distress

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Related to distress: destress, Emotional distress, psychological distress

dis·tress

(dĭ-strĕs′)

tr.v. dis·tressed, dis·tress·ing, dis·tress·es

1. To cause strain, anxiety, or suffering to. See Synonyms at trouble.

2. To mar or otherwise treat (an object or fabric, for example) to give the appearance of an antique or of heavy prior use.

3. Archaic To constrain or overcome by harassment.

1. Anxiety or mental suffering.

a. Bodily dysfunction or discomfort caused by disease or injury: respiratory distress.

b. Physical deterioration, as of a highway, caused by hard use over time: pavement distress.

a. The condition of being in need of immediate assistance: a motorist in distress.

b. Suffering caused by poverty: programs to relieve public distress.

4. Law The act of distraining or seizing goods to compel payment or other satisfaction for a debt or other duty owed; distraint.

[Middle English distressen, from Old French destresser, from destresse, constraint, from Vulgar Latin *districtia, from Latin districtus, past participle of distringere, to hinder; see distrain.]

dis·tress′ing·ly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

distress

(dɪˈstrɛs)

vb (tr)

1. (Psychology) to cause mental pain to; upset badly

2. (Social Welfare) (usually passive) to subject to financial or other trouble

3. (Textiles) to damage (esp furniture), as by scratching or denting it, in order to make it appear older than it is

4. (Furniture) to damage (esp furniture), as by scratching or denting it, in order to make it appear older than it is

5. (Law) law a less common word for distrain

6. archaic to compel

7. (Psychology) mental pain; anguish

8. (Psychology) the act of distressing or the state of being distressed

9. (Social Welfare) physical or financial trouble

10. (Navigation) in distress (of a ship, aircraft, etc) in dire need of help

11. (Law) 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 distrain]

disˈtressful adj

disˈtressfully adv

disˈtressfulness n

disˈtressing adj, n

disˈtressingly adv

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

dis•tress

(dɪˈstrɛs)

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. the legal seizure and detention of another's goods as security for debt, etc.; a distraint.

v.t.

6. to afflict with pain, anxiety, or sorrow; trouble; worry.

7. to subject to pressure or strain: to be distressed by excessive work.

8. to compel by pain or force of circumstances.

9. to scratch or stain (furniture, wood, etc.) so as to give an appearance of age.

[1250–1300; Middle English destresse < Anglo-French distresse, destresse, Old French « Latin district(us) (see district)]

dis•tress′ing•ly, adv.

distress

Past participle: distressed
Gerund: distressing

Imperative
distress
distress

Present
I distress
you distress
he/she/it distresses
we distress
you distress
they distress

Preterite
I distressed
you distressed
he/she/it distressed
we distressed
you distressed
they distressed

Present Continuous
I am distressing
you are distressing
he/she/it is distressing
we are distressing
you are distressing
they are distressing

Present Perfect
I have distressed
you have distressed
he/she/it has distressed
we have distressed
you have distressed
they have distressed

Past Continuous
I was distressing
you were distressing
he/she/it was distressing
we were distressing
you were distressing
they were distressing

Past Perfect
I had distressed
you had distressed
he/she/it had distressed
we had distressed
you had distressed
they had distressed

Future
I will distress
you will distress
he/she/it will distress
we will distress
you will distress
they will distress

Future Perfect
I will have distressed
you will have distressed
he/she/it will have distressed
we will have distressed
you will have distressed
they will have distressed

Future Continuous
I will be distressing
you will be distressing
he/she/it will be distressing
we will be distressing
you will be distressing
they will be distressing

Present Perfect Continuous
I have been distressing
you have been distressing
he/she/it has been distressing
we have been distressing
you have been distressing
they have been distressing

Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been distressing
you will have been distressing
he/she/it will have been distressing
we will have been distressing
you will have been distressing
they will have been distressing

Past Perfect Continuous
I had been distressing
you had been distressing
he/she/it had been distressing
we had been distressing
you had been distressing
they had been distressing

Conditional
I would distress
you would distress
he/she/it would distress
we would distress
you would distress
they would distress

Past Conditional
I would have distressed
you would have distressed
he/she/it would have distressed
we would have distressed
you would have distressed
they would have distressed

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun	1.	distress - psychological suffering; "the death of his wife caused him great distress" hurt, suffering painfulness, pain - emotional distress; a fundamental feeling that people try to avoid; "the pain of loneliness" anguish, torture, torment - extreme mental distress self-torment, self-torture - self-imposed distress tsoris - (Yiddish) trouble and suffering
	2.	distress - a state of adversity (danger or affliction or need); "a ship in distress"; "she was the classic maiden in distress" anguish - extreme distress of body or mind adversity, hard knocks, hardship - a state of misfortune or affliction; "debt-ridden farmers struggling with adversity"; "a life of hardship" pressure - an oppressive condition of physical or mental or social or economic distress throe - hard or painful trouble or struggle; "a country in the throes of economic collapse"
	3.	distress - extreme physical pain; "the patient appeared to be in distress" hurting, pain - a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder; "the patient developed severe pain and distension"
	4.	distress - 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" distraint seizure - the taking possession of something by legal process
Verb	1.	distress - bring into difficulties or distress, especially financial hardship straiten discommode, disoblige, incommode, inconvenience, put out, trouble, bother - to cause inconvenience or discomfort to; "Sorry to trouble you, but..."
	2.	distress - cause mental pain to; "The news of her child's illness distressed the mother" disturb, trouble, upset - move deeply; "This book upset me"; "A troubling thought" besiege - cause to feel distressed or worried; "She was besieged by so many problems that she got discouraged"

distress

noun

1. suffering, pain, worry, anxiety, torture, grief, misery, agony, sadness, discomfort, torment, sorrow, woe, anguish, heartache, affliction, desolation, wretchedness Her mouth grew stiff with pain and distress.

2. danger, risk, difficulty, peril, jeopardy, endangerment The ship might be in distress.

3. need, suffering, trouble, trial, difficulties, poverty, misery, hard times, hardship, straits, misfortune, adversity, calamity, affliction, privation, destitution, ill-fortune, ill-luck, indigence There was little support to help them in their distress.

verb

1. upset, worry, trouble, pain, wound, bother, disturb, dismay, grieve, torment, harass, afflict, harrow, agitate, sadden, perplex, disconcert, agonize, fluster, perturb, faze, throw (someone) off balance I did not want to frighten or distress her.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

distress

verb

1. To cause anxious uneasiness in:

ail, cark, concern, trouble, worry.

2. To cause suffering or painful sorrow to:

aggrieve, grieve, hurt, injure, pain, wound.

noun

1. A troubled or anxious state of mind:

angst, anxiety, anxiousness, care, concern, disquiet, disquietude, nervousness, solicitude, unease, uneasiness, worry.

2. A state of physical or mental suffering:

affliction, agony, anguish, hurt, misery, pain, torment, torture, woe, wound, wretchedness.

3. The condition of being in need of immediate assistance:

exigence, exigency, hot water, trouble.

Translations

سَبب في الحُزْن، مَكْروبكَرَب، حُزْن، غَميُسَبِّب الأسف والحُزْن

bídabolesttrápenítrápitúzkost

bekymrebekymringnødsmertesorg

bedrücken Leid Notlage Qualsekkieren

θλίβω πόνος

afligir angustia angustiar apuro desdicha

affliction détresse douleur peine peiner

gyötrelem

kvöl, òjáning, neyîvalda sársauka eîa sorgvalda sorg

addolorare affliggere afflizione angoscia angosciare

kankinamaisielvarto sukėlėjassukeliantis sielvartąsukelti sielvartą

bēdasciešanasciešanu cēlonispostssagādāt ciešanas

benauwen druk onder pijn stress

bedrøvelse engste volde lidelse

niebezpieczeństwo zagrożenie

огорчать

stiskažalost

acıacı vermekdert ıstırapıstırap çektirmek

使悲痛悲痛苦恼

distress

[dɪsˈtres]

A. N

1. (= pain) → dolor m; (= mental anguish) → angustia f, aflicción f (Med) (after exertion) → agotamiento m, fatiga f
to be in great distress → estar sufriendo mucho

2. (= danger) → peligro m
to be in distress [ship etc] → estar en peligro

3. (= poverty) → miseria f
to be in financial distress → pasar apuros económicos

B. VT (physically) → doler; (mentally) → angustiar, afligir (Med) → agotar, fatigar

C. CPD distress rocket N → cohete m de señales
distress signal N → señal f de socorro

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

distress

[dɪˈstrɛs]

(emotional) → détresse f
in distress [person] → angoissé(e)

(= danger) in distress [ship] → en perdition; [plane] → en détresse distress call

(= pain) → souffrances fpl, souffrance f
in distress [animal] → en détresse

vt [+ person] → bouleverser
to be distressed by sth → être bouleversé(e) par qchdistress call n → appel m de détresse

distress

→ Verzweiflung f; (physical) → Leiden nt; (mental, cause of distress) → Kummer m, → Sorge f; to be in great distress → sehr leiden; to cause somebody distress → jdm Sorge/starke Schmerzen bereiten

(= great poverty) → Not f, → Elend nt

(= danger) → Not f; to be in distress (ship) → in Seenot sein; (plane) → in Not sein; distress call → Notsignal nt

vt (= worry) → Kummer machen (+dat), → Sorge bereiten (+dat); don’t distress yourself → machen Sie sich (dat) → keine Sorgen!; the thought distressed him enormously → der Gedanke bekümmerte ihn sehr

distress

distress rocket

n → Notrakete f

distress signal

n → Notsignal nt

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

distress

[dɪsˈtrɛs]

1. n

a. (mental anguish) → angoscia, pena; (pain) → dolore m
to be in great distress → essere sconvolto/a or affranto/a dal dolore

b. (poverty) → bisogno

c. (danger) → pericolo
in distress (Brit) (ship) → in difficoltà, in pericolo

2. vt → addolorare, affliggere

distress

(diˈstres) noun

1. 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.

2. a cause of sorrow. My inability to draw has always been a distress to me.

verb

to cause pain or sorrow to. I'm distressed by your lack of interest.

diˈstressing adjective

diˈstressingly adverb

dis·tress

n. angustia, apuro, preocupación, aflicción;

to be in ___ → estar angustiado-a, estar afligido-a.

distress

n distrés m, aflicción f; respiratory — distrés respiratorio

References in classic literature ?

though I have reasons enough for my dislike, I cannot help pitying her at present, as she is in real distress, and with too much cause.

View in context

With every word the woman uttered, Emily's perplexity and distress increased.

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This is the first robbery I ever attempted, and I have been driven by distress to this."

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You write that you are in great distress, and have been weeping.

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She could neither wonder nor condemn, but the belief of his self-conquest brought nothing to her consolatory to her bosom, afforded no palliation of her distress. It was, on the contrary, exactly calculated to make her understand her own wishes; and never had she so honestly felt that she could have loved him, as now, when all love must be vain.

View in context

"If we had nothing worse to dread than her attempting to go on the stage, I should not feel the distress and dismay which now overpower me.

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"Thou ill announcer," said Zarathustra at last, "that is a cry of distress, and the cry of a man; it may come perhaps out of a black sea.

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no, no,(exclaimed Sophia) I cannot go to Newgate; I shall not be able to support the sight of my Augustus in so cruel a confinement--my feelings are sufficiently shocked by the RECITAL, of his Distress, but to behold it will overpower my Sensibility." As I perfectly agreed with her in the Justice of her Sentiments the Postilion was instantly directed to return into the Country.

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She had no doubt that her note must appear excessively ill-written, that the language would disgrace a child, for her distress had allowed no arrangement; but at least it would assure them both of her being neither imposed on nor gratified by Mr.

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Dashwood, like her daughter, heard Willoughby's story from himself--had she witnessed his distress, and been under the influence of his countenance and his manner, it is probable that her compassion would have been greater.

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Relief in distress, help in need, protection for damsels, consolation for widows, are to be found in no sort of persons better than in knights-errant; and I give unceasing thanks to heaven that I am one, and regard any misfortune or suffering that may befall me in the pursuit of so honourable a calling as endured to good purpose.

View in context

But the principal failing occurred in the sailing, And the Bellman, perplexed and distressed, Said he had hoped, at least, when the wind blew due East, That the ship would not travel due West!