering
Distress(noun)
to seize for debt; to distrain

Translations for Distress

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary

distress(noun)

great sorrow, trouble or pain

She was in great distress over his disappearance; Is your leg causing you any distress?; The loss of all their money left the family in acute distress.

droefheid, nood, ellende, rampspoedAfrikaans
كَرَب، حُزْن، غَمArabic
бедаBulgarian
sofrimentoPortuguese (BR)
úzkost; bolest; bídaCzech
die QualGerman
sorg; bekymring; smerte; nødDanish
θλίψη, πόνος, οδύνηGreek
aflicciónSpanish
ahastus, hädaEstonian
درماندگی؛ رنجFarsi
kärsimysFinnish
détresseFrench
צָעַר, סֶבֶל, כְּאֵבHebrew
दु:ख, व्यथाHindi
jad, nevoljaCroatian
gyötrelem, aggodalomHungarian
sedihIndonesian
kvöl, þjáning, neyðIcelandic
angosciaItalian
悩みJapanese
고통Korean
sielvartas,širdgėlaLithuanian
bēdas; ciešanas; postsLatvian
kedukaanMalay
leed, pijnDutch
fortvilelse, bedrøvelse, smerteNorwegian
zmartwienie, cierpieniePolish
درماندگی؛ رنجPersian
غم، زړتنګى، لاس تنګى، نيستى (دپيسو) غريبى: ناروغى، خوږ، دخطر حالت: مصيبت. (حق) ګروPashto
sofrimentoPortuguese
suferinţăRomanian
огорчение; гореRussian
starosť; ťažkosťSlovak
velikažalost; stiskaSlovenian
neprilikaSerbian
bedrövelse, smärta, trångmålSwedish
ความเศร้าโศก; ความยุ่งยากThai
acı, ıstırapTurkish
悲痛Chinese (Trad.)
горе, стражданняUkrainian
سخت اذیت ، غمUrdu
nỗi đau buồnVietnamese
悲痛Chinese (Simp.)