Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Difficulty \Dif"fi*cul*ty\, n.; pl. {Difficulties}. [L.
   difficultas, fr. difficilis difficult; dif- = dis- + facilis
   easy: cf. F. difficult['e]. See {Facile}.]
   1. 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.
                                                  --James Byrne.

   2. 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.                --Addison.

   3. A controversy; a falling out; a disagreement; an
      objection; a cavil.

            Measures for terminating all local difficulties.
                                                  --Bancroft.

   4. Embarrassment of affairs, especially financial affairs; --
      usually in the plural; as, to be in difficulties.

            In days of difficulty and pressure.   --Tennyson.

   Syn: Impediment; obstacle; obstruction; embarrassment;
        perplexity; exigency; distress; trouble; trial;
        objection; cavil. See {Impediment}.

Source : WordNet®

difficulty
     n 1: an effort that is inconvenient; "I went to a lot of
          trouble"; "he won without any trouble"; "had difficulty
          walking"; "finished the test only with great difficulty"
          [syn: {trouble}]
     2: 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"
     3: 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"
     4: the quality of being difficult; "they agreed about the
        difficulty of the climb" [syn: {difficultness}] [ant: {ease}]