distrain

[ dih-streyn ]

/ dɪˈstreɪn /

Law.

verb (used with object)

to constrain by seizing and holding goods, etc., in pledge for rent, damages, etc., or in order to obtain satisfaction of a claim.

to levy a distress upon.

verb (used without object)

to levy a distress.

QUIZZES

CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH THIS MIDDLE SCHOOL PART OF SPEECH QUIZ!

How well do you know your adjectives from your adverbs? Your preposition from your pronouns? Your interjections from your conjunctions? Let’s put your knowledge of parts of speech to the text! Note: Many of the following questions will ask you to identify the parts of speech “in order.” That means the first word in all capital letters will correspond to the first option in an answer, and so on.

Question 1 of 10

In order, what parts of speech are the words in all capital letters? Alisa was VERY tired, SO she decided to go to bed.

adverb, adverb

adverb, conjunction

adjective, conjunction

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of distrain

1250–1300; Middle English distreinen < Anglo-French, Old French destreindre < Latin distringere to stretch out, equivalent to di- di-² + stringere to draw tight; see strain¹

OTHER WORDS FROM distrain

dis·train·a·ble, adjectivedis·train·ee, noundis·train·ment, noundis·trai·nor, dis·train·er, noun

un·dis·trained, adjective

Words nearby distrain

distractibility, distraction, distractive, distractor, distrail, distrain, distrainee, distraint, distrait, distraite, distraught

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for distrain

Her creditors had lost all patience, and were threatening to distrain on her property, and even to put her in prison.
The Works of Guy de Maupassant, Volume IV (of 8)|Guy de Maupassant
Distringas, dis-tring′gas, n. an old writ directing a sheriff or other officer to distrain.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D)|Various
At the present time, the right to distrain for rent is not recognized by many states.
Cyclopedia of Commerce, Accountancy, Business Administration, v. 3|Various
I'm up to her; she'll be coming here to-morrow, with that devil Thumbscrew, to distrain, I'll be sworn.
Ten Thousand a-Year. Volume 1.|Samuel Warren

It was not long before the lawyer came to distrain for tithe.
The Cornish Coast (South)|Charles G. Harper

British Dictionary definitions for distrain

distrain

/ (dɪˈstreɪn) /

verb

law to seize (personal property) by way of distress

Derived forms of distrain

distrainable, adjectivedistrainment, noundistrainor or distrainer, noun

Word Origin for distrain

C13: from Old French destreindre, from Latin distringere to impede, from dis- 1 + stringere to draw tight

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012