duress

Valid in Scrabble

Scrabble points
7
Words With Friends
8
Letters
6
Pronunciation
/djʊˈɹɛs/ (UK)
See all 3 pronunciations
/djʊˈɹɛs/ (UK) · /d͡ʒʊˈɹɛs/ (UK) · /duˈɹɛs/ (US)

Definition of duress

4 senses · 2 parts of speech · etymology included

noun

  1. (obsolete, uncountable)Harsh treatment.
    “[…]the agreements[…]made with their landlords, during the time of ſlavery, are only the effect of dureſſe and force;[…].”
See all 4 definitions

noun

  1. (obsolete, uncountable)Harsh treatment.
    “[…]the agreements[…]made with their landlords, during the time of ſlavery, are only the effect of dureſſe and force;[…].”
  2. (uncountable)Constraint by threat.
    “It is unclear when it was filmed and if she was under duress during filming.”
  3. (uncountable)Restraint in which a person is influenced, whether by lawful or unlawful forceful compulsion of their liberty by monition or implementation of physical enforcement; legally for the incurring of civil liability, of a citizen's arrest, or of subrogation, or illegally for the committing of an offense, of forcing a contract, or of using threats.

verb

  1. To put under duress; to pressure.
    “Someone was duressing her.”
    “The small nation was duressed into giving up territory.”

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English duresse, from Old French duresse, from Latin dūritia (“hardness”), from dūrus (“hard”).

Anagrams of duress

3 plays · some not in Scrabble

Best play druses 7 points

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