Chapter 47

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.

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

Those countries . . . under the tropic, were of a distemper uninhabitable.

Sir W. Raleigh.

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.

They heighten distempers to diseases.

Suckling.

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

Little faults proceeding on distemper.

Shak.

Some frenzy distemper had got into his head.

Bunyan.

5. Political disorder; tumult. Waller.

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.

Dis*tem"per*ance (?), n. Distemperature. [Obs.]

Dis*tem"per*ate (?), a. [LL. distemperatus, p. p.] 1. Immoderate. [Obs.] Sir W. Raleigh.

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

Dis*tem"per*ate*ly, adv. Unduly. [Obs.]

Dis*tem"per*a*ture (?; 135), n. 1. Bad temperature; intemperateness; excess of heat or cold, or of other qualities; as, the distemperature of the air. [Obs.]

2. Disorder; confusion. Shak.

3. Disorder of body; slight illness; distemper.

A huge infectious troop Of pale distemperatures and foes to life.

Shak.

4. Perturbation of mind; mental uneasiness.

Sprinkled a little patience on the heat of his distemperature.

Sir W. Scott.

Dis*tem"per*ment (?), n. Distempered state; distemperature. [Obs.] Feltham.

Dis*tend" (?), 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.]

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.

Dis*tend", v. i. To become expanded or inflated; to swell. "His heart distends with pride." Milton.

Dis*ten`si*bil"i*ty (?), n. The quality or capacity of being distensible. [R.]

Dis*ten"si*ble (?), a. Capable of being distended or dilated.

Dis*ten"sion (?), n. Same as Distention.

Dis*ten"sive (?), a. Distending, or capable of being distended.

Dis*tent" (?), a. [L. distentus, p. p. See Distend.] Distended. [Poetic] Thomson.

Dis*tent", n. Breadth. [Obs.] Sir H. Wotton.

Dis*ten"tion (?), 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.

2. Breadth; extent or space occupied by the thing distended.

Dis*ter" (?), v. t. [L. dis- + terra earth, country; cf. Sp. & Pg. desterrar.] To banish or drive from a country. [Obs.] Howell.

Dis*ter"mi*nate (?), a. [L. disterminatus, p. p. of disterminare to limit. See Terminate.] Separated by bounds. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

Dis*ter`mi*na"tion (?), n. [L. disterminatio.] Separation by bounds. [Obs.] Hammond.

Dis"thene (?), n. [Gr. di- = di`s- twice + &?; force: cf. F. disthène.] (Min.) Cyanite or kyanite; -- so called in allusion to its unequal hardness in two different directions. See Cyanite.

Dis*throne" (?), v. t. [Pref. dis- + throne: cf. OF. desthroner, F. détroner.] To dethrone. [Obs.]

Dis*thron"ize (?), v. t. To dethrone. [Obs.] Spenser.

Dis"tich (?), n. [L. distichon, Gr. &?;, neut. of &?; with two rows, of two verses; di- = di`s- twice + &?; row, verse, fr. &?; to ascend; akin to AS. stgan to ascend: cf. F. distique. See Stirrup.] (Pros.) A couple of verses or poetic lines making complete sense; an epigram of two verses.

{ Dis"tich (?), Dis"tich*ous (?), } a. [Gr. &?;. See Distich, n.] Disposed in two vertical rows; two- ranked.

Dis"tich*ous*ly, adv. In a distichous manner.

Dis*til" (?), v. t. & i. See Distill.

Dis*till" (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Distilled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Distilling.] [F. distiller, from L. destillare, destillatum; de + stillare to drop, stilla a drop, prob. fr. stiria frozen drop, icicle; prob. akin to stare, E. stand. Cf. Still, n. & 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.

Dis*till", v. t. 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.

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

Dis*till"ate (?), n. (Chem.) The product of distillation; as, the distillate from molasses.

Dis`til*la"tion (?), n. [F. distillation, L. 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. (Chem.) 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 (Chem.), 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. (Chem.) See under Fractional.

Dis*til"la*to*ry (?), a. [Cf. F. distillatoire.] Belonging to, or used in, distilling; as, distillatory vessels. -- n. A distillatory apparatus; a still.

Dis*till"er (?), n. 1. One who distills; esp., one who extracts alcoholic liquors by distillation.

2. The condenser of a distilling apparatus.

Dis*till"er*y (?), n.; pl. Distilleries (#). [F. distillerie.] 1. The building and works where distilling, esp. of alcoholic liquors, is carried on.

2. The act of distilling spirits. [R.] Todd.

Dis*till"ment (?), n. Distillation; the substance obtained by distillation. [Obs.] Shak.

Dis*tinct" (?), a. [L. distinctus, p. p. of distinguere: cf. F. distinct. See Distinguish.] 1. Distinguished; having the difference marked; separated by a visible sign; marked out; specified. [Obs.]

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

Milton.

2. Marked; variegated. [Obs.]

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

Spenser.

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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.

Dis*tinct" (?), v. t. To distinguish. [Obs.] Rom. of R.

Dis*tinc"tion (?), n. [L. distinctio: cf. F. distinction.] 1. A marking off by visible signs; separation into parts; division. [Obs.]

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.

Dis*tinc"tive (?), a. [Cf. F. 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. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

Dis*tinc"tive*ly, adv. With distinction; plainly.

Dis*tinc"tive*ness, n. State of being distinctive.

Dis*tinct"ly (?), adv. 1. With distinctness; not confusedly; without the blending of one part or thing another; clearly; plainly; as, to see distinctly.

2. With meaning; significantly. [Obs.]

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

Shak.

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

Dis*tinct"ness, n. 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.

Dis*tinc"ture (?), n. Distinctness. [R.]

Dis*tin"guish (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Distinguished (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Distinguishing.] [F. distinguer, L. distinguere, distinctum; di- = dis- + stinguere to quench, extinguish; prob. orig., to prick, and so akin to G. stechen, E. stick, and perh. sting. Cf. 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.

Dis*tin"guish, v. i. 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.

Dis*tin"guish*a*ble (?), a. 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.

Dis*tin"guish*a*ble*ness (?), n. The quality of being distinguishable.

Dis*tin"guish*a*bly, adv. So as to be distinguished.

Dis*tin"guished (?), a. 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.

Dis*tin"guish*ed*ly (?), adv. In a distinguished manner. [R.] Swift.

Dis*tin"guish*er (?), n. 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.

Dis*tin"guish*ing, a. Constituting difference, or distinction from everything else; distinctive; peculiar; characteristic.

The distinguishing doctrines of our holy religion.

Locke.

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

Dis*tin"guish*ing*ly, adv. With distinction; with some mark of preference. Pope.

Dis*tin"guish*ment (?), n. Observation of difference; distinction. Graunt.

Dis*ti"tle (?), v. t. To deprive of title or right. [R.] B. Jonson.

||Dis"to*ma (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. di- = di`s- twice + &?; mouth.] (Zoöl.) A genus of parasitic, trematode worms, having two suckers for attaching themselves to the part they infest. See 1st Fluke, 2.

Dis*tort" (?), a. [L. distortus, p. p. of distorquere to twist, distort; dis- + torquere to twist. See Torsion.] Distorted; misshapen. [Obs.]

Her face was ugly and her mouth distort.

Spenser.

Dis*tort", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Distorted; p. pr. & vb. n. Distorting.] 1. To twist of natural or regular shape; to twist aside physically; as, to distort the limbs, or the body.

Whose face was distorted with pain.

Thackeray.

2. To force or put out of the true posture or direction; to twist aside mentally or morally.

Wrath and malice, envy and revenge, do darken and distort the understandings of men.

Tillotson.

3. To wrest from the true meaning; to pervert; as, to distort passages of Scripture, or their meaning.

Syn. -- To twist; wrest; deform; pervert.

Dis*tort"er (?), n. One who, or that which, distorts.

Dis*tor"tion (?), n. [L. distortio: cf. F. distortion.] 1. The act of distorting, or twisting out of natural or regular shape; a twisting or writhing motion; as, the distortions of the face or body.

2. A wresting from the true meaning. Bp. Wren.

3. The state of being distorted, or twisted out of shape or out of true position; crookedness; perversion.

4. (Med.) An unnatural deviation of shape or position of any part of the body producing visible deformity.

Dis*tort"ive (?), a. Causing distortion.

Dis*tract" (?), a. [L. distractus, p. p. of distrahere to draw asunder; dis- + trahere to draw. See Trace, and cf. Distraught.] 1. Separated; drawn asunder. [Obs.]

2. Insane; mad. [Obs.] Drayton.

Dis*tract", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Distracted, old p. p. Distraught; p. pr. & vb. n. Distracting.] 1. To draw apart or away; to divide; to disjoin.

A city . . . distracted from itself.

Fuller.

2. To draw (the sight, mind, or attention) in different directions; to perplex; to confuse; as, to distract the eye; to distract the attention.

Mixed metaphors . . . distract the imagination.

Goldsmith.

3. To agitate by conflicting passions, or by a variety of motives or of cares; to confound; to harass.

Horror and doubt distract His troubled thoughts.

Milton.

4. To unsettle the reason of; to render insane; to craze; to madden; -- most frequently used in the participle, distracted.

A poor mad soul; . . . poverty hath distracted her.

Shak.

Dis*tract"ed, a. Mentally disordered; unsettled; mad.

My distracted mind.

Pope.

Dis*tract"ed*ly, adv. Disjointedly; madly. Shak.

Dis*tract"ed*ness, n. A state of being distracted; distraction. Bp. Hall.

Dis*tract"er (?), n. One who, or that which, distracts away.

Dis*tract"ful (?), a. Distracting. [R.] Heywood.

Dis*tract"i*ble (?), a. Capable of being drawn aside or distracted.

Dis*tract"ile (?), a. (Bot.) Tending or serving to draw apart.

Dis*tract"ing, a. Tending or serving to distract.

Dis*trac"tion (?), n. [L. distractio: cf. F. distraction.] 1. The act of distracting; a drawing apart; separation.

To create distractions among us.

Bp. Burnet.

2. That which diverts attention; a diversion. "Domestic distractions." G. Eliot.

3. A diversity of direction; detachment. [Obs.]

His power went out in such distractions as Beguiled all species.

Shak.

4. State in which the attention is called in different ways; confusion; perplexity.

That ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.

1 Cor. vii. 35.

5. Confusion of affairs; tumult; disorder; as, political distractions.

Never was known a night of such distraction.

Dryden.

6. Agitation from violent emotions; perturbation of mind; despair.

The distraction of the children, who saw both their parents together, would have melted the hardest heart.

Tatler.

7. Derangement of the mind; madness. Atterbury.

Syn. -- Perplexity; confusion; disturbance; disorder; dissension; tumult; derangement; madness; raving; franticness; furiousness.

Dis*trac"tious (?), a. Distractive. [Obs.]

Dis*trac"tive (?), a. Causing perplexity; distracting. "Distractive thoughts." Bp. Hall.

Dis*train" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Distrained (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Distraining.] [OE. destreinen to force, OF. destreindre to press, oppress, force, fr. L. distringere, districtum, to draw asunder, hinder, molest, LL., to punish severely; di- = stringere to draw tight, press together. See Strain, and cf. Distress, District, Distraint.] 1. To press heavily upon; to bear down upon with violence; hence, to constrain or compel; to bind; to distress, torment, or afflict. [Obs.] "Distrained with chains." Chaucer.

2. To rend; to tear. [Obs.]

Neither guile nor force might it [a net] distrain.

Spenser.

3. (Law) (a) To seize, as a pledge or indemnification; to take possession of as security for nonpayment of rent, the reparation of an injury done, etc.; to take by distress; as, to distrain goods for rent, or of an amercement. (b) To subject to distress; to coerce; as, to distrain a person by his goods and chattels.

Dis*train", v. i. To levy a distress.

Upon whom I can distrain for debt.

Camden.

Dis*train"a*ble (?), a. Capable of being, or liable to be, distrained. Blackstone.

Dis*train"er (?), n. Same as Distrainor.

Dis*train"or (?), n. (Law) One who distrains; the party distraining goods or chattels. Blackstone.

Dis*traint" (?), n. [OF. destrainte distress, force.] (Law) The act or proceeding of seizing personal property by distress. Abbott.

||Dis`trait" (?), a. [F. See Distract.] Absent-minded; lost in thought; abstracted.

Dis*traught" (?), p. p. & a. [OE. distract, distrauht. See Distract, a.] 1. Torn asunder; separated. [Obs.] "His greedy throat . . . distraught." Spenser.

2. Distracted; perplexed. "Distraught twixt fear and pity." Spenser.

As if thou wert distraught and mad with terror.

Shak.

To doubt betwixt our senses and our souls Which are the most distraught and full of pain.

Mrs. Browning.

Dis*traught"ed, a. Distracted. [Obs.] Spenser.

Dis*tream" (?), v. i. [Pref. dis- (intens.) + stream.] To flow. [Poetic]

Yet o'er that virtuous blush distreams a tear.

Shenstone.

Dis*tress" (?), n. [OE. destresse, distresse, OF. destresse, destrece, F. détresse, OF. destrecier to distress, (assumed) LL. districtiare, fr. L. districtus, p. p. of distringere. See Distrain, and cf. Stress.] 1. Extreme pain or suffering; anguish of body or mind; as, to suffer distress from the gout, or from the loss of friends.

Not fearing death nor shrinking for distress.

Shak.

2. That which occasions suffering; painful situation; misfortune; affliction; misery.

Affliction's sons are brothers in distress.

Burns.

3. A state of danger or necessity; as, a ship in distress, from leaking, loss of spars, want of provisions or water, etc.

4. (Law) (a) The act of distraining; the taking of a personal chattel out of the possession of a wrongdoer, by way of pledge for redress of an injury, or for the performance of a duty, as for nonpayment of rent or taxes, or for injury done by cattle, etc. (b) The thing taken by distraining; that which is seized to procure satisfaction. Bouvier. Kent. Burrill.

If he were not paid, he would straight go and take a distress of goods and cattle.

Spenser.

The distress thus taken must be proportioned to the thing distrained for.

Blackstone.

Abuse of distress. (Law) See under Abuse.

Syn. -- Affliction; suffering; pain; agony; misery; torment; anguish; grief; sorrow; calamity; misfortune; trouble; adversity. See Affliction.

Dis*tress", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Distressed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Distressing.] [Cf. OF. destrecier. See Distress, n.] 1. To cause pain or anguish to; to pain; to oppress with calamity; to afflict; to harass; to make miserable.

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed.

2 Cor. iv. 8.

2. To compel by pain or suffering.

Men who can neither be distressed nor won into a sacrifice of duty.

A. Hamilton.

3. (Law) To seize for debt; to distrain.

Syn. -- To pain; grieve; harass; trouble; perplex; afflict; worry; annoy.

Dis*tress"ed*ness, n. A state of being distressed or greatly pained.

Dis*tress"ful (?), a. Full of distress; causing, indicating, or attended with, distress; as, a distressful situation. "Some distressful stroke." Shak. "Distressful cries." Pope. -- Dis*tress"ful*ly, adv.

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Dis*tress"ing (ds*trs"ng), a. Causing distress; painful; unpleasant.