'Abuse of distress' definitions:

Definition of 'Abuse of distress'

From: GCIDE
  • Distress \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. [1913 Webster]
  • Not fearing death nor shrinking for distress. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. That which occasions suffering; painful situation; misfortune; affliction; misery. [1913 Webster]
  • Affliction's sons are brothers in distress. --Burns. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. A state of danger or necessity; as, a ship in distress, from leaking, loss of spars, want of provisions or water, etc. [1913 Webster]
  • 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. [1913 Webster]
  • If he were not paid, he would straight go and take a distress of goods and cattle. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]
  • The distress thus taken must be proportioned to the thing distrained for. --Blackstone. [1913 Webster]
  • Abuse of distress. (Law) See under Abuse.
  • Syn: Affliction; suffering; pain; agony; misery; torment; anguish; grief; sorrow; calamity; misfortune; trouble; adversity. See Affliction. [1913 Webster]