duress

CEFRC1

/djʊˈɹɛs/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    Threats or force used to make someone do something.

  2. 02

    noun

    Extra detail

    Constraint by threat.

Examples

  • This contract was signed under duress and is therefore null and void.

  • Yanni's personality changed because he was under such duress.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
2

Also pronounced

  • /duˈɹɛs/
  • /d͡ʒʊˈɹɛs/

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. 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 ill...

  2. Harsh treatment.

  3. 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.

More examples

In context

  • The small nation was duressed into giving up territory.

  • Someone was duressing her.

  • […]the agreements[…]made with their landlords, during the time of ſlavery, are only the effect of dureſſe and force;[…].

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

He signed the contract under blank, threatened by the armed men.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

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