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| dis·tress [ di stréss ] |
noun |
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| Definition: |
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1. mental suffering: mental suffering, e.g. that caused by grief, anxiety, or unhappiness
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2. hardship: hardship or problems caused by a lack of basic necessities
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3. physical pain: physical pain or discomfort
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4. danger or difficulty: great danger or difficulty, with a need for immediate assistance
  a ship in distress
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5. U.S. commercial law seizure of bad debtor's property: the seizing of somebody's movable property either in lieu of payment of a debt or in order to force the person to pay.
Canadian term distraint
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transitive verb (past and past participle dis·tressed, present participle dis·tress·ing, 3rd person present singular dis·tress·es) |
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| Definition: |
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1. upset somebody: to make somebody extremely upset, anxious, or alarmed
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2. make furniture or fabric look old: to give a new piece of furniture or fabric an old or worn appearance
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| [13th century. Via Old French destresce< assumed Vulgar Latin districtia< Latin district-, past participle of distringere "draw asunder"] |
