| 释义 |
▪ I. stress, n.|strɛs|
Forms: 4–6 stres, 4–7 stresse, 5 stresce, strest, 6 Sc. straisse, 6– stress.
[Prob. an aphetic form of distress n., which occurs earlier in all the older senses; in ME. destresse and stresse often appear as variant readings. It is, however, not unlikely that this formation has coalesced, esp. in sense 1, with an adoption of OF. estrece narrowness, straitness, oppression:—popular L. *strictia, f. L. strictus, whence OF. estreit strait a. It is further possible that some of the senses or shades of meaning may be derived from stress v.]
I.
†1.
a. Hardship, straits, adversity, affliction. Obs. Cf. distress n. 2.
1303R. Brunne Handl. Synne 5004 Þat floure ys kalled ‘aungelys mete’ Þat God ȝafe þe folke to ete Whan þey were yn wyldernes Forty wyntyr, yn hard stres. a1400Salut. to our Lady 51 in Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. 135 Heil distruyere of eueri stresse. 1556Lauder Tractate 469 O Lord..help the pure that ar in stres Opprest and hereit mercyles. 1568T. Howell Arb. Amitie (1879) 39 O get my graue in readinesse, Faine would I die to ende this stresse. 1588A. King tr. Canisius' Catech., Of Conf. 5 Sinnes done aganes the fift commandement... 9. To be sorie for oure nychtbours prosperitie, and glaid of thair straisse. 1590Spenser F.Q. iii. xi. 18 With this sad hersall of his heauy stresse The warlike Damzell was empassiond sore. 1704Collect. Voy. & Trav. III. 597/2 [He] began to be reduced to the utmost stress.
b. to do to stress, do (a country) stress: to reduce to straits, overcome. to make stress: to effect ravages. Obs.
1338R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 29 Constantyn he [sc. Athelstan] reymed, & did vnto stresse. Ibid. 321 Saue kyng Athelstan, þat wastid alle Catenesse, Siþen was no man, þat so fer mad stresse. c1450St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 7839 Þai did þe contre ouer grete stresse.
c. in stress: (of an animal) hard pressed. Obs.
14..in Rel. Ant. I. 152 If it be a best in strest or in chace.
d. to call to stress: to summon to undergo trial. Obs.
1338R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 138 Bot if he [sc. an escaped felon] to þer baylifes mak his sikernesse, Þat þei will him maynp[r]is, if he wer cald to stresse [Fr. kaunt serra chalengé].
e. Bodily suffering or injury. Obs.
1533Bellenden Livy i. x. (S.T.S.) I. 57 This horiciane happynnyt (as þan) to be haill, but ony stress or hurte of body.
†2.
a. Force or pressure exercised on a person for the purpose of compulsion or extortion. Cf. distress n. 1. Obs.
1303R. Brunne Handl. Synne 2798 Ȝyf þou madest awhere any vowe..Ȝyf þou dedyst hyt with þy gode wylle, with⁓oute stress [v.r. out distresse] or ouþer ylle. Ibid. 8344 A-nother vyleynye thyr ys To do a womman synne thurgh stres. 1338― Chron. (1725) 281 His dedes ere to alowe, for his hardynesse. He did many on bowe in þat lond þorgh stresse. c1420Prose Life Alex. 32 We went into þe weste Marches, whare all þe folkes þat duellez thare..ȝalde þam vn-till vs wit-owtten stresse. c1440York Myst. xx. 188 Ȝoure neghbours house, whilkis ȝe haue hele, The ixte [sc. commandment] biddis take noȝt be stresse. 1655Nicholas Papers (Camden) II. 334, I cannot beleeve that Maynard for a fee would hazard losse of money or liberty, and his conscience never yet putt him to that stresse.
b. to do or make (a person) stress: to put force or compulsion upon; to press hardly upon; to oppress. Obs.
1303R. Brunne Handl. Synne 3939 Ȝyf þou make one so hard stresse Þat hys godnesse wexe þe lesse. Ibid. 8232 For ȝyf she lyued yn wykkednes, Þan myȝte we do to here sum stres. c1300― Chron. Wace (Rolls) 16276 Perauenture he haþ som syknesse Or oþer greuaunce þat makeþ hym stresse.
c. Strain upon endurance. Obs.
1534More Comf. agst. Trib. iii. Wks. 1262/1 Not desyring to be brought vnto y⊇ peril of persecucion (for it semeth a proude high mind to desyre martyrdom) but desyring helpe and strength of god, if he suffer vs to come to the stresse. 1692R. L'Estrange Josephus, Wars vii. xxix. (1733) 801 The Children stood the same Stress with the rest, and when they had suffer'd all that Malice or Invention could inflict upon them, not so much as one Soul of them would own Caesar to save his Life.
3. a. The overpowering pressure of some adverse force or influence. Chiefly in stress of weather. Cf. distress n. 1 b.
1513Douglas æneis x. xii. 140 The Orodes the hard rest doith oppres, The cauld and irny slepe of deidis stres. 1665in Extr. S.P. rel. Friends iii. (1912) 236 Which shipp had beene at Sea three Monthes and bett back by stress of weather. 1691Ray Creation ii. (1692) 130 It hath quite out-done the Chymists, effecting that by a gentle Heat, which they cannot perform without great stress of Fire. 1699W. Dampier Voy. III. i. 155 When the stress of the Weather was over, we set our Sails again. 1715Lond. Gaz. No. 5379/1 A..Frigate..was driven ashore..by Stress of Weather. 1785Cowper Task ii. 551 Perverting often, by the stress of lewd And loose example, whom he should instruct. 1821J. Baillie Metr. Leg., Lady G. Baillie iv, She saw..hope's fresh touch undoing lines of care Which stress of evil times had deeply graven there. 1850Longfellow Building of Ship 42 Broad in the beam, that the stress of the blast..Might not the sharp bows overwhelm. 1874Green Short Hist. vii. §7. 422 The stress of poverty may have been the cause which drove William Shakspere..to London and the stage. 1895Law Times Rep. LXXIII. 157/1 Owing to stress of weather, the master decided to run back for Holyhead harbour. 1895M. Hewlett Earthwork out of Tuscany 39 Pious virgins, under stress of these things, swoon. 1918Times 1 Feb. 9/3 Man's pensioners and even Nature's are feeling the stress of the war.
†b. upon a stress: at a pinch. Obs. rare.
1672R. Montagu in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.) I. 513, I..let them know that upon a stress we did reckon that his Christian Majesty must..supply us beyond what is stipulated.
†c. The brunt, severest pressure. Obs.
1618Bolton Florus iii. x. (1636) 205 The whole stresse of the Warre [L. tota belli moles] was about Gregovia.
d. A condition of things compelling or characterized by strained effort. Sometimes coupled with storm. (For storm and stress see storm n. 3 d.)
1637Rutherford Lett. lxxxv. (1862) I. 217 But God be thanked that Christ in His children can endure a stress and a storm, howbeit soft nature wd fall down in pieces. 1845–6Trench Huls. Lect. Ser. ii. i. 160 When the stress comes we can withdraw. 1883Fortn. Rev. May 734 This age of stress and transition. 1909C. G. Lang Parab. Jesus 118 Resolute and brave-hearted service brings into the very midst of toil and stress a deep sense of joy. 1911Marett Anthropol. viii. 216 The Todas..have retired out of the stress of the world into the fastnesses of the Nilgiri Hills.
†e. A strong blast of wind. Obs.
1666Lond. Gaz. No. 91/4 But the Wind blew such a stress, that they were in no possibility of Engaging.
f. Sc. A pressing demand.
1822Galt Provost vii, A flock of fleets and ships frae the East and West Indies came in a' thegither; and there was sic a stress for tide-waiters, that [etc.].
g. Psychol. and Biol. An adverse circumstance that disturbs, or is likely to disturb, the normal physiological or psychological functioning of an individual; such circumstances collectively. Also, the disturbed state that results.
1942Endocrinology XXXI. 420 When the normal animal is subjected to stress the adrenal cortices show hypertrophy. 1953Fruton & Simmonds Gen. Biochem. xxxvii. 843 Similar reduction in the adrenal ascorbic acid and cholesterol is observed when normal animals are subjected to a variety of stress [sic] (injury, cold, heat, drugs, toxins, lack of oxygen, etc.). 1955H. Basowitz et al. Anxiety & Stress i. 7 Anxiety has been defined in terms of an affective response; stress is the stimulus condition likely to arouse such response. 1959New Scientist 12 Nov. 927/1 Some examples of the diseases thought to result from stress are high blood pressure, peptic ulceration and coronary thrombosis. 1968Passmore & Robson Compan. Med. Stud. II. xxxvi. 8/1 Parenthood itself can be a stress for the immature adult. 1973R. M. May Model Ecosystems iii. 60 Equation (3.21) tends to require that each species encounters greater competitive stress from its own, rather than from the other, species. 1976Sci. Amer. July 55/1 The familiar human experience described as stress (caused by many factors, including fear, physical trauma, severe heat or cold or even extreme joy) has as a common denominator an increased secretion of adrenal steroids. 1978S. Levine et al. in H. Ursin et al. Psychobiol. of Stress i. 4 When the psychologically threatening or arousing aspects of a situation were altered, classical stresses such as fasting and heat no longer activated the pituitary-adrenal system. 1979McGraw-Hill Yearbk. Sci. & Technol. 374/1 Cacti suffering from water stress become fully rehydrated within 24 hr following a heavy rain.
4. Strained exertion, strong effort. Now rare.
1690Norris Beatitudes (1692) 107 Such a desire as carries with it the full bent and Stress of the Soul. 1697Dryden æneis xi. 845 Then, press'd by Foes, he stemm'd the stormy Tyde; And gain'd, by stress of Arms, the farther Side. c1698Locke Cond. Und. §28 Though the faculties of the mind are improved by exercise, yet they must not be put to a stress beyond their strength. 1789Polwhele Engl. Orator iv. 131 They know not to pursue, With Stress of mental Faculties, a Train Of Argument. 1857Longfellow Sandalphon iii, The Angels of Wind and of Fire Chaunt only one hymn, and expire With the song's irresistible stress.
5. a. Physical strain or pressure exerted upon a material object; the strain of a load or weight. Now rare exc. in scientific use: see c. † Phr. to lay stress upon, put stress to, put to stress.
c1440Promp. Parv. 480/1 Stresse, or streytynge, constriccio, constrictura. a1547Surrey Eccles. iv. 66 The single twyned cordes May no such stresse indure, As cables brayded threfould may, Together wrethed suer. a1578in T. Procter Gorg. Gallery F iv b, As tender Flaxe can beare no stresse, before that it bee sponne. 1578H. Wotton Courtlie Controv. 317 The which [door] fleeing open with small stresse, caused them to enter in thereat. 1601Holland Pliny xvii. xiv. I. 518 In this businesse there is an opinion, that two hands togither are put to smaller stresse [L. minus nituntur]..than one alone. 1630Bp. Hall Occas. Medit. §136 (1633) 335 If it [sc. the cart] be soundly laden..all the frame of it is put unto the utmost stresse. 1662R. Venables Exper. Angler i. 6 The whole stress or strength of the fish is born or sustained, by the thicker part of the Rod, which [etc.]. 1681J. Flavel Meth. Grace xx. 350 The world is full of hope without a promise, which is but as a spider's web, when a stress comes to be laid upon it. 1682Wheler Journ. Greece vi. 466 Against which the whole stress and fall of the Waters seems to lean. 1688Keepe Narr. Finding Crucifix 10 There was also in the Coffin white-Linnen,..that look't indifferent fresh, but the least stress put thereto shew'd it was well nigh perish't. 1797Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3) VI. 670/1 Gravers..should be..small towards the point, but stronger upwards, that they may have strength enough to bear any stress there may be occasion to lay upon them. 1805R. W. Dickson Pract. Agric. I. Plate xi, A Wheel-Harrow..by which the stress on the horses is rendered less. 1829Chapters Phys. Sci. 143 Let the strength allowed be more than fully competent to the stress to which the parts can ever be liable. 1831J. Holland Manuf. Metal I. 185 The amazing stress, which a large ship riding at anchor in foul weather exerts upon the cable. 1847J. Yeowell Anc. Brit. Ch. ii. 11 Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone—who holds the several parts together, and supports the whole stress of the edifice.
†b. Naut. Strain on a cable, due to violence of wind; a time when the cable is strained. Phrase, to ride a stress. Obs.
1633T. James Voy. 23 We came to an Anker, and rid a good stresse all night. Ibid. 47 The Cable and Anker induring an incredible stresse. 1644H. Manwayring Seamans Dict. 103 This is not safe rideing in a stresse.
c. A force acting on or within a body or structure and tending to deform it; now usu. the intensity of this, the force per unit area.
As orig. defined by Rankine the stress was the equal and opposite reaction of the body to the force, rather than the force itself (see quots. 1855, 1856).
1855W. J. M. Rankine Misc. Sci. Papers (1881) 120 In this paper, the word ‘Strain’ will be used to denote the change of volume and figure constituting the deviation of a molecule of a solid from that condition which it preserves when free from the action of external forces; and the word ‘Stress’ will be used to denote the force, or combination of forces, which such a molecule exerts in tending to recover its free condition, and which, for a state of equilibrium, is equal and opposite to the combination of external forces applied to it. 1856Thomson in Phil. Trans. CXLVI. 481 A stress is an equilibrating application of force to a body. Ibid. note, It will be seen that I have deviated slightly from Mr. Rankine's definition of the word ‘stress,’ as I have applied it to the direct action experienced by a body from the matter around it, and not, as proposed by him, to the elastic reaction of the body equal and opposite to that action. 1873R. H. Bow Economics of Construction 45 note, The term stress expresses the condition of a part of the structure to the extremities of which are applied compressing or extending forces; the amount of the stress is measured by the magnitude of the force acting on either extremity; the strain is the change of length from elasticity which the part undergoes when subjected to the stress. 1873Maxwell Electr. & Magn. I. 59 The nature of this stress [in dielectrics] is..a tension along the lines of force combined with an equal pressure in all directions at right angles to these lines. 1876Encycl. Brit. IV. 285/2 There are three kinds of stress, due to tension, compression, and shearing. Ibid. The ultimate strength of the material is measured by the maximum intensity of stress which it can bear, or in other words, by the stress which the unit area of cross section can bear. 1896Greener Gun (ed. 6) 545 The stresses upon a gun are a radial stress or ‘pressure’; a tangential stress, or hoop tension..; a longitudinal stress. 1911J. A. Ewing in Encycl. Brit. XXV. 1007/2 Stress is the mutual action between two bodies, or between two parts of a body, whereby each of the two exerts a force upon the other... A body is said to be in a state of stress when there is a stress between the two parts which lie on opposite sides of an imaginary surface of section. 1925J. Case Strength of Materials i. 2 When we wish to give the stress a numerical value it is desirable..to refer to the stress in relation to the area of the cross section... The total force acting on a section, divided by the area of that section, is called the stress intensity or, more often, simply the stress. [Note] In future when we use the word ‘stress’ without qualification it must be understood to mean ‘intensity of stress’. 1938Laurson & Cox Mech. of Materials i. 2 Total stress is a force... Intensity of stress, however, is expressed in units of force divided by units of area. 1960H. K. Preston Practical Prestressed Concrete i. 3 The same beam..is prestressed by a force of 54,000 lb... This force creates a uniform compressive stress of +1,000 psi over the entire cross section of the beam. 1979Nature 23 Aug. 670/1 Arctic sea-ice breaks under wind stress throughout the year, exposing leads of open water.
d. Strain upon a bodily organ or a mental power.
1843R. J. Graves Syst. Clin. Med. xx. 229 The stress thrown upon the air cells and passages gives rise to emphysema. 1899Allbutt's Syst. Med. VIII. 135 Neurasthenia is indeed often the product of stresses upon the functions of the mind.
e. ? Anglo-Irish. (See quot.) ? Obs.
1814W. S. Mason Statist. Acc. Irel. I. 584 Many of them [the poor], particularly females, die in their youth, of what they call stresses, that is violent heats from hard work.
6. Phr. stress(es) and strain(s) (with reference to senses 3 and 5; cf. strain and stress s.v. strain n.2 11).
1854C. Patmore Angel in House I. viii. viii. 118 Puzzled and fagg'd by stress and strain. 1856Phil. Trans. R. Soc. CXLVI. 481 (heading) Elements of a mathematical theory of elasticity... Part I. On stresses and strains. 1935Discovery Sept. 259/1 The interdependent mechanical stresses and strains. 1952Sat. Rev. (U.S.) 20 Sept. 38/2 There never are stresses in government, but stresses and strains. 1959M. Steen Tower i. vi. 85, I realised what the last few years, with their stresses and strains, had done to us both. 1960Times 13 Jan. 15/2 Wrestling once again with unknown aeronautical quantities and resolving new propositions in stress and strain. 1979Jrnl. R. Soc. Arts CXXVII. 363/2 New stresses and strains in the relationships between..Britain and the remaining territories.
†7.
a. Testing strain or pressure on a support or basis; weight (of inference, confidence, etc.) resting upon an argument or piece of evidence; amount of risk ventured on some assurance; degree of reliance. Chiefly in phrase to lay (occas. put, place) stress on or upon, to rely on, rest a burden of proof upon. Obs.
The phrase is now used with changed meaning: see 8.
1651Baxter Inf. Bapt. 250 You lay the main stress of your cause on it. a1676Hale Prim. Orig. Man. i. ii. (1677) 69 When all is done, I lay the great stress of my Conclusion upon the first sort of Evidences. c1680Beveridge Serm. (1729) II. 107 The main stress of our salvation lying upon our performing this duty. 1690Norris Beatitudes (1694) 25 He does not lean upon any created Good with any Stress. 1712Addison Spect. No. 399 ⁋7 We should not lay too great a Stress on any supposed Virtues we possess that are of a doubtful Nature. 1720De Foe Capt. Singleton xiii. (1840) 220, I always put a great deal of stress upon his judgment. 1722― Relig. Courtsh. i. i. (1840) 25 I can lay no stress on anything she said. 1735Dyche & Pardon Dict. s.v., To lay a Stress, to depend or rely upon a Person or Thing. 1736Butler Anal. ii. i. (1798) 187 Mankind are for placing the stress of their religion any where, rather than upon virtue. 1765Goldsm. New Simile 13 The stress of all my proofs on him I lay.
b. Weightiest or most important part, essential point (of a business, argument, question). Obs.
1668Hale Rolle's Abridgm. Pref. 2 He was a strict Searcher and Examiner of businesses, and a wise discerner of the weight and stress of them wherein it lay, and what was material to it. 1676H. Phillippes Purch. Patt. (ed. 5) B 1 b, Now the stress of the question is, what number of years may be allowed and taken in this case? 1679Coles Eng.-Lat. Dict. (ed. 2), The Stress of the business, rei momentum, cardo controversiæ. 1687R. L'Estrange Answ. Diss. 7 But I am for speaking Plain, Home, and in Few Words, to the Stress of the Subject in hand. 1736Butler Anal. ii. vii. (1798) 309 In these things the stress of what I am now observing lies. 1791Wesley Serm. God's Love 6 The stress of the argument lies on this very point.
c. Argumentative force; also, impressiveness, telling effect (of a composition). Obs.
1653tr. J. Stegmann's Diss. de Pace ix. 45 They [sc. the Socinians] conceive that the Holy Fathers, and the consent of so many ages, do adde more dignity and veneration, then stress to the doctrine of the Trinity. 1737Gentl. Mag. VII. 363/1 All the Stress of the Poem, all the Magnanimity and Heroism of Leonidas entirely depend on this Oracle. 1754W. Goodall Exam. Lett. Mary Q. of Scots I. 49 As the whole stress, in a manner, of the cause depends fundamentally upon this declaration. 1784Cowper Tiroc. 803 And some perhaps,..Will need no stress of argument t' enforce Th' expedience of a less advent'rous course.
8. Exceptional insistence on something; attribution of special importance; emphasis. Chiefly in phrase to lay (occas. place, put) stress upon (formerly used with different meaning: see 7 a).
1756C. Lucas Ess. Waters II. 61 On the nitrous..qualities..he seems to lay no small stress. a1763Shenstone Ess. 33 It is requisite to lay some stress yourself, on what you intend should be remarked by others. 1789Belsham Ess. I. xiv. 270, I place but little stress upon..external accomplishments and graces. 1796Jane Austen Pride & Prej. ii, Do you consider the forms of introduction, and the stress that is laid on them, as nonsense? 1846W. R. Birt in Rep. Brit. Assoc. i. 132, I do not place any stress upon these deductions. 1857Buckle Civiliz. I. vii. 313 Hooker, though he shows much respect to the Councils, lays little stress upon the Fathers. 1860Tyndall Glac. ii. xiv. 300, I do not want to lay more stress than it deserves upon a conjecture of this kind. 1883Manch. Exam. 22 Nov. 5/2 A..questioning habit inevitably inclines us to lay more stress upon the miseries than on the blessings of our lot.
9. Relative loudness or force of vocal utterance; a greater degree of vocal force characterizing one syllable as compared with other syllables of the word, or one part of a syllable as compared with the rest; stress-accent. Also, superior loudness of voice as a means of emphasizing one or more of the words of a sentence more than the rest.
1749Power & Harmony Pros. Numbers 25 The Accents..were designed very probably at first to regulate the Tone or Key of the Voice, not the Stress or Force of it. 1785J. Walker Rhet. Gram. (1801) 8 The Secondary Accent is that stress we may occasionally place upon another syllable, besides that which has the principal accent. Ibid. 162 An injudicious reader of verse would be very apt to lay a stress upon the article the in the third line. 1785Ess. Punctuation 153 The syllables, which require a particular stress of the voice in pronunciation. 1824L. Murray Eng. Gram. (ed. 5) I. 345 In the word presúme, the stress of the voice must be on the letter u, and second syllable, sume, which take the accent. 1847Malden in Proc. Philol. Soc. III. 95 That which is commonly called accent, but which it will be more convenient in the present inquiry..to call stress. 1862Mrs. H. Wood Channings iv. 27 There was a stress on the word ‘to-night,’ and Hamish marked it. 1879H. Nicol in Encycl. Brit. IX. 633/2 Stress in the French of to-day is independent of length (quantity) and pitch (tone). 1893Bridges Milton's Prosody 33 Two kinds of line, one the eight-syllable line with rising stress (so-called iambic), the other the seven-syllable line with falling stress (so-called trochaic).
II.
10. Law. A distraint; also, the chattel or chattels seized in a distraint: = distress n. 3, 4. Phrase, to take (a) stress, to take stresses = to distrain. Obs. exc. dial.
c1440Promp. Parv. 480/1 Stresse, or wed take be strengthe and vyolence, vadimonium. 1464Mann. & Househ. Exp. (Roxb.) 276, I payd..to the ij. men of Wensche that helpe to brenge home the strese howete of Warweke scheyer, of Dalbyes, fore theyer reward, iiij.s. iiij.d. 1479Engl. Gilds (1870) 321 John Brendon the yonger werned stresse to the Master and Wardons,..for he come nott to derge that same euen. 1487Paston Lett. III. 340 Sir John Howard, Knyght,..gederith grete feloship of men, purposyng on Monday next comyng to take stresses of the Lady Roos. c1500Colin Blowbol's Test. 193–5 (Lehmeyer) And of this rent, yf that he doith faile, I gyve hym powre to..take an stresse,..Vpon the grounde, one, two, or thre. And with hym home his stressis for to cary. 1510Sel. Cases Crt. Star Chamber (Selden Soc.) 206 The baylis..and..sergiaunttes of the said towne..toke awaye Fro the abbottes tenaunttes then..Certen stresses be Cause the said tenaunttes willnot appere at the towne Courte. 1544in Sel. Cases Crt. Requests (Selden Soc.) 97 The said Olyuer..to deliuer vnto theym all stresses lately taken from theym. 1546J. Heywood Prov. (1867) 39 Their landlorde came to their house to take a stresse For rent. 1601Bp. Andrewes Serm. (Matt. xxii. 21) (1629) ii. 93 We must offer it as it were a Gift, voluntarily, willingly, cheerfully,..though Hophni had no flesh-hook, though Cæsar had no Publican to take a stresse. 1606Holland Suetonius 7 After his goods were arrested and stresses taken,..him he clapt up in prison. 1613MS. Acc. St. John's Hosp. Canterb., Ther wass a stress taken owt of Slewes shopp being a bare of yourne for a yearly newellty of iiijd a yeare. 1886W. Somerset Word-bk. s.v., Mr. Jones 've a-tookt a stress vor dree quarters' rent.
III. 11. attrib., as (senses 3 c, d) stress area, stress-memorial; (sense 3 g) stress reaction, stress situation, stress symptom; (senses 5 a, c) stress-axis, stress-component, stress-difference; (senses 5 c, 9) stress-pattern; (sense 9) stress-accent, stress-difference, stress-point, stress-prosody, stress-rhythm, stress-shift, stress-syllable; stress analysis Engin., the theoretical or experimental study of the stresses within a mechanical structure in relation to its function; hence stress analyst; stress-breaker Dentistry, a device attached to or incorporated in a partial denture to reduce the occlusive forces that have to be borne by the underlying tissue and the teeth to which the denture is attached; so stress-breaking vbl. n. and ppl. a.; stress-broken ppl. a.; stress concentration Engin., a local increase in the stress inside an object; also, a stress raiser; stress contour Phonetics, a sequence of varying levels of stress within an utterance; stress corrosion Metallurgy, the development of cracks as a result of the combined effects of stress and corrosion; freq. attrib.; stress diagram Mech., a diagram that represents graphically the stresses within a framed structure; stress-dilatancy Physics, dilatancy that occurs as a result of applied stress; stress disease, a disease that occurs as a result of continual exposure to stress; stress fracture Med., a fracture of a bone caused by the repeated application of a high load; stress-free a., pertaining to or possessing freedom from mechanical or biological stress; stress grading vbl. n., the grading of timber according to its strength, as estimated from the number and distribution of knots and other visible defects; so stress grade n. and (with hyphen) v. trans.; stress-graded ppl. a.; stress-group Phonetics, a group of syllables forming a rhythmic unit with one primary stress; † stress house, ? a house of detention, lock-up; stress incontinence Med., a condition found chiefly in women in which a (usu. small) escape of urine occurs when the intra-abdominal pressure increases suddenly, as in coughing or lifting; stress interview, an interview in which there is a deliberate attempt to subject a candidate to stress by the nature of the questioning; stress mark, (a) Phonetics, a symbol or a diacritical mark indicating that a syllable carries stress; (b) Photogr., a mark on a photographic print caused by friction or pressure on the film surface; hence stress-marked a.; stress maximum Phonetics, the tonic accent; stress mineral Petrol., a mineral whose formation in metamorphic rocks is believed to be dependent on shearing stress; stress-neutral a. Linguistics, designating a derivational or inflectional suffix which plays no part in the placing of stress within a word; hence stress-neutrality; stress phoneme Linguistics, a phoneme whose contrastiveness consists in a distinctive degree of stress; stress raiser Engin., a feature in the shape or composition of an object that gives rise to a local increase in stress; stress relaxation Engin., a decrease of stress occurring in a material when the associated deformation remains constant; stress relief Metallurgy, the reduction of residual stress in a material by thermal treatment; also stress-relieve v. trans., -relieved ppl. a., -relieving vbl. n. (freq. attrib.); stress-strain adj. phr. (Engin.), pertaining to or depicting the relation between mechanical stress and the strain it produces; stress-timed a. Phonetics, designating or pertaining to a language in which primary stresses occur at approximately equal intervals, irrespective of the number of unstressed syllables in between; hence stress-timing.
1880Ruskin Elem. Eng. Prosody Pref. p. vi, I believe the *stress-accent on English words will be found always to involve delay as well as energy or loudness of pronunciation.
1926Pippard & Barrow in Building Res. Board Techn. Paper No. 1. 1 The bow girder..presents an interesting problem in *stress analysis. 1980Strain XVI. 132/2 The stress analysis of turbine components for the new hydroelectric pumped storage system.
1950M. Hetényi Handbk. Exper. Stress Analysis p. v, Several principal methods and literally hundreds of individual tools and artifices constitute the ‘arsenal’ of the experimental *stress analyst. 1976B. Jackson Flameout (1977) ii. 32 His career as stress analyst with Lockheed Aircraft.
1973Times 17 Apr. 1/2 His brief will be to review the functions and relationship of the two bodies to enable them to make the most effective contribution in strengthening the voluntary housing movement in *stress areas.
1881G. H. Darwin in Phil. Trans. CLXXIII. 191 To find the magnitude and direction of the principal *stress-axes at any point.
1930H. P. Boos in I. G. Nichols Prosthetic Dentistry xxxvii. 600 *Stress-breakers can be used in conjunction with the tube successfully. 1955J. Osborne Dental Mech. (ed. 4) x. 215 (caption) Split casting type of stress breaker.
1930L. M. Farnum in I. G. Nichols Prosthetic Dentistry xxxvi. 593 *Stress-breaking construction is indicated where there are no posterior abutments on one or both sides of the mouth. 1963C. R. Cowell et al. Inlays, Crowns, & Bridges xi. 118 This form of bridge incorporates a stress-breaking device, which allows limited movement at one of the joints between pontic and retainer. 1973D. H. Roberts Fixed Bridge Prostheses ix. 152 The dovetail and slot introduces a certain degree of ‘stress-breaking’ between the two parts of the bridge, and because of this the retainers..are far less likely to fail.
1955J. Osborne Dental Mech. (ed. 4) ix. 150 In cases when the teeth are periodontally affected, *stress-broken designs may be employed.
1856Thomson in Phil. Trans. CXLVI. 496 The concurrences of the *stress-components used in interpreting the differential equation of energy with the types of the strain-coordinates.
1925Timoshenko & Lessells Appl. Elasticity i. 10 A semi-circular groove in a strip subjected to tension..also produces very high *stress-concentration. 1936[see stress raiser below]. 1977E. J. Hearn Mech. of Materials xviii. 477 If..stress concentrations such as notches, keyways, holes, etc., are present in the bar, these will result in local stress increases.
1958A. A. Hill Introd. Linguistic Struct. 28 *Stress contours differ from pitch contours in that two phrases are never united into a single stress contour. 1971Language XLVII. 269 It appears that the stress contours of English sentences are determined in a simple and regular way by their underlying syntactic structures.
1931Jrnl. Iron & Steel Inst. CXXIV. 723 *Stress corrosion of metals. 1967A. H. Cottrell Introd. Metallurgy xxiii. 467 In stress-corrosion cracking there is usually very little overall corrosion. 1973A. Parrish Mech. Engineers' Ref. Bk. (ed. 11) v. 77 The higher Mo bearing steels offer more resistance to stress corrosion cracking than 18/8; stress relief treatment (two hours at 870°C) after fabrication considerably reduces the risk of cracking.
1873J. G. Medley Roorkee Treat. Civil Engin. in India (ed. 3) I. xxv. 550 Loads on Roofs naturally divide themselves into two sets... Hence two distinct *Stress-diagrams must be drawn, one for each system of load. 1919Pippard & Pritchard Aeroplane Structures viii. 72 Probably the most satisfactory method of determining the forces in the individual members of a structure is by means of the stress diagram. 1965G. M. Mills Theory of Structures ix. 168 The variation of stress along a given axis may be shown graphically by means of a stress diagram.
1881G. H. Darwin in Phil. Trans. CLXXIII. 199, I shall refer to the difference between the greatest and least principal stresses as ‘the *stress-difference’. 1924O. Jespersen Philos. Gram. xvii. 231 The old compound mankind (now stressed on the second syllable) comprises all human beings, but the younger mankind (stressed on the first syllable) is opposed to womankind. (The stress-difference, as made in N.E.D., is not, however, recognized by everybody.) 1971Language XLVII. 261 The analysis given..correctly predicts the existence of a stress difference associated with the two readings of sentences like The parable shows what suffering men can create.
1944G. W. S. Blair Survey Gen. & Appl. Rheol. iii. 31 The exceptions [to this rule] are..(c) Materials whose consistency is increased by increasing the stress (as distinct from the strain) applied to them. This phenomenon has been little studied, but may be referred to as ‘*stress-dilatancy’. 1962Proc. R. Soc. A. CCLXIX. 500 (heading) The stress-dilatancy relation for static equilibrium of an assembly of particles in contact. 1979Geotechnique XXIX. 341 Rowe's (1962) stress-dilatancy relation..allows indirect measurement of this angle [sc. of interparticle friction] based on triaxial compression tests on dense..samples.
1948Observer 13 June 5/5 Absenteeism which arises..from those once..despised causes which passed under names such as neurasthenia and described to-day as *stress diseases. 1966G. E. Evans Pattern under Plough viii. 96 It is more enlightened and scientific in psychosomatic and stress diseases for medicine to address itself as much to the man as to the actual disease.
1952R. Watson-Jones Fractures (ed. 4) I. xv. 343 (heading) Fatigue or *stress fractures. 1983Brit. Med. Jrnl. 12 Nov. 14491/1 Stress fractures are widely recognised in running.
1946Nature 5 Oct. 475/1 After discussing the effect of swelling on the sorption isotherm he proceeded to derive a *stress-free isotherm. 1961Economist 21 Oct. 249/1 A stress-free cruising speed of 70–75 mph. 1978D. Bloodworth Crosstalk xxiv. 188 Stress-free mice are far better performers.
1944Grading rules for Stress-graded timber (B.S.I.) 4 The present revision has been undertaken..to provide for *stress grades higher than 800 lb. f.
1971Timber Trades Jrnl. 21 Aug. 23/3 The timber for all the main structural components was visually stress-graded to a minimum of 50 grade before use.
1973Materials & Technol. VI. i. 27 In Britain, four basic stress grades are specified for sawn softwood, and three for laminated timber.
1944(title) Grading rules for *stress-graded timber. (B.S.I.)
1941Grading Rules for Structural Timber (B.S.I.) 2 A further standard for the compressive *stress grading of these species for use in compression and tension members..is being prepared.
1971Timber Trades Jrnl. 21 Aug. 26/2 Typical yields of sawn timber have been..graded by the stress-grading machine installed by Timber-lab at Princes Risborough.
1973Materials & Technol. VI. i. 27 Visual stress grading is not a difficult operation, but requires considerable experience.
1876H. Sweet in Trans. Philol. Soc. 1875–6 473 We find..that every sentence can be analyzed into smaller groups characterized by one predominant stress-syllable, round which the others group themselves... In our first sentence there are two such stress groups... A word is, phonetically speaking, a *stress-group. 1959J. T. Pring Colloq. Eng. Pronunc. 56 A stress-group is formed by a strongly stressed, prominent syllable, together with any unstressed, nonprominent syllables which cluster about it.
1505Nottingham Rec. III. 100, j. aliam clavem pro le *stres hous dore.
1935A. W. Bourne Midwifery for Nurses ii. 24 *Stress incontinence is due to a weakening of the supports of the bladder. 1972Law & Friedman Midwifery xiv. 334 The patient is then asked to strain down and any tendency to prolapse of the vaginal walls is noted. She is then asked to cough to determine whether any stress incontinence is present.
1955Explorations Feb. 7, I examined *stress interviews as well as non-directive ones. 1978Jrnl. R. Soc. Arts CXXVI. 270/1 Whilst stress interviews in which the interviewer sets out to be provocative or rude may have been appropriate for the selection of American Special Services personnel during the war, I would not recommend them for civilian use.
1888H. Sweet Hist. Eng. Sounds 8 The *stress marks are put before the element on which the stress begins. 1918Photo Miniature Mar. 41 Stress marks, scummy appearance or black lines on a bromide or D.O.P. print, caused by..the sensitive paper being rubbed against the negative or other sheets of paper, or any sharp pressure. 1919Brit. Jrnl. Photogr. Alm. 251 Free from tendency to give rise to stress or abrasion marks. 1961Amer. Speech XXXVI. 221 Tone patterns illustrated by Kingdon's tonetic stress marks in ascending order of complexity. Indicates the force of each pattern on basic grammatical constructions. 1968L. A. Mannheim tr. Fritsche's Faults in Photography iii. 331 Most enlarging papers are largely protected against stress marks by an emulsion supercoating.
1964R. H. Robins Gen. Linguistics iv. 138 In a word stressed on a non⁓initial syllable, in *stress-marked languages, the stressed articulation usually begins on the consonant.
1969Computers & Humanities III. 136 The next step in this project is to replace orthographic entries with phonetic entries... Then, *stress maxima will be determined and various features of meter tabulated and analyzed. 1971Language XLVII. 588 Thus in the mangy dog, the stress on the first syllable of mangy is a stress maximum.
1830Carlyle Richter Again Ess. 1840 II. 326 The *stress-memorials and siege-medals of Poverty.
1918A. Harker in Q. Jrnl. Geol. Soc. LXXIV. p. lxxvii, Shearing stress manifestly favours the production of sericite and the chlorites, of albite [etc.]... These may conveniently be styled *stress-minerals. 1952H. Ramberg Origin Metamorphic & Metasomatic Rocks 119 It has yet to be proved..that any of the suggested stress minerals really are such. 1965G. J. Williams Econ. Geol. N.Z. x. 158/1 The chief constituent of all specimens he examined is a variety optically identical with the stress-mineral antigorite.
1971Language XLVIII. 269 If word stress is assigned prior to syntactic transformations, then it follows automatically that transformationally attached affixes are *stress-neutral.
1972Ibid. XLVIII. 336 He [sc. Lakoff] suggests that the NSR [sc. Nuclear Stress Rule] might precede the assignment of word-stress; this destroys the principle of the phonological cycle, and again fails to explain the *stress-neutrality of transformationally placed affixes.
1954S. Robertson Devel. Mod. Eng. (rev. ed.) iv 77 In English, any word of two or more syllables has its own *stress-pattern. 1968R. A. Lyttleton Myst. Solar Syst. vi. 193 Tektites reveal series of dark and light bands associated with the internal stress-pattern. 1980Early Music July 403/2 Freed from the obligations of setting a poetic text, from the need to conform to text stress-patterns and changes of poetic mood, a composer might indulge in the exploration of thematic material to the full.
1933L. Bloomfield Language xvii. 295 In modern English verse..the author shapes his wording so that *stress-phonemes at certain intervals. 1968Chomsky & Halle Sound Pattern Eng. 26 He [sc. the speaker] need not make a choice among various ‘stress phonemes’.
1932D. Jones Outl. Eng. Phonetics (ed. 3) xxviii. 223 The lengths separating the ‘*stress-points’ or ‘peaks of prominence’ of the syllables. 1956Kenyon Rev. XVIII. 466 Mr. Chatman has shown the metrical stress⁓points in each line, but in my judgment he has misplaced them in lines 2, 12 and 14.
1893Bridges Milton's Prosody 69 Here was..a definite statement of the laws of a *stress prosody.
1936Trans. Amer. Inst. Mining & Metall. Engineers CXX. 32 Yet another field in which correlation of metallographic and mechanical methods is needed is the study of the relative seriousness of ‘inherent’ and ‘imposed’ sources of stress concentration—‘*stress raisers’, as Gillett has aptly called them. 1978R. J. Gray in McCall & French Metallogr. in Failure Analysis 240 The surfaces must be free of machining marks that could serve as stress raisers where a fissure and subsequent fracture could occur.
1966Lazarus & Opton in C. D. Spielberger Anxiety & Behavior x. 227 The second phase involved the plan to manipulate ‘ego⁓defense’ processes so as to reduce *stress reactions while subjects watched a stressful film. 1979D. A. Bakal Psychol. & Med. iii. 86 The capacity of any situation to produce stress reactions depends on the characteristics of individuals.
1943Jrnl. Chem. Physics XI. 127/1 As a result of their studies of *stress relaxation..of polyvinyl acetate held at constant elongation these authors conclude that the polymer is composed of a netted system of chains through which interpenetrates a system of relatively free chains. 1959Jrnl. Iron & Steel Inst. CXCII. 198/3 Stress relaxation tests at a constant total strain of 0·15% for times exceeding 20 000 h on three low-alloy steels. 1979R. P. Brown Physical Testing of Rubbers xi. 200 Stress relaxation is the measurement of change of stress with time under constant strain.
1935Symp. Welding Iron & Steel (Iron & Steel Inst.) II. 42 *Stress relief by heat treatment reduced the stresses to approximately 10 per cents of those existing in the plates as welded. 1973[see stress corrosion above]. 1980Metallography XIII. 69 A stress-relief treatment at 600–650°C results in the transformation of ferrite primarily to M23C6 carbide.
1935Symp. Welding Iron & Steel (Iron & Steel Inst.) II. 47 The whole member was now *stress-relieved in the furnace and delivered to the machine shop for completion of the work. 1980Metallography XIII. 59 Large components are invariably stress relieved to reduce the residual stresses generated in welding.
1935Symp. Welding Iron & Steel (Iron & Steel Inst.) II. 46 The *stress-relieved grid was next planed on a planer and planed top and bottom.
1980Metallography XIII. 59 (heading) Microstructural transformations in stress relieved type 316 stainless steel weld metal.
1938D. K. Bullens et al. Steel & its Heat Treatment (ed. 4) I. v. 140 Finish machining is then done and a final *stress-relieving draw given..at 1050°, holding 48 hr. at temperature and furnace cooling. 1956Jrnl. Iron & Steel Inst. CLXXXIII. 99/2 Stress relieving of 11-ft. dia. electrically welded steel duct. 1980Jrnl. Nucl. Materials XCI. 189 The stress-relieving treatments [of Zircalloy-4] were made at..773,793 and 813 K, during 1 and 2 hr.
1901Bridges Milton's Prosody (ed. 2) 88 On the rules of the common lighter *stress-rhythms.
1888H. Sweet Hist. Eng. Sounds 124 This law of *stress-shift in weak diphthongs explains the INorth. am = eom: weak eom became first eam.., then eám, and finally, by dropping the almost inaudible e, am. 1930T. Sasaki On Lang. R. Bridges' Poetry 91 It has been the rule in the English blank verse since Chaucer not to tolerate stress-shift (or inversion of accent) in the fifth foot. 1972M. L. Samuels Linguistic Evol. iii. 36 Later in Germanic stressing on the root-syllable was generalised, and because of this stress-shift the voiced allophones..were no longer in complementary distribution, [etc.].
1959New Scientist 12 Nov. 927/2 Much was still to be understood of the intermediate steps between the *stress situation and the decrease in circulating eosinophils. 1972‘T. Coe’ Don't lie to Me xviii. 149 That premonition of something being wrong that sometimes strikes people in stress situations.
1886K. Pearson in I. Todhunter Hist. Theory Elasticity I. 503 There exist certain materials for which even in a state of ease the *stress-strain relation is not linear; that is to say the stress-strain curve..is not a straight line even for very small elastic strains. 1923Glazebrook Dict. Appl. Physics V. 56/2 This will be the most convenient place in which to treat of the stress-strain relations of a doped fabric. 1956Nature 24 Mar. 561/1 Papers..dealt with the measurement of residual stresses in cold-drawn tubes;..and stress-strain characteristics of metal at high rates of strain. 1973J. G. Tweeddale Materials Technol. I. iv. 79 Having derived the respective stress and strain values it is possible to study the tensile characteristics of a material from a graph comparing these values..a stress-strain diagram.
1847Proc. Philol. Soc. III. 101 The *stress-syllable may be made the more acute, or the more grave, at the discretion of the speaker. 1910G. Henderson Norse Infl. Celtic Scot. v. 110 The tone falls on the stress syllable with grave accent.
1958Times Lit. Suppl. 17 Oct. 596/4 A cold in the head is more often than not a *stress-symptom with which one must learn to live. 1977P. Dickinson Walking Dead i. i. 24 At a certain point of over-crowding..[rats] manifest stress symptoms.
1946K. L. Pike Intonation Amer. Eng. iii. 35 Many non-English languages..tend to use a rhythm which is more closely related to the syllable than the regular *stress-timed type of English. 1956[see isochronic a. 3]. 1980English World-Wide I. 1. 108 RP is stress-timed, with primary stress recurring at roughly even intervals through a sentence.
1964M. A. K. Halliday et al. Linguistic Science iii. 72 The English type of rhythm is known as ‘*stress-timing’.
▸ stress ball n. orig. U.S. a small ball which is intended to be used in some way to relieve stress, esp. one made of malleable material which is squeezed and manipulated with the fingers.
1988Los Angeles Times 26 July ii. 2/2 Among new products attracting attention: a ‘*Stress Ball,’ which emits the sound of shattered glass when thrown against the wall, thereby satisfying that need for at least a sense of destructive relief. 1992Washington Post (Nexis) 26 Oct. d1 Halsey's Stadium Store also sells a Redskins stress ball—so that upset fans..can squeeze their way back to burgundy-and-gold health. 2006Icon May 100 He..is standing in the Wolfsonian's gift shop squeezing a stress ball in the shape of a human head that he's found on one of the shelves.
▸ stress buster n. colloq. (orig. U.S.) something which relieves, or is designed to relieve, stress; a relaxant.
1985San Francisco Business Jrnl. 10 June vi. 34/1 It was bound to occur to some stress-management group to bill itself as ‘*Stressbusters’. 1991Essence Dec. 26/2 Don't forget that regular exercise—walking, aerobic dance, running—is a great stress-buster. 2001Times 24 Apr. ii. 14/3 Last year Simon Geller..asked a journalist to test 20 complementary health regimens and identify the most effective ‘stress-buster’. Yoga won.
▸ stress counselling n. Psychol. (orig. N. Amer.) professional help and advice given to those who are (at risk of) suffering from stress or stress-related illnesses.
1979Canad. Business Dec. 21/3 Several dozen of the Peel Regional force's 600 officers have..taken part in its *stress-counseling program. 1988Daily Tel. 27 Oct. 11/2 Schools and parents..received an offer yesterday of free stress counselling for teachers and children plucked from the wreck. 2000M. Barrowcliffe Girlfriend 44 iv. 129 He was a tough sinewy Scot who had formerly been in the army and treated me to some military-style stress counselling—he told me to pull myself together.
▸ stress counsellor n. a person who offers stress counselling.
1981N.Y. Times 16 Dec. a28/4 The Government has hired two *stress counselors to help workers deal with the tensions. 1986Daily Tel. 7 Apr. 3/2 At least two major British companies were about to introduce ‘stress counsellors’ in an attempt to improve productivity. 2000New Statesman 10 July 14/2 Should Brompton be blamed for misleading the judge? Not at all, retorts Butler, who deals with the prosecutor like a New Age stress counsellor empathising with a victim.
▪ II. stress, v.1|strɛs|
Forms: 4 stres, stresce, 6 Sc. straisse, 4–6 stresse, 6– stress.
[In early use prob. a. OF. estrecier = It. † strizzare:—popular L. *strictiāre, f. strictus: see strait a. In later use f. stress n.]
†1.
a. trans. To subject (a person) to force or compulsion; to constrain or restrain; to compel to (do something). Obs.
1303R. Brunne Handl. Synne 3726 Ȝyf þou for yre by⁓gynne wykkednes Þat no man may lette þe, ne stres. c1450Gesta Rom. xxvii. 103 It is displesing to me þat I have grevid god so muche, for the whiche I am stressid to come heþere. 1581A. Hall Iliad v. 90 They leaue not thee, but vs also, who here are come not strest In thy quarrell to spend our bloud.
b. To abridge the liberty of; to confine, incarcerate. Obs.
1340Hampole Pr. Consc. 8001 Þe dampned bodyse salle fredom mys; For þai salle be stresced in helle als thralle. 1530Palsgr. 738/2, I stresse, I strayght one of his liberty or thrust his body to guyther, je estroysse. Ibid., The man is stressyd to soore, he can nat styrre him. 1556J. Heywood Spider & F. lxxxii. 23 At time of this graunt, I was (as who say,) Stressed by you: your prisoner (as it were).
†2.
a. To subject to hardship; to afflict, distress, harass, oppress; in passive, to be ‘hard up’. Obs.
1535Stewart Cron. Scot. I. 124 In that storme so stranglie tha war straist, Mony war lost and mycht no langer lest. 1559Alymer Harborowe P 1, These Romaines..being stressed and almoste brought to the last cast. 1563Mirr. Mag., Henry Duke Buckhm. xxxix, The dread wherewyth him selfe was strest. 1653E. Waterhouse Apol. Learning 155 If the Magistrate be so stressed that he cannot protect those that are pious and peaceable, the Lord help. 1824Scott St. Ronan's x, I wad say naething mair than that I was stressed for the penny money.
b. To tax or burden (one's pecuniary resources). Obs.
1584Lodge Hist. Forbonius & Prisceria G ij, Lead by couetousnesse, for that he woulde not stresse his coffers.
3. a. To subject (a material thing, a bodily organ, a mental faculty) to stress or strain; to overwork, fatigue. Now chiefly Sc.
1545R. Ascham Toxoph. ii. (Arb.) 126 Bycause they shoote wyth a softe lowse, and stresses not a shaft muche in the breste where the weyghte of the bowe lyethe. 1548Patten Exped. Scot. Peroration P ij b, I..thearfore [was] dryuen to stresse my memorie y⊇ more for callinge the same too mind again. 1551Recorde Cast. Knowl. (1556) 53 So that the Meridiane maye entre iustlye into those socketts, and turne in them without stressynge. 1704F. Fuller Med. Gymn. (1718) 135 The Nerves are quite stress'd with a Load of Wine. 1715Ramsay Christ's Kirk Gr. ii. xviii, Some were like to tine their sight, Wi' sleep and drinking strest. 1722Wodrow Corr. (1843) II. 638 Let me know how your eyes are. Dont stress them. 1756M. Calderwood in Coltness Collect. (Maitland Club) 260 The Capucines are commonly imployed to preach, but the method here is not to stress themselves by saying too much at once. 1815Scott Guy M. xxiii, ‘I could gar him show mair action’, said his master, ‘but..it would be a pity to stress Dumple’. 1894P. H. Hunter James Inwick vi. 74 Them wha had kent him a' his days said that he had ne'er stressed himsel' wi' wark.
b. intr. for refl. ? Sc.
1901G. Douglas Ho. Green Shutters 5 A horse the feet of which struck sparks from the paved ground as they stressed painfully on edge to get weigh on the great waggon.
c. Mech. (cf. stress n. 5 c).
1883Thomson & Tait Nat. Phil. §832 (ed. 2) I. ii. 423 When a solid is stressed, the state of stress is completely determined when the amount and direction of the three principal stresses are known. 1892C.T.C. Monthly Gaz. June 179/1 It is a well known fact among engineers that a metal structure..must not be stressed more than one-third of its ultimate breaking stress.
d. In contexts of Biol. and Psychol.: cf. stress n. 3 g.
1973Country Life 7 June 1859/2 The transfer to a new environment stresses the calves, and it is now that latent infection will show itself. 1975Verbatim Sept. 5/2 An analysis of the tapes will show exactly how stressed he was, stated the author of a book on certain intelligence methods. 1979Sci. Amer. Nov. 65/1 When the reovirus⁓infected mice were stressed by injection with a large dose of glucose, however, it became quite clear that their ability to metabolize glucose had become impaired.
4. a. To lay the stress or emphasis on, emphasize (a word or phrase in speaking); to place a stress-accent upon (a syllable).
1859Meredith R. Feverel ii, Stressing the epithet to increase the defiance. 1892S. A. Brooke E. Eng. Lit. I. Pref. p. xi, I used alliteration whenever I could, and stressed as much as possible the alliterated words. 1893Bridges Milton's Prosody 74 If a boy were told..that it saved the monotony of a pentameter to stress the penultimate.
b. fig. To lay stress on, emphasize, bring into prominence (a fact, idea, etc.). Chiefly U.S.
1896Mod. Lang. Notes XI. 78/2 A sketch of the history of the Troy legend was outlined, and its popularity in medieval literature stressed, as the theme for numerous romances. 1901G. B. Halsted in Science 8 Nov. 705 In the Columbus report I particularly stressed the work of two authors. 1906W. H. Fleming Slavery 34 Physical facts, stressed by an ineradicable race pride, bar the way against assimilation.
†5. intr. Of tears: To burst forth, gush. Obs.
c1450St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 2128 Ay when he sang his messe, Þe teres oute of his eyen stresse.
Hence ˈstressing vbl. n.
1540Palsgr. Acolastus iv. vi. V iv b, Is the strength and lustinesse..of my body..nothyng worne (by excedyng or ouer moch stressyng of nature?). 1915Nation (N.Y.) 6 May 487/1 If..the offending film..stirred his heart to mutiny and rage, the potentialities for evil in less-balanced minds need no stressing.
▪ III. stress, v.2 Obs. exc. dial.
[Aphetic f. distress v.]
trans. To levy a distress upon, distrain. Also absol.
c1380Wyclif Wks. (1880) 234 Ȝif here rente be not redily paied here bestis ben stressid & þei pursued wiþouten mercy. 1483Cath. Angl. 368/2 To Stresse, distringere. 1876Whitby Gloss. s.v., ‘They're boun te stress for 't’, to force the payment by law. 1886W. Somerset Word-bk. s.v., Well, I be zorry vor to zee a widow umman a-stress'd; but her can't never 'spect to bide there, not if her don't pay no rent. |