[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

stress \stress\, n. abbrev. fr. distress; or cf. of. estrecier
   to press, pinch, assumed ll. strictiare, fr. l. strictus.
   see distress.
   1. distress. obs.
      1913 webster

            sad hersal of his heavy stress.       --spenser.
      1913 webster

   2. pressure, strain; -- used chiefly of immaterial things;
      except in mechanics; hence, urgency; importance; weight;
      significance.
      1913 webster

            the faculties of the mind are improved by exercise,
            yet they must not be put to a stress beyond their
            strength.                             --locke.
      1913 webster

            a body may as well lay too little as too much stress
            upon a dream.                         --l'estrange.
      1913 webster

   3. mech.  physics the force, or combination of forces,
      which produces a strain; force exerted in any direction or
      manner between contiguous bodies, or parts of bodies, and
      taking specific names according to its direction, or mode
      of action, as thrust or pressure, pull or tension, shear
      or tangential stress. --rankine.
      1913 webster

            stress is the mutual action between portions of
            matter.                               --clerk
                                                  maxwell.
      1913 webster

   4. pron. force of utterance expended upon words or
      syllables. stress is in english the chief element in
      accent and is one of the most important in emphasis. see
      guide to pronunciation, sectsect 31-35.
      1913 webster

   5. scots law distress; the act of distraining; also, the
      thing distrained.
      1913 webster

   stress of voice, unusual exertion of the voice.

   stress of weather, constraint imposed by continued bad
      weather; as, to be driven back to port by stress of
      weather.

   to lay stress upon, to attach great importance to; to
      emphasize. "consider how great a stress is laid upon this
      duty." --atterbury.

   to put stress upon, or to put to a stress, to strain.
      1913 webster
see also:
distress guide to pronunciation stress of voice stress of weather to lay stress upon to put stress upon 
to put to a stress 

Stress >> S Words
Stress, definition of term: Stress
stress_pag1.html

Stress Mark >> S Words
Stress Mark, definition of term: Stress Mark
stress+mark_pag1.html

Singing Voice >> S Words
Singing Voice, definition of term: Singing Voice
singing+voice_pag1.html

Passive Voice >> P Words
Passive Voice, definition of term: Passive Voice
passive+voice_pag1.html

Head Voice >> H Words
Head Voice, definition of term: Head Voice
head+voice_pag1.html

Active Voice >> A Words
Active Voice, definition of term: Active Voice
active+voice_pag1.html