The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Distress \Dis*tress"\, n. [OE. destresse, distresse, OF.
   destresse, destrece, F. d['e]tresse, OF. destrecier to
   distress, (assumed) LL. districtiare, fr. L. districtus, p.
   p. of distringere. See Distrain, and cf. Stress.]
   1. Extreme pain or suffering; anguish of body or mind; as, to
      suffer distress from the gout, or from the loss of
      friends.
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            Not fearing death nor shrinking for distress.
                                                  --Shak.
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   2. That which occasions suffering; painful situation;
      misfortune; affliction; misery.
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            Affliction's sons are brothers in distress. --Burns.
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   3. A state of danger or necessity; as, a ship in distress,
      from leaking, loss of spars, want of provisions or water,
      etc.
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   4. (Law)
      (a) The act of distraining; the taking of a personal
          chattel out of the possession of a wrongdoer, by way
          of pledge for redress of an injury, or for the
          performance of a duty, as for nonpayment of rent or
          taxes, or for injury done by cattle, etc.
      (b) The thing taken by distraining; that which is seized
          to procure satisfaction. --Bouvier. --Kent. --Burrill.
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                If he were not paid, he would straight go and
                take a distress of goods and cattle. --Spenser.
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                The distress thus taken must be proportioned to
                the thing distrained for.         --Blackstone.
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   Abuse of distress. (Law) See under Abuse.

   Syn: Affliction; suffering; pain; agony; misery; torment;
        anguish; grief; sorrow; calamity; misfortune; trouble;
        adversity. See Affliction.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Distress \Dis*tress"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Distressed; p. pr.
   & vb. n. Distressing.] [Cf. OF. destrecier. See Distress,
   n.]
   1. To cause pain or anguish to; to pain; to oppress with
      calamity; to afflict; to harass; to make miserable.
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            We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed.
                                                  --2 Cor. iv.
                                                  8.
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   2. To compel by pain or suffering.
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            Men who can neither be distressed nor won into a
            sacrifice of duty.                    --A. Hamilton.
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   3. (Law) To seize for debt; to distrain.

   Syn: To pain; grieve; harass; trouble; perplex; afflict;
        worry; annoy.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

distress
    n 1: psychological suffering; "the death of his wife caused him
         great distress" [syn: distress, hurt, suffering]
    2: a state of adversity (danger or affliction or need); "a ship
       in distress"; "she was the classic maiden in distress"
    3: extreme physical pain; "the patient appeared to be in
       distress"
    4: the seizure and holding of property as security for payment
       of a debt or satisfaction of a claim; "Originally distress
       was a landlord's remedy against a tenant for unpaid rents or
       property damage but now the landlord is given a landlord's
       lien" [syn: distress, distraint]
    v 1: bring into difficulties or distress, especially financial
         hardship [syn: straiten, distress]
    2: cause mental pain to; "The news of her child's illness
       distressed the mother"

The Devil's Dictionary (1881-1906):

DISTRESS, n.  A disease incurred by exposure to the prosperity of a
friend.