WordWeb Online

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

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