1. (n.) The act of oppressing, or state of being oppressed.

2. (n.) That which oppresses; a hardship or injustice; cruelty; severity; tyranny.

3. (n.) A sense of heaviness or obstruction in the body or mind; depression; dullness; lassitude; as, an oppression of spirits; an oppression of the lungs.

4. (n.) Ravishment; rape.

McCarthyism Schmerz Slough of Despond abuse affliction airlessness anguish argumentum baculinum bale big stick bitter cup bitter draft bitter draught bitter pill blank despondency burden burden of care burdening burthen cankerworm of care care cargo charge charging closeness cross crown of thorns cumber cumbrance curse deadweight death wish dejectedness dejection depression despair despondency despondentness despotism discouragement disheartenment dispiritedness distress domination domineering down trip downcastness downer downheartedness drag drooping spirits encumbrance enslavement fascism freight gall gall and wormwood grievance handicap harassment hardship harrying heartlessness heavy hand high hand hopelessness hounding incubus incumbency infliction injury injustice iron boot iron hand iron heel lading load loading low spirits lowness lowness of spirit malaise maltreatment millstone oppressiveness overload overtaxing overweighting pack of troubles pain peck of troubles persecution pessimism pressure red-baiting reign of terror repression saddling sea of troubles self-destructive urge sinking heart sorrow spiritlessness stuffiness subjection subjugation suicidal despair superincumbency suppression surcharge taedium vitae taxing terrorism thorn thought control torment tormenting torture trouble tyranny victimization waters of bitterness weariness of life weight witch-hunt witch-hunting woe