I. di-ˈstres noun
Etymology: Middle English destresse, from Anglo-French destresce, from Vulgar Latin * districtia, from Latin districtus, past participle of distringere
Date: 13th century
1.
a. : seizure and detention of the goods of another as pledge or to obtain satisfaction of a claim by the sale of the goods seized
b. : something that is distrained
2.
a. : pain or suffering affecting the body, a bodily part, or the mind : trouble
gastric distress
b. : a painful situation : misfortune
3. : a state of danger or desperate need
a ship in distress
Synonyms:
distress , suffering , misery , agony mean the state of being in great trouble. distress implies an external and usually temporary cause of great physical or mental strain and stress
the hurricane put everyone in great distress
suffering implies conscious endurance of pain or distress
the suffering of famine victims
misery stresses the unhappiness attending especially sickness, poverty, or loss
the homeless live with misery every day
agony suggests pain too intense to be borne
in agony over the death of their child
II. transitive verb
Date: 14th century
1. : to subject to great strain or difficulties
homes distress ed by poverty
2. archaic : to force or overcome by inflicting pain
3. : to cause to worry or be troubled : upset
don't let the news distress you
4. : to mar (as clothing or wood) deliberately to give an effect of age
a distress ed table
• dis·tress·ing·ly -ˈstre-siŋ-lē adverb
III. adjective
Date: 1926
1. : offered for sale at a loss
distress merchandise
2. : involving distress goods
a distress sale