distress
Use Distress in a sentence
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noun
1.
great pain, anxiety, or sorrow; acute physical or mental suffering; affliction; trouble.
2.
a state of extreme necessity or misfortune.
3.
the state of a ship or airplane requiring immediate assistance, as when on fire in transit.
4.
that which causes pain, suffering, trouble, danger, etc.
5.
liability or exposure to pain, suffering, trouble, etc.; danger: a damsel in distress.
adjective
8.
afflicted with or suffering distress: distress livestock; distress wheat.
9.
caused by or indicative of distress or hardship: distress prices; distress borrowing.
00:10
Distress
is one of our favorite verbs.
So is peculate. Does it mean:
| to steal or take dishonestly (money, esp. public funds, or property entrusted to one's care); embezzle. |
| to spend time idly; loaf. |
verb (used with object)
10.
to afflict with great pain, anxiety, or sorrow; trouble; worry; bother.
11.
to subject to pressure, stress, or strain; embarrass or exhaust by strain: to be distressed by excessive work.
12.
to compel by pain or force of circumstances: His suffering distressed him into committing suicide.
Origin:
1250–1300; (noun) Middle English destresse < Anglo-French distresse, destresse, Old French < Vulgar Latin *districtia, equivalent to Latin district(us) (see district) + -ia -y3; (v.) Middle English destressen < Anglo-French destresser (Old French destrecier), derivative of the noun
1250–1300; (noun) Middle English destresse < Anglo-French distresse, destresse, Old French < Vulgar Latin *districtia, equivalent to Latin district(us) (see district) + -ia -y3; (v.) Middle English destressen < Anglo-French destresser (Old French destrecier), derivative of the noun
Related forms
dis·tress·ing·ly, adverb
pre·dis·tress, noun, verb (used with object)
Antonyms
1. comfort.
1. comfort.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To distress
Collins
World English Dictionary
distress (dɪˈstrɛs) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | to cause mental pain to; upset badly |
| 2. | (usually passive) to subject to financial or other trouble |
| 3. | to damage (esp furniture), as by scratching or denting it, in order to make it appear older than it is |
| 4. | law a less common word for distrain |
| 5. | archaic to compel |
| —n | |
| 6. | mental pain; anguish |
| 7. | the act of distressing or the state of being distressed |
| 8. | physical or financial trouble |
| 9. | in distress (of a ship, aircraft, etc) in dire need of help |
| 10. | law |
| a. the seizure and holding of property as security for payment of or in satisfaction of a debt, claim, etc; distraint | |
| b. the property thus seized | |
| c. (US) (as modifier): distress merchandise | |
| [C13: from Old French destresse distress, via Vulgar Latin, from Latin districtus divided in mind; see | |
| dis'tressful | |
| —adj | |
| dis'tressfully | |
| —adv | |
| dis'tressfulness | |
| —n | |
| dis'tressing | |
| —adj, —n | |
| dis'tressingly | |
| —adv | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
distress
late 13c., from O.Fr. destresse, from Gallo-Romance *districtia "restraint, affliction," from L. districtus, pp. of distringere "draw apart, hinder," also, in M.L. "compel, coerce," from dis- "apart" + stringere "draw tight, press together" (see strain (v.)). Related: Distressed; distressing.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
distress dis·tress (dĭ-strěs')
n.
Mental or physical suffering or anguish.
Severe strain resulting from exhaustion or trauma.
dis·tress' adj.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia
distress
in law, process that enables a person to seize and detain from a wrongdoer some chattel, or item of personal property, as a pledge for the redressing of an injury, the performance of a duty, or the satisfaction of a demand. Distress was frequently levied without legal process, but requirements have become more stringent and now often necessitate some type of court action.
Learn more about distress with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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Example sentences
Often before a power cable goes, it gives off a few subtle signs of distress.
But the ordinary action of helping a fellow creature in distress doesn't require faith at all.
Three things will now determine whether this marks the beginning of the end of the crisis-or the start of even deeper distress.
Often, he writes about the need to help someone in distress physically or emotionally.
Nearby Words
Synonyms
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