Etymology : Middle English difficulte, from Latin difficultas, from difficilis not easy, from dis- + facilis easy; more at FACILE
Pronunciation : -(")k&l-tE
Function : noun
Date : 14th century
1. something that is difficult; hardship, trouble. difficulty\dif"fi*cul*ty\ , n.; pl. difficulties (#). [l. difficultas, fr. difficilis difficult; dif- = dis- + facilis easy: cf. f. difficulté. see:
facile.].
2. the state of being difficult, or hard to do; hardness; arduousness; -- opposed to easiness or facility; as, the difficulty of a task or enterprise; a work of difficulty. not being able to promote them [the interests of life] on account of the difficulty of the region.
3. something difficult; a thing hard to do or to understand; that which occasions labor or perplexity, and requires skill and perseverance to overcome, solve, or achieve; a hard enterprise; an obstacle; an impediment; as, the difficulties of a science; difficulties in theology. they lie under some difficulties by reason of the emperor's displeasure.
4. a controversy; a falling out; a disagreement; an objection; a cavil. measures for terminating all local difficulties.
5. embarrassment of affairs, especially financial affairs; -- usually in the plural; as, to be in difficulties. in days of difficulty and pressure.
6. The state of being difficult, or hard to do; hardness; arduousness; opposed to easiness or facility; as, the difficulty of a task or enterprise; a work of difficulty.
7. Something difficult; a thing hard to do or to understand; that which occasions labor or perplexity, and requires skill and perseverance to overcome, solve, or achieve; a hard enterprise; an obstacle; an impediment; as, the difficulties of a science; difficulties in theology.
8. A controversy; a falling out; a disagreement; an objection; a cavil.
9. Embarrassment of affairs, especially financial affairs; usually in the plural; as, to be in difficulties. the quality of being difficult; "they agreed about the difficulty of the climb" a factor causing trouble in achieving a positive result or tending to produce a negative result; "serious difficulties were encountered in obtaining a pure reagent" a condition or state of affairs almost beyond one's ability to deal with and requiring great effort to bear or overcome; "grappling with financial difficulties".
10. 1. A difficulty is a problem. the difficulty of getting accurate information The country is facing great economic difficulties.
11. If you have difficulty doing something, you are not able to do it easily. Do you have difficulty getting up?.
12. If you are in difficulty or in difficulties, you are having a lot of problems.