abuse of distress

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Distress \Dis*tress"\, n. [OE. destresse, distresse, OF. destresse, destrece, F. d['e]tresse, OF. destrecier to distress, (assumed) LL. districtiare, fr. L. districtus, p. p. of distringere. See Distrain, and cf. Stress.]

1.Extreme pain or suffering; anguish of body or mind; as, to suffer distress from the gout, or from the loss of friends. [1913 Webster]

Not fearing death nor shrinking for distress.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

2.That which occasions suffering; painful situation; misfortune; affliction; misery. [1913 Webster]

Affliction's sons are brothers in distress.— Burns.[1913 Webster]

3.A state of danger or necessity; as, a ship in distress, from leaking, loss of spars, want of provisions or water, etc. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

If he were not paid, he would straight go and take a distress of goods and cattle.— Spenser.[1913 Webster]

The distress thus taken must be proportioned to the thing distrained for.— Blackstone.[1913 Webster]

Abuse of distress. (Law) See under Abuse.

Syn: Affliction; suffering; pain; agony; misery; torment; anguish; grief; sorrow; calamity; misfortune; trouble; adversity. See Affliction. [1913 Webster]

Abuse \A*buse"\, n. [F. abus, L. abusus, fr. abuti. See Abuse, v. t.]

1.Improper treatment or use; application to a wrong or bad purpose; misuse; as, an abuse of our natural powers; an abuse of civil rights, or of privileges or advantages; an abuse of language. [1913 Webster]

Liberty may be endangered by the abuses of liberty, as well as by the abuses of power.— Madison.[1913 Webster]

2.Physical ill treatment; injury. "Rejoice . . . at the abuse of Falstaff." --Shak. [1913 Webster]

3.A corrupt practice or custom; offense; crime; fault; as, the abuses in the civil service. [1913 Webster]

Abuse after disappeared without a struggle..— Macaulay.[1913 Webster]

4.Vituperative words; coarse, insulting speech; abusive language; virulent condemnation; reviling. [1913 Webster]

The two parties, after exchanging a good deal of abuse, came to blows.— Macaulay.[1913 Webster]

5.Violation; rape; as, abuse of a female child. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

Or is it some abuse, and no such thing?— Shak.[1913 Webster]

Abuse of distress (Law), a wrongful using of an animal or chattel distrained, by the distrainer. [1913 Webster]

Syn: Invective; contumely; reproach; scurrility; insult; opprobrium.

Usage: Abuse, Invective. Abuse is generally prompted by anger, and vented in harsh and unseemly words. It is more personal and coarse than invective. Abuse generally takes place in private quarrels; invective in writing or public discussions. Invective may be conveyed in refined language and dictated by indignation against what is blameworthy. --C. J. Smith. [1913 Webster]