Word: distance Part of Speech: verb 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. Often followed by from: to set (someone or something) at a distance (noun sense 1.1) from someone or something else. Labels: transitive Example: If therefore the Interpoſition of Gloceſterſhire diſtanceth VVorceſterſhire from confining on the VVeſt-Saxons, the Animadvertor ought to have vented his diſpleaſure not on Me, but on Bede, and [Henry of] Huntington, vvhoſe vvords I exactly tranſlated. Example: The faireſt [oxen] in England are bred (or if you vvill, made) in this County, vvith goodly heads, the Tips of vvhoſe horns are ſometimes diſtanced five foot aſunder. 2. To cause (a place, a thing, etc.) to seem distant, or (figurative) unfamiliar. Labels: transitive Example: That vvhich gives the Relievo to a Bovvl, (may ſome ſay to me) is the quick Light, or the vvhite, vvhich appears to be on the ſide, vvhich is neareſt to us, and the black by conſequence diſtances the Object: […] Example: Below you, where the valley widens greenly toward other mountains, which the ripe Italian air distances with a bloom like that on unplucked grapes, are more arches, ossified arteries of what was once the heart of the world. 3. To leave behind (someone or something moving in the same direction; specifically, other competitors in a race) some distance away; to outpace, to outstrip. Labels: transitive Example: Our fleeter steeds have distanced our attendants; / They lag behind us with a slower pace; / We will await them under the green pendants / Of the great willows in this shady place. Example: He heard only here and there the ecstatic burst of a mocking-bird's wonderful roulades. Then the horse, with muscles as strong as steel, distanced the sound. 4. To keep (someone) emotionally or socially apart from another person or people. Labels: figuratively, transitive 5. To exceed or surpass (someone, such as a peer or rival); to outdo, to outstrip. Labels: figuratively, transitive 6. To keep (oneself) away from someone or something, especially because one does not want to be associated with that person or thing. Labels: figuratively, reflexive, transitive Example: He distanced himself from the comments made by some of his colleagues. Example: [S]ince the Church hath, and ought to have a Government, it muſt not only be inoffenſive, but moſt proper, to call it an Hierarchy, or holy Government; […] Beſides, [John] Calvin admitting of ſacrum regimen [holy government], over nicely diſtanceth himſelf from thoſe vvho call it Hierarchy, for he ſaith the ſame in Latin, vvhich they do in Greek; […] 7. Of a racehorse: to beat (another horse) by a certain distance; also (passive voice), to cause (a horse) to be disqualified by beating it by a certain distance. Labels: US, archaic, transitive Example: [H]e is of Opinion it is inhuman, that Animals ſhould be put upon their utmoſt Strength and Metal for our Diverſion only. Hovvever, not to be particular, he puts in for the Queen's Plate every Year, vvith Orders to his Rider never to vvin or be diſtanced; […] 8. To cover the entire distance to (something). Labels: obsolete, transitive Example: The ſunne and all the ſtarres that do appear / She [Psyche] feels them in herſelf, can diſtance all, / For ſhe is at each one purely preſentiall. 9. To depart from (a place); to leave (a place) behind. Labels: obsolete, transitive Example: [W]e heard the joyous voices sound louder and freer as they distanced the solemn precincts, scattering frolic and music through the town as they separated to their different homes. 10. To indicate or measure the distance to (a place). Labels: obsolete, transitive Example: THe Hebrevvs diſtanced their places by ſeverall meaſures, ſome arbitrary, caſuall, and uncertain; others certain, as reduced to a conſtant ſtandard. Of the former vvas their meaſuring of land by paces, for vve read, vvhen David ſolemnly brought the Ark into Jeruſalem, vvhen he had gone ſix paces he offered oxen and fatlings. 11. To set (two or more things) at regular distances from each other; to space, to space out. Labels: obsolete, transitive Example: In the deſign of a Colonnade, or ſingle Columns, the Inter-columns are tvvo diameters, as in the Portico of St. Maria Rotunda at Rome; and this manner of diſtancing the Columns is, by Vitruvius, call'd Syſtylos. 12. Often followed by from. Labels: intransitive, reflexive 13. Often followed by from. Labels: figuratively, intransitive, reflexive Example: When a family member goes outside of the family to deal with a problem, he or she distances from the family. The family therapist offers the family the opportunity to deal with problems in a way that will allow them to deepen their connections with each other. The therapist will not be able to accomplish this goal if various family members go outside the family to resolve their problems. Example: Also, due to irritability, tension, startle reactions, and feelings of no future love and enjoyment, the partners distance one from another and stop doing things together. […] The therapeutic relationship with PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder] patients is very difficult at the beginning of the therapy as these patients will not allow the therapist "to come close to them"—for the same reason as they distance from their family members and partners (the therapist cannot understand them as she/he has not experienced the same thing they did and they are not good enough to be helped; they believe they destroy every person they come into contact with).