verb
- seizing someone’s property to obtain payment of rent or other money owed
Usage: legal term
Examples
- The landlord is distraining the tenant’s furniture for unpaid rent.
- The court authorized distraining the debtor’s assets.
- They are distraining his cattle to recover the debt.
- The bailiff began distraining goods from the property.
- Distraining personal belongings requires proper legal procedures.
- The creditor is distraining equipment worth thousands of dollars.