Distress
/dɪˈstrɛs/noun
Extreme anxiety, sorrow, or pain.
Did you know?The word 'distress' is linked to the concept of being 'torn apart', reflecting deep emotional and physical pain, often used in legal contexts for centuries.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*streg-
“to draw tight, to stretch”
Latin
Latin
dēstringere
“to unbind, to draw out, to stretch”
Old French
Old French
destreissier
“to bind tightly, to draw together (in terms of pain)”
14th Century
Middle English
distresse
“suffering or pain, especially physical or emotional”
Modern English
English
distress
“extreme sorrow or pain, both emotional and physical”