Dis*tress" (?), n. [OE. destresse, distresse, OF. destresse, destrece, F. d'etresse, OF. destrecier to distress, (assumed) LL. districtiare, fr. L. districtus, p. p. of distringere. See Distrain, and cf. Stress.]
1.
Extreme pain or suffering; anguish of body or mind; as, to suffer distress from the gout, or from the loss of friends.
Not fearing death nor shrinking for distress.
Shak.
2.
That which occasions suffering; painful situation; misfortune; affliction; misery.
Affliction's sons are brothers in distress.
Burns.
3.
A state of danger or necessity; as, a ship in distress, from leaking, loss of spars, want of provisions or water, etc.
4. Law (a)
The act of distraining; the taking of a personal chattel out of the possession of a wrongdoer, by way of pledge for redress of an injury, or for the performance of a duty, as for nonpayment of rent or taxes, or for injury done by cattle, etc.
(b)
The thing taken by distraining; that which is seized to procure satisfaction.
Bouvier. Kent. Burrill.
If he were not paid, he would straight go and take a distress of goods and cattle.
Spenser.
The distress thus taken must be proportioned to the thing distrained for.
Blackstone.
Abuse of distress. Law See under Abuse.
Syn. -- Affliction; suffering; pain; agony; misery; torment; anguish; grief; sorrow; calamity; misfortune; trouble; adversity. See Affliction.
© Webster 1913.
Dis*tress", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Distressed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Distressing.] [Cf. OF. destrecier. See Distress, n.]
1.
To cause pain or anguish to; to pain; to oppress with calamity; to afflict; to harass; to make miserable.
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed.
2 Cor. iv. 8.
2.
To compel by pain or suffering.
Men who can neither be distressed nor won into a sacrifice of duty.
A. Hamilton.
3. Law
To seize for debt; to distrain.
Syn. -- To pain; grieve; harass; trouble; perplex; afflict; worry; annoy.
© Webster 1913.