Widow (wid´ō), n. a woman who has outlived her husband.

what does the symbol (´) indicate?

the syllable most emphasized
the o is a short vowel
the syllable least emphasized
the o is a long vowel

the syllable most emphasized

In the word widow, a stress is found in the first syllable which means that the first syllable of the word gains more emphasis compared to the other syllable. The stress sign does not talk whether the o is a long or short vowel. 

The american colonists strongly opposed the tax laws imposed by the british government. the american colonists were angered by the presence of british soldiers who had found employment in america