1. Incertitude.
2. Gêne.
3. Obstacle.
1. Heightened fuss or concern; to-do
2. Time-wasting bother over trivial details
3. Trouble, difficulty
ETYM Latin difficultas, from difficilis difficult; dif- = dis- + facilis easy: cf. French difficulté. Related to Facile.
1. A factor causing trouble in achieving a positive result or tending to produce a negative result.
2. A situation or condition almost beyond one's ability to deal with and requiring great effort to bear or overcome.
3. The quality of being difficult; SYN. difficultness.
ETYM French embarrassement.
1. Some event that causes someone to be embarrassed.
2. The shame one feels when one's inadequacy or guilt is made public.
3. The state of being embarrassed (usually by some financial inadequacy).
ETYM Latin impedimentum: cf. French impediment.
An obstacle, hindrance; speech defect.
ETYM French, from Latin obstaculum, from obstare to withstand, oppose; ob (see Ob-) + stare to stand. Related to Stand. and cf. Oust.
1. An object that stands in the way (and must be removed or surmounted or circumvented).
2. Something immaterial that stands in the way and must be circumvented or surmounted; SYN. obstruction.
ETYM French trouble, Old Fren. troble, truble. Related to Trouble.
1. A source of difficulty; SYN. problem.
2. A state of adversity (danger or affliction or need); SYN. ill, distress.
3. An effort that is inconvenient; SYN. difficulty.
4. An event causing distress or pain.
5. An unwanted pregnancy.