stress

Definitions

• (biology) A physical, chemical, infective agent aggressing an organism.
• (biology) Aggression toward an organism resulting in a response in an attempt to restore previous conditions.
• (countable) The internal distribution of force across a small boundary per unit area of that boundary (pressure) within a body. It causes strain or deformation and is typically symbolised by σ or τ.
• (countable) Force externally applied to a body which cause internal stress within the body.
• (uncountable) Emotional pressure suffered by a human being or other animal.
• (uncountable) The emphasis placed on a syllable of a word.
• (uncountable) Emphasis placed on words in speaking.
• (uncountable) Emphasis placed on a particular point in an argument or discussion (whether spoken or written).
• (Scotland) distress; the act of distraining; also, the thing distrained.