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Webster's Dictionary (1865)

3 entries under this word

District

Dis'trict, n.

noun

n. [L. Lat. districtus, district, from Lat. districtus, P. P. of distringere; Fr. district, It. distretto. See DISTRAIN.]

Sense 1. (Feudal Law.) All that space within which the lord has the power of coercing and punishing.

Sense 2. A defined portion of a state or city for legislative, judicial, fiscal, or elective purposes.

To exercise exclusive legislation . . . over such district not exceeding ten miles square. Constitution of the U. S.

Sense 3. Any portion of territory of undefined extent; a region; a country. “These districts which between the tropics lie.” Blackstone.

District attorney, the prosecuting officer of a district or district court. — District court (U. S.), a subordinate tribunal having jurisdiction in certain cases within a judicial district. — District judge, one who presides over a district court. — District school, a public school for the children within a certain district of a town.

Synonyms— Division; quarter; province; tract; region; country.

Dis'trict, v. t.

verbtransitive

[imp. & p. p. DISTRICTED; p. pr. & vb. n. DISTRICTING.] To divide into districts or limited portions of territory; as, legislatures district states for the choice of senators.

Dis'trict, a.

adjective

a. Rigorous; harsh; severe; formal. [Obs.] “District proofs.” Hackluyt.

Punishing with the rod of district severity. Foxe.