distress

Pluraldistresses (some meanings)

Formsdistresses, distressing, distressed

1. 1
   noununcountable

   Strong pain, worry, or fear caused by something hard to bear.

   Like the panic you feel when you cannot find someone you love in a crowd.

   The lost child was in great distress until her mother found her.

   He felt deep distress after hearing the bad news.

   Similaranguish, torment

   Oppositecomfort, relief, ease

2. 2
   verbtransitive

   To make someone feel very worried or upset.

   Like upsetting someone so much that they cannot calm down.

   It would distress her to learn the truth.

   Loud noises distress the baby.

   Similartrouble, torment, afflict, vex, harass

   Oppositecomfort, reassure, soothe, console

   Note
3. 3
   noununcountable

   A state of serious danger that calls for quick help.

   Like waving your arms in the water when you are in trouble and need someone to come.

   The ship fired flares to show that it was in distress.

   Rescue teams reached the climbers who were in distress on the mountain.

   Similardanger, peril, risk, threat, hazard

   Oppositesafety

   Note
4. 4
   nouncountable

   Something that causes great pain, worry, or fear.

   His debts were a constant distress to the whole family.

   The broken promise became a real distress to him.

   Similarmisery, grief, sorrow, hardship, affliction

   Oppositecomfort, joy, blessing

5. 5
   verbtransitive

   To treat a new object so it looks old on purpose.

   Like scuffing new shoes so they do not look brand new.

   They distress the wood to make the table look antique.

   You can distress jeans with sandpaper for a worn look.

   Similarage, antique, patinate

   Note
6. 6
   noununcountable

   A bad kind of stress that a person cannot get used to or shake off.

   Like a weight that keeps pressing on you and never lifts.

   Long hours and no rest can lead to serious distress.

   Too much pressure at school caused her real distress.

   Similarstress, strain

   Oppositeeustress

   Note
7. 7
   noununcountable

   The taking of a person's belongings to force them to pay a debt.

   Like someone keeping your tools until you pay back what you owe.

   The landlord used distress to take the tenant's furniture for unpaid rent.

   Distress let creditors hold goods until the money was paid.

   Similardistraint, seizure

   Note
8. 8
   verbtransitive

   To hold a person's property until they pay a debt they owe.

   Landlords could distress a tenant's goods when the rent was late.

   The court let them distress the cattle until the debt was paid.

   Similardistrain

   Note
9. 9
   nouncountable

   The property taken from someone to make them pay a debt.

   The landlord kept the distress until the rent was paid.

   Her jewelry was held as a distress for the loan.

   Note

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