Stress (?), n. [Abbrev. fr.
distress; or cf. OF. estrecier to press, pinch,
(assumed) LL. strictiare, fr. L. strictus. See
Distress.] 1. Distress. [Obs.]
Sad hersal of his heavy stress.
Spenser.
2. Pressure, strain; -- used chiefly of
immaterial things; except in mechanics; hence, urgency; importance;
weight; significance.
The faculties of the mind are improved by exercise, yet
they must not be put to a stress beyond their
strength.
Locke.
A body may as well lay too little as too much
stress upon a dream.
L'Estrange.
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.
Stress is the mutual action between portions of
matter.
Clerk Maxwell.
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.
5. (Scots Law) Distress; the act of
distraining; also, the thing distrained.
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.
Stress (?), v. t. 1.
To press; to urge; to distress; to put to difficulties.
[R.] Spenser.
2. To subject to stress, pressure, or
strain.
Stress (?), v. t. 1.
To subject to phonetic stress; to accent.
2. To place emphasis on; to make emphatic;
emphasize.
Stress (?), n. [Abbrev. fr.
distress; or cf. OF. estrecier to press, pinch,
(assumed) LL. strictiare, fr. L. strictus. See
Distress.] 1. Distress. [Obs.]
Sad hersal of his heavy stress.
Spenser.
2. Pressure, strain; -- used chiefly of
immaterial things; except in mechanics; hence, urgency; importance;
weight; significance.
The faculties of the mind are improved by exercise, yet
they must not be put to a stress beyond their
strength.
Locke.
A body may as well lay too little as too much
stress upon a dream.
L'Estrange.
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.
Stress is the mutual action between portions of
matter.
Clerk Maxwell.
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.
5. (Scots Law) Distress; the act of
distraining; also, the thing distrained.
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.
Stress (?), v. t. 1.
To press; to urge; to distress; to put to difficulties.
[R.] Spenser.
2. To subject to stress, pressure, or
strain.
Stress (?), v. t. 1.
To subject to phonetic stress; to accent.
2. To place emphasis on; to make emphatic;
emphasize.
