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.
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 (?), a. [L. districtus, p. p.]
Rigorous; stringent; harsh.
[Obs.]
Punishing with the rod of district severity.
Foxe.
Hear it pronounced