I will the distaff hold; come thou and spin. Fairfax. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Used as a symbol of the holder of a distaff; hence, a woman; women, collectively. [ 1913 Webster ]

His crown usurped, a distaff on the throne. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Some say the crozier, some say the distaff was too busy. Howell. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The plural is regular, but Distaves occurs in Beaumont & Fletcher. [ 1913 Webster ]

Descent by distaff, descent on the mother's side. --
Distaff Day, or
Distaff's Day, the morrow of the Epiphany, that is, January 7, because working at the distaff was then resumed, after the Christmas festival; -- called also Rock Day, a distaff being called a rock. Shipley. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ She ] hath . . . distained her honorable blood. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

The worthiness of praise distains his worth. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

I heard nothing thereof at Oxford, being then miles distanced thence. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To cause to appear as if at a distance; to make seem remote. [ 1913 Webster ]

His peculiar art of distancing an object to aggrandize his space. H. Miller. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To outstrip by as much as a distance (see Distance, n., 3); to leave far behind; to surpass greatly. [ 1913 Webster ]

He distanced the most skillful of his contemporaries. Milner. [ 1913 Webster ]

Every particle attracts every other with a force . . . inversely proportioned to the square of the distance. Sir I. Newton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Remoteness of place; a remote place. [ 1913 Webster ]

Easily managed from a distance. W. Irving. [ 1913 Webster ]

'T is distance lends enchantment to the view. T. Campbell. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ He ] waits at distance till he hears from Cato. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Racing) A space marked out in the last part of a race course. [ 1913 Webster ]

The horse that ran the whole field out of distance. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In trotting matches under the rules of the American Association, the distance varies with the conditions of the race, being 80 yards in races of mile heats, best two in three, and 150 yards in races of two-mile heats. At that distance from the winning post is placed the distance post. If any horse has not reached this distance post before the first horse in that heat has reached the winning post, such horse is distanced, and disqualified for running again during that race. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Mil.) Relative space, between troops in ranks, measured from front to rear; -- contrasted with interval, which is measured from right to left. “Distance between companies in close column is twelve yards.” Farrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Space between two antagonists in fencing. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Painting) The part of a picture which contains the representation of those objects which are the farthest away, esp. in a landscape. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In a picture, the
Middle distance is the central portion between the foreground and the distance or the extreme distance. In a perspective drawing, the
Point of distance is the point where the visual rays meet. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. Ideal disjunction; discrepancy; contrariety. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. Length or interval of time; period, past or future, between two eras or events. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ten years' distance between one and the other. Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

The writings of Euclid at the distance of two thousand years. Playfair. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. The remoteness or reserve which respect requires; hence, respect; ceremoniousness. [ 1913 Webster ]

I hope your modesty
Will know what distance to the crown is due. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

'T is by respect and distance that authority is upheld. Atterbury. [ 1913 Webster ]

10. A withholding of intimacy; alienation; coldness; disagreement; variance; restraint; reserve. [ 1913 Webster ]

Setting them [ factions ] at distance, or at least distrust amongst themselves. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

On the part of Heaven,
Now alienated, distance and distaste. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

11. Remoteness in succession or relation; as, the distance between a descendant and his ancestor. [ 1913 Webster ]

12. (Mus.) The interval between two notes; as, the distance of a fourth or seventh. [ 1913 Webster ]

Angular distance, the distance made at the eye by lines drawn from the eye to two objects. --
Lunar distance. See under Lunar. --
North polar distance (Astron.), the distance on the heavens of a heavenly body from the north pole. It is the complement of the declination. --
Zenith distance (Astron.), the arc on the heavens from a heavenly body to the zenith of the observer. It is the complement of the altitude. --
To keep one's distance, to stand aloof; to refrain from familiarity. [ 1913 Webster ]

If a man makes me keep my distance, the comfort is he keeps his at the same time. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

One board had two tenons, equally distant. Ex. xxxvi. 22. [ 1913 Webster ]

Diana's temple is not distant far. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Far separated; far off; not near; remote; -- in place, time, consanguinity, or connection; as, distant times; distant relatives. [ 1913 Webster ]

The success of these distant enterprises. Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Reserved or repelling in manners; cold; not cordial; somewhat haughty; as, a distant manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

He passed me with a distant bow. Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Indistinct; faint; obscure, as from distance. [ 1913 Webster ]

Some distant knowledge. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

A distant glimpse. W. Irving. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Not conformable; discrepant; repugnant; as, a practice so widely distant from Christianity.

Syn. -- Separate; far; remote; aloof; apart; asunder; slight; faint; indirect; indistinct. [ 1913 Webster ]

More distantial from the eye. W. Montagu. [ 1913 Webster ]