Distress – (n) Circumstance that causes anxiety or hardship. (v) Constrain or compel by pain, suffering, or other circumstances.
God used this word in its various forms 52 times in Scripture: 44 times to Israel in their Masoretic Text Old Testament; Twice to Israel in their Koine Greek Old Testament (Matthew thru John); and 5 times to the Body of Christ in the Gospel of Grace (Romans thru Philemon).
In the 1580s, the adj. Distressed was added to the dictionary, “suffering distress, afflicted with pain or trouble,” past-participle adjective from distress. By 1940, in reference to furniture, people started using distressed to mean “damaged in order to appear older”. Today people shorten this word to Stressed.
In the 1590s, the adj. Distressful was added to the dictionary, “inflicting or bringing distress”. Today, people shorten this word to Stressful.
See also Afflict, Discomfit, Injure, Oppress, Ravish, Torment, Tribulation, Try