θλίψεως [9 verses](noun sg fem gen)"Tribulation" is thlipsis, which means "pressure," "crushing," and "castration." It is a metaphor for "affliction"and "oppression."  -- The Greek word translated as "tribulation" means "pressure," which is translated as a metaphor for "oppression." Since it primarily means pressure in the sense of "crushing" (and "castration"), it is a more colorful word than the words we used to describe a time of difficulty. This is a common word in the Septuagint for "distress," but it appears in Greek literature more as a scientific term than a social description.