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

1. To cause strain, anxiety, or suffering to. See synonyms at trouble.
2. Law. To hold the property of (a person) against the payment of debts.
3. To mar or otherwise treat (an object or fabric, for example) to give the appearance of an antique or of heavy prior use: “There are the fakes—new rugs which have been intentionally distressed for an older look” (Hatfield MA Valley Advocate).
4. Archaic. To constrain or overcome by harassment.

n.

1. Anxiety or mental suffering.
2. 1. Severe strain resulting from exhaustion or an accident.
   2. Acute physical discomfort.
   3. Physical deterioration, as of a highway, caused by hard use over time: pavement distress.
3. The condition of being in need of immediate assistance: a motorist in distress.
4. Law.
   1. The act of distraining or seizing to compel payment.
   2. The goods thus seized.

[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.]

distressingly dis·tress'ing·ly adv.

verb

1. To cause anxious uneasiness in: ail, cark, concern, trouble, worry. See concern/unconcern.
2. To cause suffering or painful sorrow to: aggrieve, grieve, hurt, injure, pain, wound. See happy/unhappy.

noun

1. A troubled or anxious state of mind: angst, anxiety, anxiousness, care, concern, disquiet, disquietude, nervousness, solicitude, unease, uneasiness, worry. See feelings.
2. A state of physical or mental suffering: affliction, agony, anguish, hurt, misery, pain, torment, torture, woe, wound, wretchedness. See happy/unhappy.
3. The condition of being in need of immediate assistance: exigence, exigency, hot water, trouble. See help/harm/harmless.

n

Definition: hardship, adversity
Antonyms: advantage, benefit, miracle

n

Definition: pain, agony
Antonyms: comfort, happiness, health, pleasure

v

Definition: worry, upset
Antonyms: assist, calm, comfort, help, soothe

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The negative, harmful aspects of stress. Compare eustress.

This entry contains information applicable to United States law only.

The seizure of personal property for the satisfaction of a demand.

The process of distress, sometimes called distrain, began at common law wherein a landlord had the right to confiscate the chattels of a tenant who had defaulted on a rent payment. Today, it is regulated by statute, and is used to mean the taking of property to enforce the performance of some obligation.

A warrant of distress is a writ that authorizes an officer to seize a person's goods. It is usually used in situations where a landlord has the right to obtain a lien on a tenant's goods for nonpayment of rent.

If personal property is seized to enforce the payment of taxes and then publicly sold if the taxes are not subsequently paid, the sale is called a distress sale. Distressed goods are chattels sold at a distress sale.

Physical or mental anguish or suffering.

A cynical view of the world by Ambrose Bierce

n.

A disease incurred by exposure to the prosperity of a friend.

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IN BRIEF: Sorrow or anxiety. Also: Danger.

I have never known any distress that an hour's reading did not relieve. — Charles de Secondat.

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Dansk (Danish)
n. - sorg, bekymring, smerte, ulykke, udpantning, udmattelse, kortåndethed
v. tr. - volde sorg, gøre bekymret, pine

idioms:

• distress signal    nødsignal
• distress warrant    udpantningskendelse

Nederlands (Dutch)
nood, ramp, gevaar, ellende, uitputting, leed berokkenen, verdriet doen, uitputten, verontrusten, kwellen, beslag leggen op

Français (French)
n. - douleur, chagrin, affliction, détresse, misère, péril, (Jur) saisie
v. tr. - affliger, peiner

idioms:

• distress signal    signal de détresse
• distress warrant    (Hist) mandat d'assistance

Deutsch (German)
n. - Not, Leid, Elend, Erschöpfung, Pfändung
v. - bekümmern, bedrücken, quälen, erschöpfen

idioms:

• distress signal    Notsignal
• distress warrant    Zwangsvollstreckungsbefehl

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - αγωνία, ανησυχία, πίκρα, απελπισία, ένδεια, φτώχεια, αθλιότητα, δυστυχία, κίνδυνος, δύσκολη θέση, λύπη, θλίψη, υπερένταση
v. - θλίβω, λυπώ, ταλανίζω, βασανίζω, καταπονώ, ανησυχώ

idioms:

• distress signal    σήμα κινδύνου
• distress warrant    (νομ.) ένταλμα κατασχέσεως

Italiano (Italian)
addolorare, recare dispiacere a, miseria, pericolo, sofferenza

idioms:

• distress signal    segnale di soccorso
• distress warrant    avviso di sequestro

Português (Portuguese)
n. - angústia (f), perigo (m), arresto (m) (Jur.), sofrimento (m)
v. - afligir

idioms:

• distress signal    sinal(m) de perigo (Náut.)
• distress warrant    mandado (m) de prisão

Русский (Russian)
огорчать, истощать, описывать имущество, несчастье, опасность, горе

idioms:

• distress signal    сигнал опасности
• distress warrant    ордер на опись имущества

Español (Spanish)
n. - apuro, necesidad, peligro, desolación, congoja, angustia, miseria
v. tr. - afligir, apenar

idioms:

• distress signal    señal de socorro
• distress warrant    auto judicial que ordena un embargo

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - trångmål, utmattning
v. - försätta i trångmål, plåga, jur. göra utmätning

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
悲痛, 不幸, 穷困, 使悲痛, 使忧伤, 使苦恼, 使贫困

idioms:

• distress signal    遇难信号
• distress warrant    扣押令

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 悲痛, 不幸, 窮困
v. tr. - 使悲痛, 使憂傷, 使苦惱, 使貧困

idioms:

• distress signal    遇難信號
• distress warrant    扣押令

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 고통, 가난, 재난
v. tr. - 고통스럽게 하다, 가난하게 하다, 압류하다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 苦痛, 苦悩, 悩みの種, 困難, 遭難, 貧苦
v. - 苦しめる, 困窮させる

idioms:

• distress signal    遭難信号
• distress warrant    差押令状

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) محنه, أسى, يصيبه بمحنه (فعل) يكدر, يحزن, يقلق, خطر‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮סכנה, מצוקה, סבל, צער, עיקול‬
v. tr. - ‮ציער, גרם סבל‬

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