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stress

stress [ stress ]


noun  (plural stress·es)
Definition:
 
1. strain felt by somebody: mental, emotional, or physical strain caused, e.g. by anxiety or overwork. It may cause such symptoms as raised blood pressure or depression.

2. cause of strain: something that causes stress

3. special importance: special emphasis, importance, or significance attached to something

4. emphasis on syllable: the emphasis placed on a sound or syllable by pronouncing it more loudly or forcefully than those surrounding it in the same word or phrase

5. emphasis in poetry: the emphasis placed on a syllable or word as part of the rhythm of a poem or line of poetry

6. accent in music: the emphasis placed on a note as part of the rhythm of a piece of music, or a mark representing this

7. physics force deforming body: a force or system of forces exerted on a body and resulting in deformation or strain



transitive verb  (past and past participle stressed, present participle stress·ing, 3rd person present singular stress·es)
Definition:
 
1. emphasize something: to place emphasis on or attach importance to something

2. pronounce something forcefully: to pronounce a word or syllable more loudly or forcefully than those surrounding it

3. subject somebody or something to strain: to cause somebody or something to experience mental, emotional, or physical stress

[14th century. Partly shortening of distress; partly < Old French estresse "narrowness" < Latin strictus "compressed"]

stressed adjective
stres·sor noun

Word Key: Synonyms

See worry.

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