stress

/stres/ (bre, ipa) · /stres/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈstres/ (ame, mw)

stress — 名詞

  • stresssingular
  • stressesplural

1. A feeling of worry or mental tension that people get when they face difficult si

1.名詞B1
釋義

壓力

因困難情況引起的憂慮或緊張

A feeling of worry or mental tension that people get when they face difficult situations or have too many things to deal with.

例句

Jisoo felt a lot of stress before her final exam at university.

Jisoo 在大學期末考前感到很大的壓力。

uncountable noun: 'a lot of stress'

Working long hours without a break can cause serious stress over time.

長時間工作不休息,久而久之會造成嚴重的壓力。

verb + 'stress': 'cause stress'

同義詞
  • pressure

    similar meaning but often suggests external demands rather than internal feeling

  • anxiety

    more about ongoing worry and fear; stronger emotional tone

  • tension

    implies a tight, strained feeling rather than general worry

  • strain

    suggests the effect of too much demand on someone's abilities

反義詞
  • relaxation

    a state of being free from tension and worry

文法句型

stress + of + noun phrase

under + stress

cause + stress

用法筆記

Frequently used with 'under': 'under stress'. This is the most common sense of the word and often collocates with 'manage', 'reduce', 'cause', and 'deal with'.

常見錯誤

I have a stress about my job.
I feel stress about my job.
💡'stress' is usually uncountable; don't use 'a stress' unless referring to a specific cause.

2. A difficult situation that happens when a system, organization, or resource is a

2.名詞B2
釋義

負擔;壓力

系統或資源因需求過大承受的負擔

A difficult situation that happens when a system, organization, or resource is asked to do more than it can handle.

例句

The city's water system is under stress from the growing population.

該城市的供水系統因人口增長而承受壓力。

'under stress' for systems

Putting too much stress on the old bridge could make it unsafe for drivers.

對那座舊橋施加太多壓力可能會影響行車安全。

'put stress on [object]'

同義詞
  • strain

    very close in meaning; often interchangeable in this sense

  • burden

    suggests something heavy that must be carried or dealt with

  • demand

    focuses on what is required rather than the pressure it creates

文法句型

under + stress

put + stress + on

face + stress

用法筆記

Typically describes pressure on infrastructure, budgets, organizations, or natural systems. Common with 'financial stress', 'water stress', 'environmental stress'.

常見錯誤

The bridge is under a big stress.
The bridge is under great stress.
💡'stress' in this sense is usually uncountable; use adjectives like 'great', 'severe', 'enormous'.

3. The greater loudness or emphasis that a speaker gives to one syllable of a word

3.名詞B1
釋義

重音

說話時對特定音節或單詞的加強

The greater loudness or emphasis that a speaker gives to one syllable of a word or one word of a sentence, making it stand out from the others.

例句

Mizuki learned that when 'record' is a noun, the stress falls on the first syllable.

Mizuki 學到當「record」作名詞使用時,重音落在第一個音節。

'stress falls on [syllable]'

Samir struggled with Spanish stress until his tutor showed him rules for endings like 'ción'.

Samir 一直不太會西班牙語的單詞重音,後來他的家教教了他以「ción」結尾的規則。

同義詞
  • emphasis

    broader term; can refer to stress in speech or special importance

  • accent

    often used interchangeably, but 'accent' can also mean a way of speaking from a region

文法句型

stress + falls on + syllable/word

stress + on + syllable/word

word + stress

常見錯誤

The stress of the word is in the first syllable.
The stress is on the first syllable.
💡use 'on', not 'in' or 'at', when talking about which syllable carries the stress.

4. A force that presses, pulls, or twists on an object, often changing its shape or

4.名詞B2
釋義

應力

作用在物體上使其變形的力

A force that presses, pulls, or twists on an object, often changing its shape or causing damage over time.

例句

Engineers like Mateo design steel beams to handle stress without breaking under heavy loads.

像 Mateo 這樣的工程師設計鋼樑時,會考量讓它在重物下承受應力而不斷裂。

Engineers must calculate the stress on every part of the bridge during a storm.

工程師必須計算暴風雨期間橋樑每個部位承受的應力。

'calculate the stress on [object]'

同義詞
  • pressure

    often used for force spread over an area; 'stress' is more about the internal resistance

  • strain

    technically the deformation caused by stress, but sometimes used interchangeably in everyday speech

  • tension

    specifically a pulling or stretching force

文法句型

under + stress

stress + on + object

cause + stress

用法筆記

Common in engineering and physics contexts. Different types include 'tensile stress' (pulling apart), 'compressive stress' (pushing together), and 'shear stress' (sliding).

5. Special importance or attention given to something seen as crucial — for example

5.名詞B2
釋義

重點;重要性

賦予某事特殊重視

Special importance or attention given to something seen as crucial — for example, when a company puts stress on customer feedback or a teacher stresses the value of daily reading.

例句

The manager placed great stress on teamwork during the staff meeting.

主管在員工會議上特別強調團隊合作的重要性。

'placed great stress on [noun]'

In this school, teachers put stress on learning through hands-on activities.

在這所學校,老師們重視透過動手活動來學習。

同義詞
  • emphasis

    very close in meaning; 'emphasis' is more common in everyday speech

  • importance

    broader term; 'stress' implies actively drawing attention to something

  • prominence

    suggests visibility rather than deliberate focus

文法句型

put + stress + on + noun

lay + stress + on + noun

place + stress + on + noun

用法筆記

Typically occurs in fixed verb phrases: 'place stress on', 'lay stress on', 'put stress on'. More formal than 'emphasize' or 'highlight'.

常見錯誤

The teacher stressed on the importance of reading.' (when meaning noun sense)
The teacher placed stress on the importance of reading.
💡As a noun, use 'place/put/lay stress on' rather than verb forms.

stress — 動詞