Library / English Dictionary

DISTRESS

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The seizure and holding of property as security for payment of a debt or satisfaction of a claim

Example:

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

Synonyms:

distraint; distress

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("distress" is a kind of...):

seizure (the taking possession of something by legal process)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Psychological suffering

Example:

the death of his wife caused him great distress

Synonyms:

distress; hurt; suffering

Classified under:

Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

Hypernyms ("distress" is a kind of...):

pain; painfulness (emotional distress; a fundamental feeling that people try to avoid)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "distress"):

anguish; torment; torture (extreme mental distress)

self-torment; self-torture (self-imposed distress)

tsoris ((Yiddish) trouble and suffering)

wound (a figurative injury (to your feelings or pride))

Derivation:

distress (cause mental pain to)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Extreme physical pain

Example:

the patient appeared to be in distress

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("distress" is a kind of...):

hurting; pain (a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A state of adversity (danger or affliction or need)

Example:

she was the classic maiden in distress

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("distress" is a kind of...):

adversity; hard knocks; hardship (a state of misfortune or affliction)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "distress"):

anguish (extreme distress of body or mind)

pressure (an oppressive condition of physical or mental or social or economic distress)

throe (hard or painful trouble or struggle)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Cause mental pain to

Example:

The news of her child's illness distressed the mother

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Hypernyms (to "distress" is one way to...):

disturb; trouble; upset (move deeply)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "distress"):

besiege (cause to feel distressed or worried)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence example:

The bad news will distress him

Derivation:

distress (psychological suffering)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Bring into difficulties or distress, especially financial hardship

Synonyms:

distress; straiten

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "distress" is one way to...):

bother; discommode; disoblige; incommode; inconvenience; put out; trouble (to cause inconvenience or discomfort to)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s somebody

Credits

 Context examples: 

The Brief Symptom Inventory 18 (BSI 18) assessment gathers patient-reported data to help measure psychological distress and psychiatric disorders in medical and community populations.

(Brief Symptom Inventory 18, NCI Thesaurus)

Any abnormal condition of the body or mind that causes discomfort, dysfunction, or distress to the person affected or those in contact with the person.

(Disease or Disorder, NCI Thesaurus)

She had known it would irritate and distress her; she had known it her duty to keep away.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

A feeling of mental or physical uneasiness, pain, or distress.

(Discomfort, NCI Thesaurus)

People in distress may also feel that they are not able to manage or cope with changes caused by normal life activities or by having a disease, such as cancer.

(Distress, NCI Dictionary)

A question about an individual's distress related to their emotional problems with depression.

(Distress over Emotional Problem with Depression, NCI Thesaurus)

A question about whether an individual feels those close to them are distressed by their disease or treatment.

(Distress About Illness or Treatment to Those Close to You, NCI Thesaurus)

No matter what kind of disaster you experience, it causes emotional distress.

(Disaster Preparation and Recovery, Federal Emergency Management Agency)

Signs and symptoms include respiratory distress, recurrent pulmonary infections, dyspnea, and failure to thrive.

(Congenital Cystic Adenomatoid Malformation of the Lung, NCI Thesaurus)

This drug is used in the treatment of neonatal respiratory distress.

(Colfosceril Palmitate, NCI Thesaurus)