stress

1 : constraining force or influence: such as

a : a force exerted when one body or body part presses on, pulls on, pushes against, or tends to compress or twist another body or body part especially : the intensity of this mutual force commonly expressed in pounds per square inch

b : the deformation caused in a body by such a force

c : a physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation

d : a state resulting from a stress especially : one of bodily or mental tension resulting from factors that tend to alter an existent equilibrium job-related stress

e : strain, pressure the environment is under stress to the point of collapse— Joseph Shoben

2 : emphasis, weight lay stress on a point

3 archaic : intense effort or exertion

4 : intensity of utterance given to a speech sound, syllable, or word producing relative loudness

5a : relative force or prominence of sound in verse

b : a syllable having relative force or prominence

6 : accent sense 5a

Definition of stress

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