(v. t.) To press heavily upon; to bear down upon with violence; hence, to constrain or compel; to bind; to distress, torment, or afflict.
(v. t.) To rend; to tear.
(v. t.) To seize, as a pledge or indemnification; to take possession of as security for nonpayment of rent, the reparation of an injury done, etc.; to take by distress; as, to distrain goods for rent, or of an amercement.
(v. t.) To subject to distress; to coerce; as, to distrain a person by his goods and chattels.
(v. i.) To levy a distress.
Example Sentences:
(1) Bailiffs will go in to distrain and evict, but no bailiffs knock for the missing billions "tax-planned" away at the top.
Distraint
Definition:
(n.) The act or proceeding of seizing personal property by distress.
Example Sentences:
(1) The debts, distraints and threats of disqualification through bankruptcy were the climax of a decade that had begun with courage and credit.
(2) It abounds in such terms as wainage , amercement , socage , novel disseisin , mort d’ancestor and distraint .