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distressingly

   Also found in: Medical, Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.01 sec.
dis·tress  (d-strs)
tr.v. dis·tressed, dis·tress·ing, dis·tress·es
1. To cause strain, anxiety, or suffering to. See Synonyms at trouble.
2. Law To hold the property of (a person) against the payment of debts.
3. To mar or otherwise treat (an object or fabric, for example) to give the appearance of an antique or of heavy prior use: "There are the fakesnew rugs which have been intentionally distressed for an older look" (Hatfield MA Valley Advocate).
4. Archaic To constrain or overcome by harassment.
n.
1. Anxiety or mental suffering.
2.
a. Severe strain resulting from exhaustion or an accident.
b. Acute physical discomfort.
c. Physical deterioration, as of a highway, caused by hard use over time: pavement distress.
3. The condition of being in need of immediate assistance: a motorist in distress.
4. Law
a. The act of distraining or seizing to compel payment.
b. The goods thus seized.

[Middle English distressen, from Old French destresser, from destresse, constraint, from Vulgar Latin *districtia, from Latin districtus, past participle of distringere, to hinder; see distrain.]

dis·tressing·ly adv.
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Adv.1.distressingly - unpleasantly; "his ignorance was painfully obvious"
Translations
distressingly [dɪsˈtresɪŋlɪ] ADVdolorosamente, penosamente
a distressingly bad pictureun cuadro tan malo que daba pena
distressingly
adv (= unfortunately)leider, bedauerlicherweise; common, familiar, high, lowerschreckend; groanmitleiderregend; distressingly, it took him six hours to diees dauerte sechs quälende Stunden, bis er gestorben war


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He did not tell me what the news was -- but I have never, in all the years I have passed in the admiral's service, seen him so distressingly upset, and so unlike himself, as he was on that day.
It seemed to point out that what he was thinking was distressingly obvious; and when you have agreed with the obvious what more is there to say?
Toby, wearied with the fatigues of the day, slumbered heavily by my side; but the pain under which I was suffering effectually prevented my sleeping, and I remained distressingly alive to all the fearful circumstances of our present situation.
 
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