Distress — Defs

01 n. Extreme pain or suffering; anguish of body or mind; as, to suffer distress from the gout, or from the loss of friends.

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.
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.(Law)
“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.

Phrases & compounds

Abuse of distress — See under Abuse.

02 v. t. To cause pain or anguish to; to pain; to oppress with calamity; to afflict; to harass; to make miserable.

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.
3.
To seize for debt; to distrain.(Law)

Syn. To pain; grieve; harass; trouble; perplex; afflict; worry; annoy.