[stress] n [ME stresse stress, distress, short for destresse--more at distress] (14c) 1: constraining force or influence: as a: a force exerted when one body or body part presses on, pulls on, pushes against, or tends to compress or twist another body or body part; esp: the intensity of this mutual force commonly expressed in pounds per square inch b: the deformation caused in a body by such a force c: a physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation d: a state resulting from a stress; esp: one of bodily or mental tension resulting from factors that tend to alter an existent equilibrium e: strain, pressure "the environment is under ~ to the point of collapse --Joseph Shoben"
2: emphasis, weight "lay ~ on a point" 3 archaic: intense effort or exertion
4: intensity of utterance given to a speech sound, syllable, or word producing relative loudness
5. a: relative force or prominence of sound in verse b: a syllable having relative force or prominence
6: accent 6a
[2]stress vt (1545) 1: to subject to physical or psychological stress
2: to subject to phonetic stress: accent
3: to lay stress on: emphasize