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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Distres, n. Also: dystres, distresse, -ese, destres; dystras, distrase. [ME. dys-, distresse (14th c.), destresse (c 1290), OF. destresse, -stre(s)ce.]

1. Distress, affliction, severe trouble.(a) a1400 Leg. S. Prol. 140.
Disciplis ȝet had he … sewinty and twa, That ware with hym in gret distres Ib. xvi. 213.
Of hungyre & storme into dystres c1400 Troy-bk. i. 90.
It mytht happyn sone one hand … To led ws in-to syk distres c1420 Wynt. vi. 412.
In till Rome all this tyme wes The Crystyne men in gret dystres 1456 Hay I. 47/27.
He … past agayn in his contree with few folk and mekle distres Ib. II. 81/32.
He that gevis atour his power … puttis him till a bitter nedefull destres of povertie c1450-2 Howlat 393.
Thar armes of ancestry … , Quhilk oft blythit the Bruse in his distres a1500 Henr. Fab. 170.
This rurall mous in to the wynter tyde Had hunger, cauld, and tholit gret distres a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 342.
The feir of ded him put in sic distres, That he swet blud 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. xi.
The rage of youtheid may nocht dantit be, But gret distres and scharp adversite c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1160.
Thus they remainit in merines, Beleifand neuer to haue distres a1585 Maitl. Q. xlvi. 114.
Doull and distres almost to deid him drew(b) a1400 Leg. S. v. 648.
He knew it, and … Persavit vele, sancte Iohne it ves, That it had tane fore distrase Ib. xvi. 488.
It ma happyne … [her to be] nocht fullely ded, … Thocht sik dystras hyre can led

b. Severe lack, dearth. a1400 Leg. S. xviii. 926.
Thar-of haffand dystras, … For sic defawt oft wantonly I brynt as fyre in myn entent 1456 Hay II. 112/13.
Ane unkynde ȝere of distresse of cornis and vittailis

2. The act of distraining or taking by force. 14.. Acts I. 109/2.
In the self land he sal nocht make outtrage distres Ib.
He that makis the distres 1456 Hay I. 207/16.
The Duk of Savoye gerris … inquere straytly quha has maid this ref or distres 1460 Ayr Charters 34.
Ye mak you to … oysse the kepyng of the … fayr with wrangwis customis and distres 1630 Misc. Hist. Soc. II. 254.
If ye blok, be war of distressis on the land

3. Anything taken by an officer by way of distraint or as a pledge. 14.. Acts I. 109/2.
The pundis & the distres salbe haldyn in that ilk barouny quhar that thai ar takyn gif he that makis the dystres haf steddis quhar he may do suilk pundis in 1456 Peebles B. Rec. 114.
The balye chardit John Naper seriand … ga to Wil Geddes and tak a dysstres and latit hym to borch 1457 Acts II. 47/1.
The complaynt maide … that pure commonys ar gretumly iniuryt … be the kingis schirefis … in tymis of faris takande distres of thair gudis of litill quantite 1460 Ayr Charters 34.
Our wyll is … that ye tak na distres nor customis in the sayd fayr 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Prisæ.
Ane poynd, distres, or moveable gudes, taken for execution of ane decreit Id. Reg. Maj. 78.
The schiref sall deliver his distresses (or poyndes) to him to borgh … , and sall persew him quha tuke the distres