Category:Duress

Du"ress, n. Etym: [OF. duresse, du, hardship, severity, L. duritia, durities, fr. durus hard. See Dure.]

1. Hardship; constraint; pressure; imprisonment; restraint of liberty. The agreements. . . made with the landlords during the time of slavery, are only the effect of duress and force. Burke.

2. (Law)

Defn: The state of compulsion or necessity in which a person is influenced, whether by the unlawful restrain of his liberty or by actual or threatened physical violence, to incur a civil liability or to commit an offense.

duress Du*ress", v. t.

Defn: To subject to duress. "The party duressed." Bacon.