\With"er*nam\, n. [AS. wi[eth]ern[=a]m; wi[eth]er
against + n[=a]m a seizure, fr. niman to take.] (Law)
A second or reciprocal distress of other goods in lieu of
goods which were taken by a first distress and have been
eloigned; a taking by way of reprisal; -- chiefly used in the
expression capias in withernam, which is the name of a writ
used in connection with the action of replevin (sometimes
called a writ of reprisal), which issues to a defendant in
replevin when he has obtained judgment for a return of the
chattels replevied, and fails to obtain them on the writ of
return. --Blackstone.