Distraint (Noun)
Meaning
The seizure and holding of property as security for payment of a debt or satisfaction of a claim; "Originally distress was a landlord's remedy against a tenant for unpaid rents or property damage but now the landlord is given a landlord's lien".
Classification
Nouns denoting acts or actions.
Examples
- The creditor exercised distraint on the debtor's property to secure payment of the outstanding loan.
- The landlord was granted distraint on the tenant's belongings for non-payment of rent.
- The court ruled in favor of the plaintiff and issued a writ of distraint against the defendant's assets.
- Without prior notice, the tax authority imposed distraint on the company's bank accounts for unpaid taxes.
- Following repeated warnings, the utility company placed distraint on the delinquent customer's service to collect the overdue bill.