facing or experiencing financial trouble or difficulty; "distressed companies need loans and technical advice"; "financially hard-pressed Mexican hotels are lowering their prices"; "we were hard put to meet the mortgage paymentng"; "it was apparent that the magazine was in trouble"; "found themselves in a bad way financially"
render capable or able for some task; "This skill will enable you to find a job on Wall Street"; "The rope enables you to secure yourself when you climb the mountain"
the act of distinguishing by comparing differences
the range of optical density and tone on a photographic negative or print (or the extent to which adjacent areas on a television screen differ in brightness)
the perceptual effect of the juxtaposition of very different colors
the opposition or dissimilarity of things that are compared; "in contrast to", "by contrast"
put in opposition to show or emphasize differences; "The middle school teacher contrasted her best student's work with that of her weakest student"
to show differences when compared; be different; "the students contrast considerably in their artistic abilities"
make a request or demand for something to somebody; "She asked him for a loan"
consider obligatory; request and expect; "We require our secretary to be on time"; "Aren't we asking too much of these children?"; "I expect my students to arrive in time for their lessons"
inquire about; "I asked about their special today"; "He had to ask directions several times"
direct or put; seek an answer to; "ask a question"
address a question to and expect an answer from; "Ask your teacher about trigonometry"; "The children asked me about their dead grandmother"
require or ask for as a price or condition; "He is asking $200 for the table"; "The kidnappers are asking a million dollars in return for the release of their hostage"
providing or experiencing physical discomfort; "an uncomfortable chair"; "an uncomfortable day in the hot sun"
conducive to or feeling mental discomfort; "this kind of life can prove disruptive and uncomfortable"; "the uncomfortable truth"; "grew uncomfortable beneath his appraising eye"; "an uncomfortable way of surprising me just when I felt surest"; "the teacher's presence at the conference made the child very uncomfortable"