dis|tress

dis|tress «dihs TREHS», noun, verb.

–n.

1. great pain or sorrow; anxiety; trouble: »

The boy's low grades caused his father distress.

SYNONYM(S): grief, agony, anguish. See syn. under sorrow. (Cf. ↑sorrow)

2. something that causes distress; misfortune: »

The high cost of living is a distress to most people.

SYNONYM(S): calamity.

3. a dangerous condition; difficult situation: »

A ship sinking or burning at sea is in distress.

4. Law. a) the legal seizure of the goods of another as payment for debt or as security; distraint. b) goods seized in this way.

–v.t.

1. to cause great pain or sorrow to; make unhappy or troubled: »

Your tears distress me.

SYNONYM(S): afflict, vex.

2. a) to subject to pressure, stress, or strain: »

Several of the oarsmen were fearfully distressed (London Times).

b) Figurative. to alter the appearance of by being subjected to wear, hard use, or blows: »

The [furniture] faker strips such pieces with lye or paint remover … and then “distresses” them with chains and mallets—that is, he gives them a good pounding to lend the battered allure of great age (Time).

3. to constrain.

4. Law. to levy a distress upon; distrain.

╂[< Old French distrece, perhaps < Vulgar Latin dīstrictia < Latin distringere < dis- apart + stringere draw]