Obs. exc. dial. [Aphetic f. DISTRESS v.] trans. To levy a distress upon, distrain. Also absol.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 234. Ȝif here rente be not redily paied here bestis ben stressid & þei pursued wiþouten mercy.
1483. Cath. Angl., 368/2. To Stresse, distringere.
1876. Whitby Gloss., s.v., ‘They ’re boun te stress for ’t,’ to force the payment by law.
1886. W. Somerset Word-bk., s.v., Well, I be zorry vor to zee a widow umman a-stress’d; but her can’t never ’spect to bide there, not if her don’t pay no rent.
