Noun

(-)

(Cause of) discomfort.

* {{quote-book

, year=1833 , author=John Trusler , title=The Works of William Hogarth: In a Series of Engravings , chapter=8 citation , passage=To heighten his distress , he is approached by his wife, and bitterly upbraided for his perfidy in concealing from her his former connexions (with that unhappy girl who is here present with her child, the innocent offspring of her amours, fainting at the sight of his misfortunes, being unable to relieve him farther), and plunging her into those difficulties she never shall be able to surmount.}}

Serious danger.

* {{quote-book

, year=1719 , author=Daniel Defoe , title=Robinson Crusoe , chapter=13 citation , passage=I immediately considered that this must be some ship in distress , and that they had some comrade, or some other ship in company, and fired these gun for signals of distress, and to obtain help.}}

* {{quote-book

, year=1759 , author=Voltaire , title=Candide , chapter=42 citation , passage=At length they perceived a little cottage; two persons in the decline of life dwelt in this desert, who were always ready to give every assistance in their power to their fellow-creatures in distress .}}

(legal) A seizing of property without legal process to force payment of a debt.

(legal) The thing taken by distraining; that which is seized to procure satisfaction.

* Spenser

If he were not paid, he would straight go and take a distress of goods and cattle.

* Blackstone

The distress thus taken must be proportioned to the thing distrained for.

Noun

(en-noun)

A state of tranquility, quiet, and harmony; absence of violence. For instance, a state free from civil disturbance.

* 2001 , Carol Stream, Unshaken

Naomi boasted in nothing but the God of Israel. And she found peace even in the midst of chaos when she went to Him in prayer.

A state free of oppressive and unpleasant thoughts and emotions.

Harmony in personal relations.

A state free of war, in particular war between different countries.

* 1969 March 31, (John Lennon), Bagism Press Conference at Sacher Hotel, Vienna

Now, a lot of cynics have said, “Oh, it’s easy to sit in bed for seven days,” but I’d like some of them to try it, and talk for seven days about peace'. All we’re saying is give ' peace a chance.

* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-20, volume=408, issue=8845, magazine=(The Economist)

, title= Old soldiers? , passage=Whether modern, industrial man is less or more warlike than his hunter-gatherer ancestors is impossible to determine.