stres n. & v. --n. 1 a
pressure or
tension exerted on a
material object. b a
quantity measuring
this. 2 a
demand on
physical or
mental energy. b
distress caused by this (suffering
from stress). 3 a
emphasis (the stress
was on
the need for success). b accentuation; emphasis
laid on a
syllable or
word. c an
accent,
esp. the
principal one in a word (the stress is on the
first syllable). 4 Mech. force
per unit area exerted
between contiguous bodies or parts of a
body. --v.tr. 1 lay stress
on;
emphasize. 2
subject to
mechanical or physical or mental stress. ølay stress on
indicate as
important. stress
disease a disease resulting from
continuous mental stress. øøstressless adj. [ME f. DISTRESS, or
partly f. OF estresse narrowness,
oppression, ult. f. L strictus STRICT]