TUC, as it were, to be deeply distressed (3,2)
I believe the answer is:
cut up
'to be deeply distressed' is the definition.
(someone cut up by something is distressed by it)
'tuc as it' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite see how this works, but
an anagram of 'tuc' is 'cut' which is present in the answer.
The remaining letters 'up' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This explanation may well be incorrect...
'were' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for cut up that I've seen before include "Destroy with scissors" , "Badly hurt" , "Deeply distressed (slang)" , "Very unhappy" , "Dice, chop" .)