Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Distress
Dis-tress′
,Noun.
1.
Extreme pain or suffering; anguish of body or mind;
as, to suffer
. distress
from the gout, or from the loss of friendsNot fearing death nor shrinking for
distress
. Shakespeare
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.
Syn. – Affliction; suffering; pain; agony; misery; torment; anguish; grief; sorrow; calamity; misfortune; trouble; adversity. See
Affliction
. Dis-tress′
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Distressed
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Distressing
.] 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.
Syn. – To pain; grieve; harass; trouble; perplex; afflict; worry; annoy.
Webster 1828 Edition
Distress
DISTRESS
,Noun.
1.
The act of distraining; the taking of any personal chattel from a wrong-doer, to answer a demand, or procure satisfaction for a wrong committed.2.
The thing taken by distraining; that which is seized to procure satisfaction.A distress of household goods shall be impounded under cover. If the lessor does not find sufficient distress on the premises, &c.
3.
Extreme pain; anguish of body or mind; as, to suffer great distress from the gout, or from the loss of near friends.4.
Affliction; calamity; misery.On earth distress of nations. Luke 21.
5.
A state of danger; as a ship in distress, from leaking, loss of spars, or want of provisions or water, &c.DISTRESS
,Verb.
T.
1.
To pain; to afflict with pain or anguish; applied to the body or the mind. [Literally, to press or strain.]2.
To afflict greatly; to harass; to oppress with calamity; to make miserable.Distress not the Moabites. Deuteronomy 2.
We are troubled on every side, but not distressed. 2 Corinthians 4.
3.
To compel by pain or suffering.There are men who can neither be distressed nor won into a sacrifice of duty.