Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1300-1400
Origin: distress

stress

1 noun
     
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stress1 S3 W3
1

worry

[uncountable and countable] continuous feelings of worry about your work or personal life, that prevent you from relaxing [↪ strain]:
Your headaches are due to stress.
under stress
Janet's been under a lot of stress since her mother's illness.
the stresses and strains (=problems and worries) of public life
stress-related (=caused by stress) medical problems
reduce/relieve stress
Yoga is excellent for relieving stress.
2

force

[uncountable and countable]TEMHP the physical force or pressure on an object:
Shoes with high heels put a great deal of stress on knees and ankles.
3

importance

[uncountable] the special attention or importance given to a particular idea, fact, or activity [= emphasis]
put/lay stress on something
Pugh laid particular stress on the need for discipline.
4

word/music

[uncountable and countable]SL the degree of force or loudness with which a part of a word is pronounced or a note in music is played, which makes it sound stronger than other parts or notes
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
 
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