stress */*/*/

I UK [stres] / US noun
Word forms "stress":
singular stress plural stresses

1) [uncountable] a worried or nervous feeling that stops you relaxing, caused, for example, by pressure at work or financial or personal problems

overworked managers suffering from stress and anxiety

under stress:

Carol's been under a lot of stress lately.

stress-related:

stress-related illnesses

a) [only before noun] relating to stress

stress management (= dealing effectively with stress):

The class teaches some basic techniques of stress management.

b) [countable] a situation that makes you feel stress

The beautiful gardens offer a refuge from the stresses of daily life.

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Collocations:
Verbs frequently used with stress as the object ▪  alleviate, cause, combat, create, ease, generate, manage, produce, reduce, relieve

2) [uncountable] special importance given to something so that you pay more attention to it

lay/put/place stress on something:

The course lays great stress on the importance of oral communication.

3) [countable/uncountable] physical pressure put on something that can make it change its shape or break

stress on:

Judo puts a lot of stress on your knee joints.

4)

a) [countable/uncountable] linguistics the emphasis that you put on a particular word or syllable (= part of a word) by pronouncing it more loudly or with greater force than other words or syllables

the stress falls on something (= is put on something):

In "fatigue" the stress falls on the second syllable.

b) music the emphasis that you put on a particular musical note or sound by playing or singing it more loudly or with greater force than other notes or sounds

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See:

intonation

II UK [stres] / US verb [transitive]
Word forms "stress":
present tense I/you/we/they stress he/she/it stresses present participle stressing past tense stressed past participle stressed

1) to emphasize something such as an idea, fact, or detail

The Prime Minister stressed the importance of controlling spending.

stress that:

He stressed that this was a temporary solution.

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Collocations:
Nouns frequently used as objects of stress
▪  desirability, importance, necessity, need, significance, urgency, value

2) linguistics to pronounce a particular word or syllable (= part of a word) more loudly or with greater force than other words or syllables

The noun "desert" is stressed on the first syllable.

3) spoken to be worried or nervous

stress about:

Even though we've got no money I'm not stressing about it.