摘要：”Distress”源自古法语“destresse”，意为“痛苦”或“压迫”，由拉丁语“districtus”演变而来。“Districtus”是动词“distringere”（拉紧、约束）的过去分词，分解为“dis-”（分开）和“stringere”（拉紧）
distress
英 [dɪ'stres] 美 [dɪ'stres]
n.不幸；危难；苦恼；痛苦 vt.使苦恼；使痛苦
”Distress”源自古法语“destresse”，意为“痛苦”或“压迫”，由拉丁语“districtus”演变而来。“Districtus”是动词“distringere”（拉紧、约束）的过去分词，分解为“dis-”（分开）和“stringere”（拉紧），字面意为“过度拉紧”或“束缚”。这个词最初用于法律领域，指没收财产或强行征用，到13世纪进入英语后，逐渐转向描述心理或物理的痛苦状态。其语感沉重，带有一种紧迫感和无助感。
◉外刊例句
① 《The New York Times》 (2023年11月8日)
The hurricane left thousands in distress, with homes destroyed and aid slow to arrive.
飓风使数千人陷入困境，房屋被毁，援助迟迟未到。
② 《The Economist》 (2024年7月19日)
Rising debt levels are distressing small businesses, pushing many toward bankruptcy.
不断上升的债务水平使小企业陷入痛苦，许多企业濒临破产。
◉经典名著
① 《简·爱》（Jane Eyre）——夏洛蒂·勃朗特 (1847年)
Her cries of distress echoed through the empty halls, but no one came to help.
她痛苦的呼喊在空荡的大厅中回响，但无人前来帮助。
② 《双城记》（A Tale of Two Cities）——查尔斯·狄更斯 (1859年)
The peasants, in great distress, begged for bread to feed their starving children.
农民们极度痛苦，乞求面包来喂养饥饿的孩子。
◉Usage Notes
(1) I pray that you will have pity on my distress.
(2) They sent a distress rocket.
(3) His wild behavior was a great distress to his mother.
(4) What are you looking so distressed for?
(5) The sick man showed signs of distress.
(6) Two in distress make sorrow less.
(7) Don't distress yourself about it.
(8) He couldn't distress her with his own terrible dilemma.
(1) 我请求你可怜可怜我的不幸遭遇。
(2) 他们发出了一枚呼救信号火箭。
(3) 他的放荡的行为使他的母亲极为苦恼。
(4) 什么事情使你看起来如此烦恼？
(5) 那个生病的男人表现出痛苦的迹象。
(6) 灾难二人共，痛苦可减轻。
(7) 别为那件事苦恼了。
(8) 他不能用自己糟糕的困境来折磨她。
◉Usage Examples
If you are in distress, you are in trouble. You're hurting — either physically or mentally.
See the word stress hanging out at the end of distress? There's a good reason for that. The noun distress refers to a state of severe anxiety or strain, often brought about by failing to study for an exam, harassing grizzly bears, or borrowing your sister's clothes without asking. When used as a verb, to distress means to cause all that pain, suffering and anxiety — in other words, to stress somebody out.
◉Colins
1. [N-UNCOUNT 不可数名词]悲伤；痛苦；忧虑 Distress is a state of extreme sorrow, suffering, or pain.
Jealousy causes distress and painful emotions.
嫉妒会带来忧虑和痛苦。
Her mouth grew stiff with pain and distress.
疼痛和悲伤让她嘴巴发僵。
2. [N-UNCOUNT 不可数名词]危难；危急；危险 Distress is the state of being in extreme danger and needing urgent help. [oft in N]
He expressed concern that the ship might be in distress.
他担心船可能会遇险。
The constable received a distress call, and saw two youths attacking his colleague.
这名警察收到了求救呼叫，看见两个年轻人正在殴打他的同事。
3. [VERB 动词]使忧虑；使悲伤；使苦恼 If someone or something distresses you, they cause you to be upset or worried. [V n]
The idea of Toni being in danger distresses him enormously.
想到托尼正处于危险中，他心急如焚。
I did not want to frighten or distress the horse.
我并不想吓到马或惹怒它。
来源：学无用的英语