distress /disˈtres/ I. n. 1. ［u］痛苦；危难: Her husband has just died and she is in great distress. 她丈夫刚去世，她处于极大的痛苦之中。2.［c］使人痛苦的事: The girl’s leaving home was a great distress to her family. 女孩的离家出走对于她家庭来说是件极痛苦的事。‖II. vt. 使痛苦，使忧虑：The news of his death distressed us greatly. 他去世的消息使我们难过极了。I was very much distressed to hear that Mr. Bullen is so ill. 听说布伦先生病得如此严重我非常难受。
［辨析］见afflict
