\Du"ress\, n. [OF. duresse, du?, hardship, severity, L.
duritia, durities, fr. durus hard. See {Dure}.]
1. Hardship; constraint; pressure; imprisonment; restraint of
   liberty.
         The agreements . . . made with the landlords during
         the time of slavery, are only the effect of duress
         and force.                            --Burke.
2. (Law) The state of compulsion or necessity in which a
   person is influenced, whether by the unlawful restrain of
   his liberty or by actual or threatened physical violence,
   to incur a civil liability or to commit an offense.

\Du*ress"\, v. t.
To subject to duress. ``The party duressed.'' --Bacon.