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Noun: distress  di'stres
  1. Psychological suffering
    "the death of his wife caused him great distress";
    - hurt, suffering
     
  2. A state of adversity (danger, affliction or need)
    "a ship in distress"; "she was the classic maiden in distress"
     
  3. Extreme physical pain
    "the patient appeared to be in distress"
     
  4. 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
Verb: distress  di'stres
  1. Bring into difficulties or distress, especially financial hardship
    - straiten
     
  2. Cause mental pain to
    "The news of her child's illness distressed the mother"

Derived forms: distressed, distresses, distressing

Type of: adversity, bother, discommode, disoblige, disturb, hard knocks, hardship, hurting, incommode, inconvenience, pain, painfulness, put out, seizure, trouble, upset

Encyclopedia: Distress