Distrain
(Dis*train"), v. i. To levy a distress.
Upon whom I can distrain for debt.
Camden. Distrainable
(Dis*train"a*ble) a. Capable of being, or liable to be, distrained. Blackstone.
Distrainer
(Dis*train"er) n. Same as Distrainor.
Distrainor
(Dis*train"or) n. (Law) One who distrains; the party distraining goods or chattels. Blackstone.
Distraint
(Dis*traint") n. [OF. destrainte distress, force.] (Law) The act or proceeding of seizing personal
property by distress. Abbott.
Distrait
(||Dis`trait") a. [F. See Distract.] Absent-minded; lost in thought; abstracted.
Distraught
(Dis*traught") p. p. & a. [OE. distract, distrauht. See Distract, a.]
1. Torn asunder; separated. [Obs.] "His greedy throat . . . distraught." Spenser.
2. Distracted; perplexed. "Distraught twixt fear and pity." Spenser.
As if thou wert distraught and mad with terror.
Shak.
To doubt betwixt our senses and our souls
Which are the most distraught and full of pain.
Mrs. Browning. Distraughted
(Dis*traught"ed), a. Distracted. [Obs.] Spenser.
Distream
(Dis*tream") v. i. [Pref. dis- (intens.) + stream.] To flow. [Poetic]
Yet o'er that virtuous blush distreams a tear.
Shenstone. Distress
(Dis*tress") n. [OE. destresse, distresse, OF. destresse, destrece, F. détresse, 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.
