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.