Forms: 4–6 stres, 4–7 stresse, 5 stresce, strest, 6 Sc. straisse, 6– stress. [Prob. an aphetic form of DISTRESS sb., 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. Hardship, straits, adversity, affliction. Obs. Cf. DISTRESS sb. 2.
1303. R. 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.
a. 1400. Salut. to our Lady, 51, in Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS., 135. Heil distruyere of eueri stresse.
1556. Lauder, Tractate, 469. O Lord … help the pure that ar in stres Opprest and hereit mercyles.
1568. T. Howell, Arb. Amitie (1879), 39. O get my graue in readinesse, Faine would I die to ende this stresse.
1588. A. King, trans. Canisius’ Catech., Of Conf., 5. Sinnes done aganes the fift commandement…. 9. To be sorie for oure nychtbours prosperitie, and glaid of thair straisse.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., III. xi. 18. With this sad hersall of his heauy stresse The warlike Damzell was empassiond.
1704. Collect. 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.
1338. R. 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.
c. 1450. St. 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.
1338. R. 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.
1533. Bellenden, Livy, I. x. (S.T.S.), I. 57. This horiciane happynnyt (as þan) to be haill, but ony stress or hurte of body.
† 2. Force or pressure exercised on a person for the purpose of compulsion or extortion. Cf. DISTRESS sb. 1. Obs.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 2798. Ȝyf þou madest awhere any vowe … Ȝyf þou dedyst hyt with þy gode wylle, withoute stresse [v.r. out distresse] or ouþer ylle. Ibid., 8344. A-nother vyleynye thyr ys To do a womman synne thurgh stres. Ibid. (1338), Chron. (1725), 281. His dedes ere to alowe, for his hardynesse. He did many on bowe in þat lond þorgh stresse.
c. 1420. Prose Life Alex., 32. We went into þe weste Marches, whare all þe folkes þat duellez thare … ȝalde þam vn-till vs wit-owtten stresse.
c. 1440. York Myst., xx. 188. Ȝoure neghbours house, whilkis ȝe haue hele, The ixte [sc. commandment] biddis take noȝt be stresse.
1655. Nicholas 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.
1303. R. 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. Ibid. (c. 1330), Chron. Wace (Rolls), 16276. Perauenture he haþ som syknesse Or oþer greuaunce þat makeþ hym stresse.
† c. Strain upon endurance. Obs.
1534. More, Comf. agst. Trib., III. Wks. 1262/1. Not desyring to be brought vnto ye 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.
1692. R. 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. The overpowering pressure of some adverse force or influence. Chiefly in stress of weather. Cf. DISTRESS sb. 1 b.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, X. xii. 140. Tho Orodes the hard rest doith oppres, The cauld and irny slepe of deidis stres.
1665. in Extr. S. P. rel. Friends, III. (1912), 236. Which shipp had beene at Sea three Monthes and bett back by stress of weather.
1691. Ray, 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.
1699. Dampier, Voy., III. I. 155. When the stress of the Weather was over, we set our Sails again.
1715. Lond. Gaz., No. 5379/1. A … Frigate … was driven ashore … by Stress of Weather.
1785. Cowper, Task, II. 551. Perverting often, by the stress of lewd And loose example, whom he should instruct.
1821. Joanna 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.
1850. Longf., Building of Ship, 42. Broad in the beam, that the stress of the blast … Might not the sharp bows overwhelm.
1874. Green, Short Hist., vii. § 7. 422. The stress of poverty may have been the cause which drove William Shakspere … to London and the stage.
1895. Law Times Rep., LXXIII. 157/1. Owing to stress of weather, the master decided to run back for Holyhead harbour.
1895. M. Hewlett, Earthwork out of Tuscany, 39. Pious virgins, under stress of these things, swoon.
1918. Times, 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.
1672. R. 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.
1618. Bolton, 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 sb. 3 d.)
1637. Rutherford, 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.
1845–6. Trench, Huls. Lect., Ser. II. i. 160. When the stress comes we can withdraw.
1883. Fortn. Rev., May, 734. This age of stress and transition.
1909. C. G. Lang, Parables Jesus, 118. Resolute and brave-hearted service brings into the very midst of toil and stress a deep sense of joy.
1911. Marett, 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.
1666. Lond. Gaz., No. 91/4. But the Wind blew such a stress, that they were in no possibility of Engaging.
f. Sc. A pressing demand.
1822. Galt, 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.].
4. Strained exertion, strong effort. Now rare.
1690. Norris, Beatitudes (1692), 107. Such a desire as carries with it the full bent and Stress of the Soul.
1697. Dryden, Æneis, XI. 845. Then, press’d by Foes, he stemm’d the stormy Tyde; And gain’d, by stress of Arms, the farther Side.
c. 1698. Locke, 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.
1789. Polwhele, Engl. Orator, IV. 131. They know not to pursue, With Stress of mental Faculties, a Train Of Argument.
1857. Longf., Sandalphon, iii. The Angels of Wind and of Fire Chaunt only one hymn, and expire With the song’s irresistible stress.
5. 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.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 480/1. Stresse, or streytynge, constriccio, constrictura.
a. 1547. Surrey, Eccles., iv. 66. The single twyned cordes May no such stresse indure, As cables brayded threfould may, Together wrethed suer.
a. 1578. in T. Procter, Gorg. Gallery, F iv b. As tender Flaxe can beare no stresse, belore that it bee sponne.
1578. H. Wotton, Courtlie Controv., 317. The which [door] fleeing open with small stresse, caused them to enter in thereat.
1601. Holland, 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.
1630. Bp. 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.
1662. R. 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.].
1681. 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.
1682. Wheler, Journ. Greece, VI. 466. Against which the whole stress and fall of the Waters seems to lean.
1688. Keepe, 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.
1797. Encycl. 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.
1805. R. W. Dickson, Pract. Agric., I. Plate xi. A Wheel-Harrow … by which the stress on the horses is rendered less.
1829. Chapters Phys. Sci., 143. Let the strength allowed be more than fully competent to the stress to which the parts can ever be liable.
1831. J. Holland, Manuf. Metal, I. 185. The amazing stress, which a large ship riding at anchor in foul weather exerts upon the cable.
1847. 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.
1633. T. 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.
1644. Manwayring, Seamans Dict., 103. This is not safe rideing in a stresse.
c. In mod. Physics, used variously by different writers: see quots.
1855. W. 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.
1856. Thomson, 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.
1873. R. 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.
1873. Maxwell, 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.
1896. Greener, Gun (ed. 6), 545. The stresses upon a gun are a radial stress or ‘pressure’; a tangential stress, or hoop tension…; a longitudinal stress.
1911. J. 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.
d. Strain upon a bodily organ or a mental power.
1843. R. J. Graves, Syst. Clin. Med., xx. 229. The stress thrown upon the air cells and passages gives rise to emphysema.
1899. Allbutt’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.
1814. W. 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. 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 7.
1651. Baxter, Inf. Bapt., 250. You lay the main stress of your cause on it.
a. 1676. Hale, 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.
c. 1680. Beveridge, Serm. (1729), II. 107. The main stress of our salvation lying upon our performing this duty.
1690. Norris, Beatitudes (1694), 25. He does not lean upon any created Good with any Stress.
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 399, ¶ 7. We should not lay too great a Stress on any supposed Virtues we possess that are of a doubtful Nature.
1720. De Foe, Capt. Singleton, xiii. (1840), 220. I always put a great deal of stress upon his judgment. Ibid. (1722), Relig. Courtsh., I. i. (1840), 25. I can lay no stress on anything she said.
1735. Dyche & Pardon, Dict., s.v., To lay a Stress, to depend or rely upon a Person or Thing.
1736. Butler, Anal., II. i. (1798), 187. Mankind are for placing the stress of their religion any where, rather than upon virtue.
1765. Goldsm., 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.
1668. Hale, 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.
1676. H. Phillips, 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?
1679. Coles, Eng.-Lat. Dict. (ed. 2), The Stress of the business, rei momentum, cardo controversiæ.
1687. R. L’Estrange, Answ. Diss., 7. But I am for speaking Plain, Home, and in Few Words, to the Stress of the Subject in hand.
1736. Butler, Anal., II. vii. (1798), 309. In these things the stress of what I am now observing lies.
1791. Wesley, 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.
1653. trans. 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.
1737. Gentl. Mag., VII. 363/1. All the Stress of the Poem, all the Magnanimity and Heroism of Leonidas entirely depend on this Oracle.
1754. W. Goodall, Exam. Lett. Mary Q. Scots, I. 49. As the whole stress, in a manner, of the cause depends fundamentally upon this declaration.
1784. Cowper, Tiroc., 803. And some perhaps,… Will need no stress of argument t’ enforce Th’ expedience of a less advent’rous course.
7. 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 6).
1756. C. Lucas, Ess. Waters, II. 61. On the nitrous … qualities … he seems to lay no small stress.
a. 1763. Shenstone, Ess., 33. It is requisite to lay some stress yourself, on what you intend should be remarked by others.
1789. Belsham, Ess., I. xiv. 270. I place but little stress upon … external accomplishments and graces.
1796. Jane Austen, Pride & Prej., ii. Do you consider the forms of introduction, and the stress that is laid on them, as nonsense?
1846. W. R. Birt, in Rep. Brit. Assoc., I. 132. I do not place any stress upon these deductions.
1857. Buckle, Civiliz., I. vii. 313. Hooker, though he shows much respect to the Councils, lays little stress upon the Fathers.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., II. xiv. 300. I do not want to lay more stress than it deserves upon a conjecture of this kind.
1883. Manch. 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.
8. 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.
1749. Power & 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.
1785. J. 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.
1785. Ess. Punctuation, 153. The syllables, which require a particular stress of the voice in pronunciation.
1824. L. 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.
1847. Malden, 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.
1862. Mrs. H. Wood, Channings, iv. 27. There was a stress on the word ‘to-night,’ and Hamish marked it.
1879. H. Nicol, in Encycl. Brit., IX. 633/2. Stress in the French of to-day is independent of length (quantity) and pitch (tone).
1893. Bridges, 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. 9. Law. A distraint; also, the chattel or chattels seized in a distraint: = DISTRESS sb. 3, 4. Phrase, to take (a) stress, to take stresses = to distrain. Obs. exc. dial.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 480/1. Stresse, or wed take be strengthe and vyolence, vadimonium.
1464. Mann. & 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.
1479. Engl. Gilds (1870), 321. John Brendon the yonger werned stresse to the Master and Wardons,… for he come nott to derge that same euen.
1487. Paston Lett., III. 340. Sir John Howard, Knyght,… gederith grete feloship of men, purposyng on Monday next comyng to take stresses of the Lady Roos.
c. 1500. Colin 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.
1510. Sel. 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.
1544. in Sel. Cases Crt. Requests (Selden Soc.), 97. The said Olyuer … to deliuer vnto theym all stresses lately taken from theym.
1546. J. Heywood, Prov. (1867), 39. Their landlorde came to their house to take a stresse For rent.
1601. Bp. 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.
1606. Holland, Suetonius, 7. After his goods were arrested and stresses taken,… him he clapt up in prison.
1613. MS. 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.
1886. W. Somerset Word-bk., s.v., Mr. Jones ’ve a-tookt a stress vor dree quarters’ rent.
III. 10. attrib., as (senses 3 c, d) stress-memorial; (senses 5, 5 c) stress-axis, -component, difference; (sense 8) stress-accent, -prosody, -rhythm, -syllable; † stress house, ? a house of detention, lock-up.
1880. Ruskin, 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.
1881. G. H. Darwin, in Phil. Trans., CLXXIII. 191. To find the magnitude and direction of the principal *stress-axes at any point.
1856. Thomson, Ibid., CXLVI. 496. The concurrences of the *stress-components used in interpreting the differential equation of energy with the types of the strain-coordinates.
1881. G. H. Darwin, Ibid., CLXXIII. 199. I shall refer to the difference between the greatest and least principal stresses as ‘the *stress-difference.’
1505. Nottingham Rec., III. 100. j. aliam clavem pro le *stres hous dore.
1830. Carlyle, Richter Again, Ess. 1840, II. 326. The *stress-memorials and siege medals of Poverty.
1893. Bridges, Milton’s Prosody, 69. Here was … a definite statement of the laws of a *stress prosody. Ibid. (1901), (ed. 2), 88. On the rules of the common lighter *stress-rhythms.
1842. Proc. Philol. Soc., III. 101. The *stress-syllable may be made the more acute, or the more grave, at the discretion of the speaker.
1910. G. Henderson, Norse Infl. Celtic Scot., v. 110. The tone falls on the stress syllable with grave accent.
