v.
Pronunciation: di- ' str ā n
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English distreynen, from Anglo-French destreindre, from Medieval Latin distringere, from Latin, to draw apart, detain, from dis- + stringere to bind tight ― more at STRAIN
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1 : to force or compel to satisfy an obligation by means of a distress
2 : to seize by distress
intransitive verb : to levy a distress
– dis · train · able \ - ' str ā -n ə -b ə l \ adjective
– dis · train · er \ - ' str ā -n ə r \ also dis · train · or \ - ' str ā -n ə r, - ˌ str ā - ' no ̇ r \ noun