Lateral \Lat"er*al\, a. [L. lateralis, fr. latus, lateris, side: cf. F. lat['e]ral.]

1. Of or pertaining to the sides; as, the lateral walls of a house; the lateral branches of a tree.

2. (Anat.) Lying at, or extending toward, the side; away from the mesial plane; external; -- opposed to mesial.

3. Directed to the side; as, a lateral view of a thing.

Lateral cleavage (Crystallog.), cleavage parallel to the lateral planes.

Lateral equation (Math.), an equation of the first degree. [Obs.]

Lateral line (Anat.), in fishes, a line of sensory organs along either side of the body, often marked by a distinct line of color.

Lateral pressure or stress (Mech.), a pressure or stress at right angles to the length, as of a beam or bridge; -- distinguished from longitudinal pressure or stress.

Lateral strength (Mech.), strength which resists a tendency to fracture arising from lateral pressure.

Lateral system (Bridge Building), the system of horizontal braces (as between two vertical trusses) by which lateral stiffness is secured.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Stress \Stress\, v. t.

1. To subject to phonetic stress; to accent.

2. To place emphasis on; to make emphatic; emphasize.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Stress \Stress\, n. [Abbrev. fr. distress; or cf. OF. estrecier to press, pinch, (assumed) LL. strictiare, fr. L. strictus. See Distress.]

1. Distress. [Obs.]

Sad hersal of his heavy stress. --Spenser.

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

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

A body may as well lay too little as too much stress upon a dream. --L'Estrange.

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.

Stress is the mutual action between portions of matter. --Clerk Maxwell.

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, [sect][sect] 31-35.

5. (Scots Law) Distress; the act of distraining; also, the thing distrained.

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.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Stress \Stress\, v. t.

1. To press; to urge; to distress; to put to difficulties. [R.]

--Spenser.

2. To subject to stress, pressure, or strain.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)