stress

n. [ Abbrev. fr. distress; or cf. OF. estrecier to press, pinch, (assumed) LL. strictiare, fr. L. strictus. See Distress. ] 1. Distress. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Sad hersal of his heavy stress. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Pressure, strain; -- used chiefly of immaterial things; except in mechanics; hence, urgency; importance; weight; significance. [ 1913 Webster ]

The faculties of the mind are improved by exercise, yet they must not be put to a stress beyond their strength. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

A body may as well lay too little as too much stress upon a dream. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Mech. & Physics) The force, or combination of forces, which produces a strain; force exerted in any direction or manner between contiguous bodies, or parts of bodies, and taking specific names according to its direction, or mode of action, as thrust or pressure, pull or tension, shear or tangential stress. Rankine. [ 1913 Webster ]

Stress is the mutual action between portions of matter. Clerk Maxwell. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Pron.) Force of utterance expended upon words or syllables. Stress is in English the chief element in accent and is one of the most important in emphasis. See Guide to pronunciation, §§ 31-35. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Scots Law) Distress; the act of distraining; also, the thing distrained. [ 1913 Webster ]

Stress of voice, unusual exertion of the voice. --
Stress of weather, constraint imposed by continued bad weather; as, to be driven back to port by stress of weather. --
To lay stress upon, to attach great importance to; to emphasize. “Consider how great a stress is laid upon this duty.” Atterbury. --
To put stress upon, or
To put to a stress, to strain. [ 1913 Webster ]