Distend Dis·tend" transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Distended ; present participle & verbal noun Distending .] [ Latin distendere , distentum , distensum ; dis- + tendere to stretch, stretch out: confer French distendre to distend, détendre to unbend. See Tend , and confer Detent .] 1. To extend in some one direction; to lengthen out; to stretch. [ R.]

But say, what mean those colored streaks in heaven
Distended as the brow of God appeased?

Milton. 2. To stretch out or extend in all directions; to dilate; to enlarge, as by elasticity of parts; to inflate so as to produce tension; to cause to swell; as, to distend a bladder, the stomach, etc.

The warmth distends the chinks.

Dryden. Syn. -- To dilate; expand; enlarge; swell; inflate.

Distend Dis·tend" intransitive verb To become expanded or inflated; to swell. "His heart distends with pride." Milton.

Distensibility Dis·ten`si·bil"i·ty noun The quality or capacity of being distensible. [ R.]

Distensible Dis·ten"si·ble adjective Capable of being distended or dilated.

Distension Dis·ten"sion noun Same as Distention .

Distensive Dis·ten"sive adjective Distending, or capable of being distended.

Distent Dis·tent" adjective [ Latin distentus , past participle See Distend .] Distended. [ Poetic] Thomson.

Distent Dis·tent" noun Breadth. [ Obsolete] Sir H. Wotton.

Distention Dis·ten"tion noun [ Latin distentio : confer French distension .] 1. The act of distending; the act of stretching in breadth or in all directions; the state of being Distended; as, the distention of the lungs. 2. Breadth; extent or space occupied by the thing distended.

Dister Dis·ter" transitive verb [ Latin dis- + terra earth, country; confer Spanish & Portuguese desterrar .] To banish or drive from a country. [ Obsolete] Howell.

Disterminate Dis·ter"mi·nate adjective [ Latin disterminatus , past participle of disterminare to limit. See Terminate .] Separated by bounds. [ Obsolete] Bp. Hall.

Distermination Dis·ter`mi·na"tion noun [ Latin disterminatio .] Separation by bounds. [ Obsolete] Hammond.

Disthene Dis"thene noun [ Greek di- = di`s- twice + ... force: confer French disthène .] (Min.) Cyanite or kyanite; -- so called in allusion to its unequal hardness in two different directions. See Cyanite .

Disthrone Dis·throne" transitive verb [ Prefix dis- + throne : confer Old French desthroner , French détroner .] To dethrone. [ Obsolete]

Disthronize Dis·thron"ize transitive verb To dethrone. [ Obsolete] Spenser.

Distich Dis"tich noun [ Latin distichon , Greek ..., neut. of ... with two rows, of two verses; di- = di`s- twice + ... row, verse, from ... to ascend; akin to Anglo-Saxon stīgan to ascend: confer French distique . See Stirrup .] (Pros.) A couple of verses or poetic lines making complete sense; an epigram of two verses.

Distich, Distichous Dis"tich, Dis"tich·ous adjective [ Greek .... See Distich , noun ] Disposed in two vertical rows; two- ranked.

Distichously Dis"tich·ous·ly adverb In a distichous manner.

Distil Dis·til" transitive verb & i. See Distill .

Distill Dis·till" intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Distilled ; present participle & verbal noun Distilling .] [ French distiller , from Latin destillare , destillatum ; de + stillare to drop, stilla a drop, probably from stiria frozen drop, icicle; probably akin to stare , English stand . Confer Still , noun & v ., Instill .] [ Written also distil .] 1. To drop; to fall in drops; to trickle.

Soft showers distilled , and suns grew warm in vain.

Pope. 2. To flow gently, or in a small stream.

The Euphrates distilleth out of the mountains of Armenia.

Sir W. Raleigh. 3. To practice the art of distillation. Shak.

Distill Dis·till" transitive verb 1. To let fall or send down in drops.

Or o'er the glebe distill the kindly rain.

Pope.

The dew which on the tender grass
The evening had distilled .

Drayton. 2. To obtain by distillation; to extract by distillation, as spirits, essential oil, etc.; to rectify; as, to distill brandy from wine; to distill alcoholic spirits from grain; to distill essential oils from flowers, etc.; to distill fresh water from sea water. " Distilling odors on me." Tennyson. 3. To subject to distillation; as, to distill molasses in making rum; to distill barley, rye, corn, etc. 4. To dissolve or melt. [ R.]

Swords by the lightning's subtle force distilled .

Addison.

Distillable Dis·till"a·ble adjective (Chemistry) Capable of being distilled; especially, capable of being distilled without chemical change or decomposition; as, alcohol is distillable ; olive oil is not distillable .

Distillate Dis·till"ate noun (Chemistry) The product of distillation; as, the distillate from molasses.

Distillation Dis`til·la"tion noun [ French distillation , Latin destillatio .] 1. The act of falling in drops, or the act of pouring out in drops. 2. That which falls in drops. [ R.] Johnson 3. (Chemistry) The separation of the volatile parts of a substance from the more fixed; specifically, the operation of driving off gas or vapor from volatile liquids or solids, by heat in a retort or still, and the condensation of the products as far as possible by a cool receiver, alembic, or condenser; rectification; vaporization; condensation; as, the distillation of illuminating gas and coal, of alcohol from sour mash, or of boric acid in steam. » The evaporation of water, its condensation into clouds, and its precipitation as rain, dew, frost, snow, or hail, is an illustration of natural distillation . 4. The substance extracted by distilling. Shak. Destructive distillation (Chemistry) , the distillation, especially of complex solid substances, so that the ultimate constituents are separated or evolved in new compounds, -- usually requiring a high degree of heat; as, the destructive distillation of soft coal or of wood. -- Dry distillation , the distillation of substances by themselves, or without the addition of water or of other volatile solvent; as, the dry distillation of citric acid. -- Fractional distillation . (Chemistry) See under Fractional .

Distillatory Dis·til"la·to·ry adjective [ Confer French distillatoire .] Belonging to, or used in, distilling; as, distillatory vessels. -- noun A distillatory apparatus; a still.

Distiller Dis·till"er noun 1. One who distills; esp., one who extracts alcoholic liquors by distillation. 2. The condenser of a distilling apparatus.

Distillery Dis·till"er·y noun ; plural Distilleries . [ French distillerie .] 1. The building and works where distilling, esp. of alcoholic liquors, is carried on. 2. The act of distilling spirits. [ R.] Todd.

Distillment Dis·till"ment noun Distillation; the substance obtained by distillation. [ Obsolete] Shak.

Distinct Dis·tinct" adjective [ Latin distinctus , past participle of distinguere : confer French distinct . See Distinguish .] 1. Distinguished; having the difference marked; separated by a visible sign; marked out; specified. [ Obsolete]

Wherever thus created -- for no place
Is yet distinct by name.

Milton. 2. Marked; variegated. [ Obsolete]

The which [ place] was dight
With divers flowers distinct with rare delight.

Spenser. 3. Separate in place; not conjunct; not united by growth or otherwise; -- with from .

The intention was that the two armies which marched out together should afterward be distinct .

Clarendon. 4. Not identical; different; individual.

To offend, and judge, are distinct offices.

Shak. 5. So separated as not to be confounded with any other thing; not liable to be misunderstood; not confused; well- defined; clear; as, we have a distinct or indistinct view of a prospect.

Relation more particular and distinct .

Milton. Syn. -- Separate; unconnected; disjoined; different; clear; plain; conspicuous; obvious.

Distinct Dis·tinct" transitive verb To distinguish. [ Obsolete] Rom. of R.

Distinction Dis·tinc"tion noun [ Latin distinctio : confer French distinction .] 1. A marking off by visible signs; separation into parts; division. [ Obsolete]

The distinction of tragedy into acts was not known.

Dryden. 2. The act of distinguishing or denoting the differences between objects, or the qualities by which one is known from others; exercise of discernment; discrimination.

To take away therefore that error, which confusion breedeth, distinction is requisite.

Hooker. 3. That which distinguishes one thing from another; distinguishing quality; sharply defined difference; as, the distinction between real and apparent good.

The distinction betwixt the animal kingdom and the inferior parts of matter.

Locke. 4. Estimation of difference; regard to differences or distinguishing circumstance.

Maids, women, wives, without distinction , fall.

Dryden. 5. Conspicuous station; eminence; superiority; honorable estimation; as, a man of distinction .

Your country's own means of distinction and defense.

D. Webster. Syn. -- Difference; variation, variety; contrast; diversity; contrariety; disagreement; discrimination; preference; superiority; rank; note; eminence.

Distinctive Dis·tinc"tive adjective [ Confer French distinctif .] 1. Marking or expressing distinction or difference; distinguishing; characteristic; peculiar.

The distinctive character and institutions of New England.

Bancroft. 2. Having the power to distinguish and discern; discriminating. [ Obsolete] Sir T. Browne.

Distinctively Dis·tinc"tive·ly adverb With distinction; plainly.

Distinctiveness Dis·tinc"tive·ness noun State of being distinctive.

Distinctly Dis·tinct"ly adverb 1. With distinctness; not confusedly; without the blending of one part or thing another; clearly; plainly; as, to see distinctly . 2. With meaning; significantly. [ Obsolete]

Thou dost snore distinctly ;
There's meaning in thy snores.

Shak. Syn. -- Separately; clearly; plainly; obviously.

Distinctness Dis·tinct"ness noun 1. The quality or state of being distinct; a separation or difference that prevents confusion of parts or things.

The soul's . . . distinctness from the body.

Cudworth. 2. Nice discrimination; hence, clearness; precision; as, he stated his arguments with great distinctness . Syn. -- Plainness; clearness; precision; perspicuity.

Distincture Dis·tinc"ture noun Distinctness. [ R.]

Distinguish Dis·tin"guish transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Distinguished ; present participle & verbal noun Distinguishing .] [ French distinguer , Latin distinguere , distinctum ; di- = dis- + stinguere to quench, extinguish; probably orig., to prick, and so akin to German stechen , English stick , and perhaps sting . Confer Extinguish .] 1. Not set apart from others by visible marks; to make distinctive or discernible by exhibiting differences; to mark off by some characteristic.

Not more distinguished by her purple vest,
Than by the charming features of her face.

Dryden.

Milton has distinguished the sweetbrier and the eglantine.

Nares. 2. To separate by definition of terms or logical division of a subject with regard to difference; as, to distinguish sounds into high and low.

Moses distinguished the causes of the flood into those that belong to the heavens, and those that belong to the earth.

T. Burnet. 3. To recognize or discern by marks, signs, or characteristic quality or qualities; to know and discriminate (anything) from other things with which it might be confounded; as, to distinguish the sound of a drum.

We are enabled to distinguish good from evil, as well as truth from falsehood.

Watts.

Nor more can you distinguish of a man,
Than of his outward show.

Shak. 4. To constitute a difference; to make to differ.

Who distinguisheth thee?

1 Cor. iv. 7. (Douay version). 5. To separate from others by a mark of honor; to make eminent or known; to confer distinction upon; -- with by or for . "To distinguish themselves by means never tried before." Johnson. Syn. -- To mark; discriminate; differentiate; characterize; discern; perceive; signalize; honor; glorify.

Distinguish Dis·tin"guish intransitive verb 1. To make distinctions; to perceive the difference; to exercise discrimination; -- with between ; as, a judge distinguishes between cases apparently similar, but differing in principle. 2. To become distinguished or distinctive; to make one's self or itself discernible. [ R.]

The little embryo . . . first distinguishes into a little knot.

Jer. Taylor.

Distinguishable Dis·tin"guish·a·ble adjective 1. Capable of being distinguished; separable; divisible; discernible; capable of recognition; as, a tree at a distance is distinguishable from a shrub.

A simple idea being in itself uncompounded . . . is not distinguishable into different ideas.

Locke. 2. Worthy of note or special regard. Swift.

Distinguishableness Dis·tin"guish·a·ble·ness noun The quality of being distinguishable.

Distinguishably Dis·tin"guish·a·bly adverb So as to be distinguished.

Distinguished Dis·tin"guished adjective 1. Marked; special.

The most distinguished politeness.

Mad. D' Arblay. 2. Separated from others by distinct difference; having, or indicating, superiority; eminent or known; illustrious; -- applied to persons and deeds. Syn. -- Marked; noted; famous; conspicuous; celebrated; transcendent; eminent; illustrious; extraordinary; prominent. -- Distinguished , Eminent , Conspicuous , Celebrated , Illustrious . A man is eminent , when he stands high as compared with those around him; conspicuous , when he is so elevated as to be seen and observed; distinguished , when he has something which makes him stand apart from others in the public view; celebrated , when he is widely spoken of with honor and respect; illustrious , when a splendor is thrown around him which confers the highest dignity.

Distinguishedly Dis·tin"guish·ed·ly adverb In a distinguished manner. [ R.] Swift.

Distinguisher Dis·tin"guish·er noun 1. One who, or that which, distinguishes or separates one thing from another by marks of diversity. Sir T. Browne. 2. One who discerns accurately the difference of things; a nice or judicious observer. Dryden.

Distinguishing Dis·tin"guish·ing adjective Constituting difference, or distinction from everything else; distinctive; peculiar; characteristic.

The distinguishing doctrines of our holy religion.

Locke. Distinguishing pennant (Nautical) , a special pennant by which any particular vessel in a fleet is recognized and signaled. Simmonds.

Distinguishingly Dis·tin"guish·ing·ly adverb With distinction; with some mark of preference. Pope.

Distinguishment Dis·tin"guish·ment noun Observation of difference; distinction. Graunt.

Distitle Dis·ti"tle transitive verb To deprive of title or right. [ R.] B. Jonson.

Distoma Dis"to·ma noun [ New Latin , from Greek di- = di`s- twice + ... mouth.] (Zoology) A genus of parasitic, trematode worms, having two suckers for attaching themselves to the part they infest. See 1st Fluke , 2.