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Definitions for: Distress
[n] the seizure and holding of property as security for payment of a debt or satisfaction of a claim; "Originally distress was a landloard's remedy against a tenant for unpaid rents or property damage but now the landlord is given a landlord's lien"
[n] psychological suffering; "the death of his wife caused him great distress"
[n] extreme physical pain; "the patient appeared to be in distress"
[n] a state of adversity (danger or affliction or need); "a ship in distress"; "she was the classic maiden in distress"
[v] cause mental pain to
Webster (1913) Definition: Dis*tress", n. [OE. destresse, distresse, OF.
destresse, destrece, F. d['e]tresse, 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.
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.
Synonyms: distraint, hurt, suffering
See Also: adversity, anguish, anguish, besiege, disturb, hardship, hurting, pain, pain, painfulness, pressure, seizure, self-torment, self-torture, throe, torment, torture, trouble, upset, wound
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