DURESS Meaning and
Definition
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Duress is a noun that refers to a state of being under extreme pressure, coercion, or compulsion that causes someone to act against their will or better judgment. It involves the use of threats, intimidation, or physical force to induce someone to engage in a particular action or behavior, which they would not have chosen willingly in normal circumstances.
When a person is under duress, they are forced into compliance, often because they fear the consequences of resistance. This can include situations where individuals are coerced into committing illegal or unethical acts due to the threat of harm, injury, or punishment. Duress typically undermines one's freedom of choice, leaving them feeling trapped or powerless.
In a legal context, the defense of duress can be used to argue that a person committed a crime under the threat of immediate harm or death, negating their culpability or criminal intent. However, the concept of duress requires demonstrating a reasonable belief that the threat was genuine and imminent, leaving no other realistic options for action or escape.
Overall, duress represents a psychological and physical state in which an individual is compelled to behave against their will due to external pressure, typically involving some form of threat or coercion. It highlights the infringement of personal autonomy and the adverse effects of forcibly compelling someone to act in a manner they find objectionable or undesirable.
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• Constraint, actual or threatened; imprisonment; restraint of liberty.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
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Etymology of DURESS
The word duress originated from the Latin term duritia, which means hardness or severity. This Latin root eventually evolved into the Old French word duresce, meaning hardship or constraint. Over time, it was further anglicized into duresse and later transformed into its modern form, duress.
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