Distractible
(Dis*tract"i*ble) a. Capable of being drawn aside or distracted.
Distractile
(Dis*tract"ile) a. (Bot.) Tending or serving to draw apart.
Distracting
(Dis*tract"ing), a. Tending or serving to distract.
Distraction
(Dis*trac"tion) n. [L. distractio: cf. F. distraction.]
1. The act of distracting; a drawing apart; separation.
To create distractions among us.
Bp. Burnet. 2. That which diverts attention; a diversion. "Domestic distractions." G. Eliot.
3. A diversity of direction; detachment. [Obs.]
His power went out in such distractions as
Beguiled all species.
Shak. 4. State in which the attention is called in different ways; confusion; perplexity.
That ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.
1 Cor. vii. 35. 5. Confusion of affairs; tumult; disorder; as, political distractions.
Never was known a night of such distraction.
Dryden. 6. Agitation from violent emotions; perturbation of mind; despair.
The distraction of the children, who saw both their parents together, would have melted the hardest
heart.
Tatler. 7. Derangement of the mind; madness. Atterbury.
Syn. — Perplexity; confusion; disturbance; disorder; dissension; tumult; derangement; madness; raving; franticness; furiousness.
Distractious
(Dis*trac"tious) a. Distractive. [Obs.]
Distractive
(Dis*trac"tive) a. Causing perplexity; distracting. "Distractive thoughts." Bp. Hall.
Distrain
(Dis*train") v. t. [imp. & p. p. Distrained ; p. pr. & vb. n. Distraining.] [OE. destreinen to
force, OF. destreindre to press, oppress, force, fr. L. distringere, districtum, to draw asunder, hinder,
molest, LL., to punish severely; di- = stringere to draw tight, press together. See Strain, and cf. Distress,
District, Distraint.]
1. To press heavily upon; to bear down upon with violence; hence, to constrain or compel; to bind; to distress,
torment, or afflict. [Obs.] "Distrained with chains." Chaucer.
2. To rend; to tear. [Obs.]
Neither guile nor force might it [a net] distrain.
Spenser. 3. (Law) (a) To seize, as a pledge or indemnification; to take possession of as security for nonpayment
of rent, the reparation of an injury done, etc.; to take by distress; as, to distrain goods for rent, or of an
amercement. (b) To subject to distress; to coerce; as, to distrain a person by his goods and chattels.
