1. importance, significance, or emphasis placed on something. see synonyms at emphasis.
2. linguistics the relative force with which a sound or syllable is spoken.
3. linguistics the emphasis placed on the sound or syllable spoken most forcefully in a word or phrase.
4. the relative force of sound or emphasis given a syllable or word in accordance with a metrical pattern.
5. A syllable having strong relative emphasis in a metrical pattern.
6. accent or a mark representing such emphasis or force.
7. physics an applied force or system of forces that tends to strain or deform a body.
8. physics the internal resistance of a body to such an applied force or system of forces.
9. A mentally or emotionally disruptive or upsetting condition occurring in response to adverse external influences and capable of affecting physical health, usually characterized by increased heart rate, a rise in blood pressure, muscular tension, irritability, and depression.
10. A stimulus or circumstance causing such a condition.
11. A state of extreme difficulty, pressure, or strain: "he presided over the economy during the period of its greatest stress and danger” ( Robert J. Samuelson).
12. to place emphasis on: stressed basic fire safety.
13. to give prominence to (a syllable or word) in pronouncing or in accordance with a metrical pattern.
14. to subject to physical or mental pressure, tension, or strain.
15. to subject to mechanical pressure or force.
16. to construct so as to withstand a specified stress.
17. stress out informal to subject to or undergo extreme stress, as from working too much.

1. the internal distribution of force per unit area (pressure) within a body reacting to applied forces which causes strain or deformation and is typically symbolised by σ
2. externally applied to a body which cause internal stress within the body.
3. emotional pressure suffered by a human being or other animal.
4. the emphasis placed on a syllable of a word.
5. emphasis placed on words in speaking.
6. emphasis placed on a particular point in an argument or discussion (whether spoken or written).
7. to apply force to (a body or structure) causing strain.
8. to apply emotional pressure to (a person or animal).
9. to suffer stress; to worry or be agitated.
10. to emphasise (a syllable of a word).
11. to emphasise (words in speaking).
12. to emphasise (a point) in an argument or discussion.

1.
2. distress.
3. pressure, strain; -- used chiefly of immaterial things; except in mechanics; hence, urgency; importance; weight; significance.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. distress; the act of distraining; also, the thing distrained.
7. to press; to urge; to distress; to put to difficulties.
8. to subject to stress, pressure, or strain.
9. to subject to phonetic stress; to accent.
10. to place emphasis on; to make emphatic; emphasize.

1. to straiten; constrain; press; urge; hamper.
2. in mech., to subject to a stress.
3. to lay the stress, emphasis, or accent on; emphasize.
4. constraining, urging, or impelling force; constraining power or influence; pressure; urgency; violence.
5. in mech., an elastic force, whether in equilibrium with an external force or not; the force called into play by a strain.
6. stretch; strain; effort.
7. weight; importance; special force or significance; emphasis.
8. the relative loudness with which certain syllables or parts of syllables are pronounced; emphasis in utterance; accent; ictus.
9. relatively to another stress, a stress orthogonal to a strain perfectly concurrent with the other stress.
10. relatively to an infinitesimal homogeneous strain, a stress such that, if the strain be so compounded with a rotation as to produce a pure strain, the motions of the particles upon the surface of a sphere relatively to its center represent in magnitude and direction the components of the stress.
11.
12. distress; difficulty; extremity; pinch.
13. in law: the act of distraining; distress.
14. A former mode of taking up indictments for circuit courts.
15. in electricity, electromotive force; difference of potential; pressure: as, a stress of 2000 volts.
16. A stress in the direction opposite to the usual stress to which a piece in a structure is subjected. in this case the negative stress may be either tension or compression.

1. to stress, single out as important
2. special emphasis attached to something
3. put stress on; utter with an accent
4. difficulty that causes worry or emotional tension
5. (physics) force that produces strain on a physical body
6. (psychology) a state of mental or emotional strain or suspense
7. the relative prominence of a syllable or musical note (especially with regard to stress or pitch)
8. test the limits of