distraint

American  

[dih-streynt] / dɪˈstreɪnt /

noun

Law.

1. the act of distraining; a distress.

---

distraint British  

/ dɪˈstreɪnt /

noun

1. law the act or process of distraining; distress

---

Etymology

Origin of distraint

1720–30; distrain + -t, modeled on constraint, restraint

Example Sentences

I have now been threatened with "enforcement by distraint" as I am currently unable to pay the outstanding bill, which means they will take my car and computers.

From The Guardian • Jun. 28, 2012

If a man has corn or money due from another man and has levied a distraint and the hostage has died a natural death in the house of the creditor, he cannot be held responsible.

From Babylonian and Assyrian Laws, Contracts and Letters by Johns, C. H. W. (Claude Hermann Walter)

If a distraint was successful, people would refuse to buy the distrained property of their neighbors.

From Our Legal Heritage June 2011 (Sixth) Edition by Reilly, S. A.

Then he goes on to say that he intended to serve notice of distraint on Frau Willmers, but had found her door locked.

From The Standard Operaglass Detailed Plots of One Hundred and Fifty-one Celebrated Operas by Annesley, Charles, pseud.

In return for this the King passed the Statute of Merchants, which made provisions for the registration of merchants' debts, their recovery by distraint, and the debtor's imprisonment.

From The Great Events by Famous Historians, Volume 06 (From Barbarossa to Dante) by Horne, Charles F. (Charles Francis)