Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Distance

Dis′tance

,
Noun.
[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.
Every particle attracts every other with a force . . . inversely proportioned to the square of the
distance
.
Sir I. Newton.
2.
Remoteness of place; a remote place.
Easily managed from a
distance
.
W. Irving.
’T is
distance
lends enchantment to the view.
T. Campbell.
[He] waits at
distance
till he hears from Cato.
Addison.
3.
(Racing)
A space marked out in the last part of a race course.
The horse that ran the whole field out of
distance
.
L'Estrange.
☞ 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.
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.
5.
Space between two antagonists in fencing.
Shak.
6.
(Painting)
The part of a picture which contains the representation of those objects which are the farthest away, esp. in a landscape.
☞ 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.
7.
Ideal disjunction; discrepancy; contrariety.
Locke.
8.
Length or interval of time; period, past or future, between two eras or events.
Ten years'
distance
between one and the other.
Prior.
The writings of Euclid at the
distance
of two thousand years.
Playfair.
9.
The remoteness or reserve which respect requires; hence, respect; ceremoniousness.
I hope your modesty
Will know what
distance
to the crown is due.
Dryden.
'T is by respect and
distance
that authority is upheld.
Atterbury.
10.
A withholding of intimacy; alienation; coldness; disagreement; variance; restraint; reserve.
Setting them [factions] at
distance
, or at least distrust amongst themselves.
Bacon.
On the part of Heaven,
Now alienated,
distance
and distaste.
Milton.
11.
Remoteness in succession or relation;
as, the
distance
between a descendant and his ancestor
.
12.
(Mus.)
The interval between two notes;
as, the
distance
of a fourth or seventh
.
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.
If a man makes me
keep my distance
, the comfort is he keeps his at the same time.
Swift.

Dis′tance

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Distanced
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Distancing
.]
1.
To place at a distance or remotely.
I heard nothing thereof at Oxford, being then miles
distanced
thence.
Fuller.
2.
To cause to appear as if at a distance; to make seem remote.
His peculiar art of
distancing
an object to aggrandize his space.
H. Miller.
3.
To outstrip by as much as a distance (see
Distance
,
Noun.
, 3); to leave far behind; to surpass greatly.
He
distanced
the most skillful of his contemporaries.
Milner.

Webster 1828 Edition

Distance

DISTANCE

,
Noun.
[L., to stand apart; to stand.]
1.
An interval or space between two objects; the length of the shortest line which intervenes between two things that are separate; as a great or small distance. Distance may be aline, an inch, a mile, or any indefinite length; as the distance between the sun and Saturn.
2.
Preceded by at, remoteness of place.
He waits at distance till he hears from Cato.
3.
Preceded by thy, his, your, her, their, a suitable space, or such remoteness as is common or becoming; as, let him keep his distance; keep your distance. [See No. 8.]
4.
A space marked on the course where horses run.
This horse ran the whole field out of distance.
5.
Space of time; any indefinite length of time, past or future, intervening between two periods or events; as the distance of an hour, of a year, of an age.
6.
Ideal space or separation.
Qualities that affect our senses are, in the things themselves, so united and blended, that there is no distance between them.
7.
Contrariety; opposition.
Banquo was your enemy, so he is mine, and in such bloody distance--
8.
The remoteness which respect requires; hence, respect.
I hope your modesty will know what distance to the crown is due.
Tis by respect and distance that authority is upheld.
[See No. 3]
9.
Reserve; coldness; alienation of heart.
On the part of heaven now alientated, distance and distaste.
10.
Remoteness in succession or relation; as the distance between a descendant and his ancestor.
11.
In music, the interval between two notes; as the distance of a fourth or seventh.

DISTANCE

,
Verb.
T.
1.
To place remote; to throw off from the view.
2.
To leave behind in a race;; to win the race by a great superiority.
3.
To leave at a great distance behind.
He distanced the most skillful of his cotemporaries.

Definition 2024

distance

distance

See also: distancé

English

Alternative forms

Noun

distance ‎(countable and uncountable, plural distances)

  1. (countable) The amount of space between two points, usually geographical points, usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line.
    The distance to Petersborough is thirty miles.  There is a long distance between Moscow and Vladivostok.‎
    • 1918, W. B. Maxwell, chapter 5, in The Mirror and the Lamp:
      Then everybody once more knelt, and soon the blessing was pronounced. The choir and the clergy trooped out slowly, […], down the nave to the western door. […] At a seemingly immense distance the surpliced group stopped to say the last prayer.
  2. Length or interval of time.
    • Matthew Prior (1664-1721)
      ten years' distance between one and the other
    • John Playfair (1748-1819)
      the writings of Euclid at the distance of two thousand years
  3. (countable, informal) The difference; the subjective measure between two quantities.
    We're narrowing the distance between the two versions of the bill.  The distance between the lowest and next gear on my bicycle is annoying.‎
  4. Remoteness of place; a remote place.
  5. Remoteness in succession or relation.
    the distance between a descendant and his ancestor‎
  6. A space marked out in the last part of a racecourse.
    • Roger L'Estrange (1616-1704)
      the horse that ran the whole field out of distance
  7. (uncountable, figuratively) The entire amount of progress to an objective.
    He had promised to perform this task, but did not go the distance.‎
  8. (uncountable, figuratively) A withholding of intimacy; alienation; variance.
    The friendship did not survive the row: they kept each other at a distance.‎
    • Francis Bacon (1561-1626)
      Setting them [factions] at distance, or at least distrust amongst themselves.
    • John Milton (1608-1674)
      On the part of Heaven, / Now alienated, distance and distaste.
    • 1893, Walter Besant, The Ivory Gate, chapter III:
      In former days every tavern of repute kept such a room for its own select circle, a club, or society, of habitués, who met every evening, for a pipe and a cheerful glass. […] Strangers might enter the room, but they were made to feel that they were there on sufferance: they were received with distance and suspicion.
  9. The remoteness or reserve which respect requires; hence, respect; ceremoniousness.
    • John Dryden (1631-1700)
      I hope your modesty / Will know what distance to the crown is due.
    • Francis Atterbury (1663-1732)
      'Tis by respect and distance that authority is upheld.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Verb

distance ‎(third-person singular simple present distances, present participle distancing, simple past and past participle distanced)

  1. (transitive) To move away (from) someone or something.
    He distanced himself from the comments made by some of his colleagues.
  2. (transitive) To leave at a distance; to outpace, leave behind.
    • 1891, Mary Noailles Murfree, In the "Stranger People's" Country, Nebraska 2005, p. 71:
      Then the horse, with muscles strong as steel, distanced the sound.

Derived terms

Translations

Statistics

Most common English words before 1923: try · loved · deal · #625: distance · thinking · beginning · unless

Danish

Etymology

From French distance.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /distanɡsə/, [d̥iˈsd̥ɑŋsə]

Noun

distance c (singular definite distancen, plural indefinite distancer)

  1. distance
  2. detachment

Inflection

French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /distɑ̃s/

Noun

distance f ‎(plural distances)

  1. distance

Verb

distance

  1. first-person singular present indicative of distancer
  2. third-person singular present indicative of distancer
  3. first-person singular present subjunctive of distancer
  4. first-person singular present subjunctive of distancer
  5. second-person singular imperative of distancer

Latvian

Noun

distance f (5 declension)

  1. distance
  2. interval
  3. railway division

Declension

Etymology

From Middle English, from Old French, from Latin distantia ‎(“distance, remoteneness, difference”), from distāns, present participle of distō ‎(“I stand apart, I am separate, distant, or different”), from di-, dis- ‎(“apart”) + stō ‎(“I stand”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈdɪstəns/

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