Dif'fi-cul-ty, n.

(110), n. [Lat. difficulitas, Fr. difficulté, Pr. difficultat, It. difficoltà, Sp. difficultud.]

1. The state of being difficult, or hard to accomplish, or to deal with; hardness; arduousness; — opposed to easiness or facility; as, the difficulty of a task or enterprise; a work of labor and difficulty.
2. Something difficult; a thing hard to accomplish or to deal with; that which occasions labor, embarrassment, or perplexity; trouble; obstacle; impediment; as, the difficulties of a science; difficulties in theology.
3. A controversy; falling out; a variance or disagreement; an objection; a cavil. “Measures for terminating all local difficulties.” Bancroft.

Syn.—Impediment; obstacle; obstruction; embarrassment; perplexity; exigency; distress; trouble; trial; objection; cavil. See IMPEDIMENT.