%dist%

n. [ Pref. a- not + methodist. ] One without method; a quack. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. 1 an evergreen perennial (Aspidistra elatio) with large handsome basal leaves; grown primarily as a foliage houseplant.
Syn. -- cast-iron plant, bar-room plant [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. pl. The Jesuit editors of the “Acta Sanctorum”, or Lives of the Saints; -- named from John Bolland, who began the work. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. chei`r hand + &unr_;; &unr_;, foot. ] One who treats diseases of the hands and feet; especially, one who removes corns and bunions. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A codifier; a maker of codes. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The compiler of a concordance. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who traffics illegally; a smuggler. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Distinguished by opposite qualities. J. Goodwin. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Distinction by contrast. [ 1913 Webster ]

That there are such things as sins of infirmity in contradistinction to those of presumption is not to be questioned. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. having the quality of contradistinction; distinguishing by contrast. -- Con`tra*dis*tinc"tive, n. [1913 Webster]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Contradistinguished p. pr. & vb. n. Contradistinguishing. ] To distinguish by a contrast of opposite qualities. [ 1913 Webster ]

These are our complex ideas of soul and body, as contradistinguished. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A maker of, or writer for, a cyclopedia. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A writer of a book divided into decades; as, Livy was a decadist. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. [ Distal + L. ad toward. ] (Anat.) Toward a distal part; on the distal side of; distally. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Distaffs rarely Distaves [ OE. distaf, dysestafe, AS. distaef; cf. LG. diesse the bunch of flax on a distaff, and E. dizen. See Staff. ] 1. The staff for holding a bunch of flax, tow, or wool, from which the thread is drawn in spinning by hand. [ 1913 Webster ]

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 ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Distained p. pr. & vb. n. Distaining. ] [ OE. desteinen, OF. desteindre to take away the color, F. déteindre; pref. des- (L. dis-) + F. teindre to tinge, dye, L. tingere. See Tinge, and cf. Stain. ] To tinge with a different color from the natural or proper one; to stain; to discolor; to sully; to tarnish; to defile; -- used chiefly in poetry. “Distained with dirt and blood.” Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

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

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

a. [ From Distant. ] (Physiol.) (a) Remote from the point of attachment or origin; as, the distal end of a bone or muscle; -- opposed to proximal. (b) Pertaining to that which is distal; as, the distal tuberosities of a bone. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. (Anat.) Toward a distal part. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. distance, L. distantia. ] 1. The space between two objects; the length of a line, especially the shortest line joining two points or things that are separate; measure of separation in place. [ 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 ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Distanced p. pr. & vb. n. Distancing ] 1. To place at a distance or remotely. [ 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 ]

n. Distance. [ Obs. ] Dr. H. More. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ F., fr. L. distans, -antis, p. pr. of distare to stand apart, be separate or distant; dis- + stare to stand. See Stand. ] 1. Separated; having an intervening space; at a distance; away. [ 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 ]

a. Distant. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

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

adv. At a distance; remotely; with reserve. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Aversion of the taste; dislike, as of food or drink; disrelish. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Discomfort; uneasiness. [ 1913 Webster ]

Prosperity is not without many fears and distastes, and adversity is not without comforts and hopes. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Alienation of affection; displeasure; anger. [ 1913 Webster ]

On the part of Heaven,
Now alienated, distance and distaste. Milton.

Syn. -- Disrelish; disinclination; dislike; aversion; displeasure; dissatisfaction; disgust. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Distasted; p. pr. & vb. n. Distasting. ] 1. Not to have relish or taste for; to disrelish; to loathe; to dislike. [ 1913 Webster ]

Although my will distaste what it elected. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To offend; to disgust; to displease. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

He thought in no policy to distaste the English or Irish by a course of reformation, but sought to please them. Sir J. Davies. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To deprive of taste or relish; to make unsavory or distasteful. Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To be distasteful; to taste ill or disagreeable. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Dangerous conceits are, in their natures, poisons,
Which at the are scarce found to distaste. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Unpleasant or disgusting to the taste; nauseous; loathsome. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Offensive; displeasing to the feelings; disagreeable; as, a distasteful truth. [ 1913 Webster ]

Distasteful answer, and sometimes unfriendly actions. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Manifesting distaste or dislike; repulsive. “Distasteful looks.” Shak.

Syn. -- Nauseous; unsavory; unpalatable; offensive; displeasing; dissatisfactory; disgusting.

- Dis*taste"ful*ly, adv. -- Dis*taste"ful*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Tending to excite distaste. [ Obs. ] -- n. That which excites distaste or aversion. [ Obs. ] Whitlock. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Something which excites distaste or disgust. [ Obs. ] Speed. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Distempered p. pr. & vb. n. Distempering. ] [ OF. destemprer, destremper, to distemper, F. détremper to soak, soften, slake (lime); pref. des- (L. dis-) + OF. temprer, tremper, F. tremper, L. temperare to mingle in due proportion. See Temper, and cf. Destemprer. ] 1. To temper or mix unduly; to make disproportionate; to change the due proportions of. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

When . . . the humors in his body ben distempered. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To derange the functions of, whether bodily, mental, or spiritual; to disorder; to disease. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The imagination, when completely distempered, is the most incurable of all disordered faculties. Buckminster. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To deprive of temper or moderation; to disturb; to ruffle; to make disaffected, ill-humored, or malignant. “Distempered spirits.” Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To intoxicate. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The courtiers reeling,
And the duke himself, I dare not say distempered,
But kind, and in his tottering chair carousing. Massinger. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Paint.) To mix (colors) in the way of distemper; as, to distemper colors with size. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Distemper, v. t., and cf. Destemprer. ] 1. An undue or unnatural temper, or disproportionate mixture of parts. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ This meaning and most of the following are to be referred to the Galenical doctrine of the four “humors” in man. See Humor. According to the old physicians, these humors, when unduly tempered, produce a disordered state of body and mind. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Severity of climate; extreme weather, whether hot or cold. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Those countries . . . under the tropic, were of a distemper uninhabitable. Sir W. Raleigh. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A morbid state of the animal system; indisposition; malady; disorder; -- at present chiefly applied to diseases of brutes; as, a distemper in dogs; the horse distemper; the horn distemper in cattle. [ 1913 Webster ]

They heighten distempers to diseases. Suckling. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Morbid temper of the mind; undue predominance of a passion or appetite; mental derangement; bad temper; ill humor. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Little faults proceeding on distemper. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Some frenzy distemper had got into his head. Bunyan. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Political disorder; tumult. Waller. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Paint.) (a) A preparation of opaque or body colors, in which the pigments are tempered or diluted with weak glue or size (cf. Tempera) instead of oil, usually for scene painting, or for walls and ceilings of rooms. (b) A painting done with this preparation.

Syn. -- Disease; disorder; sickness; illness; malady; indisposition; ailment. See Disease. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Distemperature. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ LL. distemperatus, p. p. ] 1. Immoderate. [ Obs. ] Sir W. Raleigh. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Diseased; disordered. [ Obs. ] Wodroephe. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Unduly. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Bad temperature; intemperateness; excess of heat or cold, or of other qualities; as, the distemperature of the air. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Disorder; confusion. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Disorder of body; slight illness; distemper. [ 1913 Webster ]

A huge infectious troop
Of pale distemperatures and foes to life. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Perturbation of mind; mental uneasiness. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sprinkled a little patience on the heat of his distemperature. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Distempered state; distemperature. [ Obs. ] Feltham. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Distended; p. pr. & vb. n. Distending. ] [ L. distendere, distentum, distensum; dis- + tendere to stretch, stretch out: cf. F. distendre to distend, détendre to unbend. See Tend, and cf. Detent. ] 1. To extend in some one direction; to lengthen out; to stretch. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

But say, what mean those colored streaks in heaven
Distended as the brow of God appeased? Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

The warmth distends the chinks. Dryden.

Syn. -- To dilate; expand; enlarge; swell; inflate. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To become expanded or inflated; to swell. “His heart distends with pride.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or capacity of being distensible. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being distended or dilated. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Same as Distention. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Distending, or capable of being distended. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. distentus, p. p. See Distend. ] Distended. [ Poetic ] Thomson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Breadth. [ Obs. ] Sir H. Wotton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. distentio: cf. F. 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Breadth; extent or space occupied by the thing distended. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. dis- + terra earth, country; cf. Sp. & Pg. desterrar. ] To banish or drive from a country. [ Obs. ] Howell. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. disterminatus, p. p. of disterminare to limit. See Terminate. ] Separated by bounds. [ Obs. ] Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]