Dis"trict (?), a. [L.
districtus, p. p.] Rigorous; stringent; harsh.
[Obs.]
Punishing with the rod of district
severity.
Foxe.
Dis"trict, n. [LL. districtus
district, fr. L. districtus, p. p. of distringere: cf.
F. district. See Distrain.] 1.
(Feudal Law) The territory within which the lord has the
power of coercing and punishing.
2. A division of territory; a defined portion
of a state, town, or city, etc., made for administrative, electoral,
or other purposes; as, a congressional district, judicial
district, land district, school district,
etc.
To exercise exclusive legislation . . . over such
district not exceeding ten miles square.
The
Constitution of the United States.
3. Any portion of territory of undefined
extent; a region; a country; a tract.
These districts which between the tropics
lie.
Blackstone.
Congressional district. See under
Congressional. -- District attorney,
the prosecuting officer of a district or district court. --
District court, a subordinate municipal, state,
or United States 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
school district. [U.S.]
Syn. -- Division; circuit; quarter; province; tract;
region; country.
Dis"trict, v. t. [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 representatives.
