What does "durance" mean?

Durance: Imprisonment; restraint of the person; custody by a jailer; duress. Shak. "Durance vile." Burns. In durance, exile, Bedlam or the mint. Pope.

Additional senses

2.(a) A stout cloth stuff, formerly made in imitation of buff leather and used for garments; a sort of tammy or everlasting. Where didst thou buy this buff let me not live but I will give thee a good suit of durance. J. Webster. (b) In modern manufacture, a worsted of one color used for window blinds and similar purposes.

Sources

Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00