Word: distance Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From Middle English distance, distaunce, destance (“disagreement, dispute; discrimination; armed conflict; hostility; trouble; space between two points; time interval”), from Anglo-Norman distance, distaunce, destance, Middle French distance, and Old French destance, destaunce, distaunce (“debate; difference, distinction; discord, quarrel; dispute; space between two points; time interval”) (modern French distance), and directly from their etymon Latin distantia (“difference, diversity; distance, remoteness; space between two points”) (whence also Late Latin distantia (“disagreement; discrepancy; gap, opening; time interval”)), from distāns (“being distant; standing apart”) + -ia (suffix forming feminine abstract nouns). Distāns is the present active participle of distō (“to be distant; to stand apart; to differ”), from dis- (prefix meaning ‘apart, asunder; in two’) + stō (“to stand”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- (“to stand (up)”)). The verb is derived from the noun. Cognates * Middle Dutch distancie, distantie (modern Dutch distantie); Dutch afstand (“distance”, literally “off-stand, off-stance”) * German Distanz; German Abstand * Italian distanza * Portuguese distância * Spanish distancia Pronunciation: /ˈdɪst(ə)n(t)s/ 1. An amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: [S]he […] gaue vs into our boate our ſupper halfe dreſſed, pots, and all, and brought vs to our boates ſide, in which wee laye all night, remoouing the ſame a pretie diſtance from the ſhoare: […] Example: The prince is here at hand, pleaſeth your Lordſhip / To meet his grace iuſt diſtance tvveene our armies. 2. An amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line. Labels: countable, uncountable 3. Chiefly in from a distance: a place which is far away or remote; specifically (especially painting), a more remote part of a landscape or view as contrasted with the foreground. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: VVhen from a Diſtance (I ſpeak vvith the Vulgar) vve behold great Objects, the Particles of the intermediate Air and Vapours, vvhich are themſelves unperceivable, do interrupt the Rays of Light, and thereby render the Appearance leſs Strong and Vivid; […] Example: Vievv'd from a diſtance, and vvith heedleſs eyes, / Folly and innocence are ſo alike, / The diff'rence, though eſſential, fails to ſtrike. 4. Chiefly with a modifying word: a measure between two points or quantities; a difference, a variance. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: angular distance focal distance Example: The distance between the lowest and next gear on my bicycle is annoying. 5. An interval or length of time between events. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: VVe cannot tell, at this diſtance of time, vvhich Converſation vvas firſt, that vvith Phalaris, or that vvith Leon. Example: I Muſt help my Preface by a Poſtſcript, to tell the Reader, that there is Ten Years Diſtance betvveen my vvriting the One and the Other; and that (vvhatever I thought then, and have ſomevvhere ſaid, that I vvould publiſh no more Poetry) He vvill find ſeveral Copies of Verſes ſcattered through this Edition, vvhich vvere not printed in the Firſt. 6. A separation in some way other than space or time. Labels: countable, figuratively, uncountable Example: The friendship did not survive the row: they kept each other at a distance. Example: He ſhall in ſtrangeſt, ſtand no farther off, / Then in a politique diſtance. 7. Synonym of length (“an extent measured along the longest dimension of an object”). Labels: countable, obsolete, uncountable 8. A disagreement, a dispute; also, an estrangement. Labels: countable, figuratively, obsolete, uncountable 9. A difference in pitch between sounds; an interval. Labels: countable, obsolete, uncountable Example: [N]other perceaueth the concordaunt and diſcordante diſtaunces of ſoundes, and tunes […] 10. The amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: The distance to Petersborough is thirty miles. Example: From Moscow, the distance is relatively short to Saint Petersburg, relatively long to Novosibirsk, but even greater to Vladivostok. 11. The amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line. Labels: countable, uncountable 12. The amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line. Labels: countable, uncountable 13. The amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: [William] Page. I haue heard the French-man hath good skill in his Rapier. / [Robert] Shal[low]. Tut ſir: I could haue told you more: In theſe times you ſtand on diſtance: your Paſſes, Stoccado's, and I knovv not vvhat: […] 14. The amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: THere vvere a Great many Brave, Sightly Horſes vvith Rich Trappings that vvere brought out One day to the Courſe, and Only One Plain Nag in the Company that made ſport for All the reſt. But vvhen they came at laſt to the Tryal, This vvas the Horſe that ran the VVhole Field out of Diſtance, and VVon the Race. / The MORAL. Our Senſes are No Competent Judges of the Excellencies of the Mind. 15. The amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line. Labels: countable, uncountable 16. The amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line. Labels: countable, uncountable 17. Chiefly preceded by the, especially in into or in the distance: the place that is far away or remote. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: There was a little light / That twinkled in the misty distance: […] Example: They walked along the road; Scrooge recognising every gate, and post, and tree; until a little market-town appeared in the distance, with its bridge, its church, and winding river. 18. The state of being separated from something else, especially by a long way; the state of being far off or remote; farness, remoteness. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: Some Figures monſtrous and miſ-ſhap'd appear, / Conſider'd ſingly, or beheld too near, / VVhich, but proportion'd to their Light, or Place, / Due Diſtance reconciles to Form and Grace. Example: [Julius] Cæſar is ſtill diſpoſed to give us Terms, / And vvaits at Diſtance 'till he hears from Cato. 19. The entire amount of progress to an objective. Labels: countable, figuratively, uncountable Example: He had promised to perform this task, but did not go the distance. 20. The state of remoteness or separation in some way other than space or time. Labels: countable, figuratively, uncountable Example: the distance between a descendant and their ancestor Example: We’re narrowing the distance between the two versions of the bill. 21. The state of people not being close, friendly, or intimate with each other; also, the state of people who were once close, friendly, or intimate with each other no longer being so; estrangement. Labels: countable, figuratively, uncountable Example: For ſhe vvas ſought by ſpirits of ritcheſt cote, / But kept cold diſtance, and did thence remoue, / To ſpend her liuing in eternall loue. Example: [F]oul diſtruſt, and breach / Diſloyal on the part of Man, revolt, / And diſobedience: On the part of Heav'n / Novv alienated, diſtance and diſtaſte, / Anger and juſt rebuke, and judgement giv'n, […] 22. Excessive reserve or lack of friendliness shown by a person; aloofness, coldness. Labels: countable, figuratively, uncountable 23. The rank to which an important person belongs. Labels: countable, figuratively, obsolete, uncountable Example: [T]o your eye, / Theſe (Madame) that vvithout your diſtance lie, / Muſt either miſt, or nothing ſeeme to be, […] Example: I am not ſatisfied in vvhat diſtance properly to place theſe perſons. Some, perchance, vvill account it too high, to rank them amongſt Martyrs; and ſurely, I conceive it too lovv, to eſteem them but bare Confeſſours. 24. The state of disagreement or dispute between people; dissension. Labels: countable, figuratively, obsolete, uncountable Example: Macb[eth]. Both of you knovv Banquo vvas your Enemie. / Murth[erer]. True, my Lord. / Macb. So is he mine: and in ſuch bloody diſtance, / That euery minute of his being, thruſts / Againſt my neer'ſt of Life: […] Example: Generally, the Diuiding and Breaking of all Factions, and Combinations that are aduerſe to the State, and ſetting them at diſtance, or at leaſt diſtruſt amongſt themſelues, is not one of the vvorſt Remedies. 25. Often followed by to or towards: an attitude of remoteness or reserve which respect requires; hence, ceremoniousness. Labels: countable, figuratively, obsolete, uncountable Example: [T]hough you ſee / The King is kind, I hope your modeſty / VVill knovv, vvhat diſtance to the Crovvn is due. Example: I vvill not ſift into them too minutely; for I'll obſerve the reſpect and diſtance that's due to him from his Scholar: […]