Search the Dictionary

olence; hence, to constrain or compel; to bind; to distress, torment, or afflict. [Obs.] "Distrained with chains." Chaucer.

Capable of being, or liable to be, distrained. Blackstone.

Same as Distrainor.

One who distrains; the party distraining goods or chattels. Blackstone.

The act or proceeding of seizing personal property by distress. Abbott.

One who distrains again.

and no such thing Shak. Abuse of distress (Law), a wrongful using of an animal or chattel distrained, by the distrainer.

The act of the distrainer of goods, who, in an action of replevin, avows and justifies the taking in his own right. Blackstone.

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.

A writ commanding the sheriff to distrain a person by his goods or chattels, to compel a compliance with something required of him.

To distrain for rent. [Obs.] To let drive, to aim a blow; to strike with force; to attack. "Four rogues in buckram let drive at me." Shak.

A distraining or levying of a distress; an impounding. Burrill.

To distrain. [Scot.] Sir W. Scott.

One who distrains property. [Scot.] Jamieson.

Blackstone. Writ of recaption (Law), a writ to recover damages for him whose goods, being distrained for rent or service, are distrained again for the same cause.Wharton.

The forcible retaking, or taking away, against law, of things lawfully distrained.

Distress; the act of distraining; also, the thing distrained. Stress of voice, unusual exertion of the voice. -- Stress of weather, constraint imposed by continued bad weather; as, to be driven back to port by stress of weather. -- To lay stress upon, to attach great importance to; to emphasize. "Consider how great a…