Noun

The exercise of authority or power in a burdensome, cruel, or unjust manner.

* (Sir Walter Raleigh)

Oh, by what plots, by what forswearings, betrayings, oppressions , imprisonments, tortures, poisonings, and under what reasons of state and politic subtilty, have these forenamed kings

The act of oppressing, or the state of being oppressed.

A feeling of being oppressed.

*, chapter=7

, title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=[…] St.?Bede's at this period of its history was perhaps the poorest and most miserable parish in the East End of London. Close-packed, crushed by the buttressed height of the railway viaduct, rendered airless by huge walls of factories, it at once banished lively interest from a stranger's mind and left only a dull oppression of the spirit.}}

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.