Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
The Collaborative International Dictionary
distressing \dis*tress"ing\ (d[i^]s*tr[e^]s"[i^]ng), a. Causing distress; painful; unpleasant.
Wiktionary
Causing distress; upsetting v
(present participle of distress English)
WordNet
adj. causing distress or worry or anxiety; "distressing (or disturbing) news"; "lived in heroic if something distressful isolation"; "a disturbing amount of crime"; "a revelation that was most perturbing"; "a new and troubling thought"; "in a particularly worrisome predicament"; "a worrying situation"; "a worrying time" [syn: distressful, disturbing, perturbing, troubling, worrisome, worrying]
bad; unfortunate; "my finances were in a deplorable state"; "a lamentable decision"; "her clothes were in sad shape"; "a sorry state of affairs" [syn: deplorable, lamentable, pitiful, sad, sorry]
Wikipedia
Distressing (or weathered look) in the decorative arts is the activity of making a piece of furniture or object appear aged and older, giving it a "weathered look," and there are many methods to produce an appearance of age and wear. Distressing is viewed as a refinishing technique although it is the opposite of finishing in a traditional sense. In distressing, the object's finish is intentionally destroyed or manipulated to look less than perfect, such as with sandpaper or paint stripper. For example, the artisan often removes some but not all of the paint, leaving proof of several layers of paint speckled over wood grain underneath. This becomes the "finished" piece.
Distressing has become a popular design style and decorative art form. The artisan attempts a rustic, attractive, one-of-a-kind appearance or vintage look. The final appearance is often called the patina.
Distressing can be applied to a variety of surfaces and materials such as wood, glass, metal, plastic, stone, concrete, plaster, and paint. Solid pine furniture in particular is one of the most ideal furniture types to apply distressing to. The Shabby chic style has made both distressing and antiquing popular. The technique is sometimes applied to electric guitars, where it is referred to as 'Relicing'.
Usage examples of "distressing".
Especially distressing to Vergennes was the thought of Adams ever having any say in a peace settlement.
As distressing as almost anything for Adams was the flood of requests for his help in securing government jobs.
The diseases known as menorrhagia, dysmenorrhoea, leucorrhoea, amenorrhoea, abortions, prolapsus, chronic inflammations and ulcerations of the womb, with a yet greater variety of sympathetic nervous disorders, are some of the distressing forms of these derangements.
Incidentally, I have taken the precaution of providing concentrated cyanide tablets for Henriques and myself: death from the Satan Bug, as we have observed from experiments on animals, is rather more prolonged than death from botulinus and most distressing.
But it would be churlish to deny that he had been kindness itself after the distressing theft of the Breguet watch at Temple Meads Station.
All experiments made upon men or women of ordinary intelligence who, having been fully informed of the nature of the investigation and of whatever distressing or dangerous consequences are obviously liable to result, acknowledge the receipt of satisfactory compensation for all risks, and give in writing their full and free consent.
Yet for many years now we have had in this country a large and increasing number who were going through the daily pain of grappling with every phase of the distressing problems which come from the poverty, friendlessness, and overwork of the young.
It was as if he wanted to linger in this world for as long as possible, in a distressing state, in order to inflict as much pain as he could upon my hostling and myself.
In many of the distressing nervous complications to which both males and females are subject in certain diseases of the generative organs, we have found it very effectual.
It is so combined that, while it meets all these indications, it relieves or prevents the development of those distressing symptoms so common in this disease.
Desert-bred, she found the weight of furs and wadded silks, plus the riding clothes they concealed, distressing.
Carmelita Spats was rude, she was violent, and she was filthy, and it is really a shame that I must describe her to you, because there are enough ghastly and distressing things in this story without even mentioning such an unpleasant person.
The excessive number of aircars above Lothara, official and civil, flying at distressing proximity, necessitated my retreat behind the curtain.
Pnin, twisting his head to look out of one of the ports, saw his staff retreating to a distance where the downdraught would be less distressing.
Immediately, the beat of the rotors increased, and Pnin, twisting his head to look out of one of the ports, saw his staff retreating to a distance where the downdraught would be less distressing.