dis sympathy (dis sim path i)

[ dist. An abbreviation of district: as, Dist. Atty., District Atvorney. distacklet (dis-tak'l), v. t. [ At length, these instruments of their long wand rings... to ed their dis tackled fleet to the shore of Libya. Warner, Albion's England, Addition to ii. distad (dis'tad), adv. [ late ME. disen, dysen, furnish a distaff with flax, E. dizen, dial. dize, deck out, array) (prob. = East Fries. di en = LG. die e, the bunch of flax on the distaff, > G. dial. die e (naut.), tow, oakum) + staf, staff: see dize, dizen, and staff. A connection of the first element with OHG. dehsa, MHG. dehse, a distaff, into Europe, about the fifteenth century, the distaff became an attachment only of that designed for flax, and thus continued in general use till a recent period, modified in form. The loaded distaff in the left hand placed, With spongy coils of snow-white wool was graced; From these the right hand lengthening fibres drew, Which into thread 'neath nimble fingers grew. Catullus (trans.). He's so below a beating that the women find him not worthy of their distaves. Beau, and Fl., King and No King, v. 1. 2. Figuratively, a woman, or the female sex. His crown usurped, a distaff on the throne. Dryden, Distaff day, or Saint Distaff's day, the day after Twelfth-day, or the festival of Epiphany: formerly so called in England because on that day the women resumed their distaffs and other ordinary employments, after the relaxation of the holidays. - Distaff side, or distaff side of the house, an old collective phrase for the female members of a family, as the distaff was always used by women, and was common among all ranks: used especially with reference to relationship and descent, and opposed to spear side: as, he is connected with the family on the distaff side; he traces his descent through the distaff side of the house. Also called spindle side. distain (dis-tān'), v. t. [ And thou, Tesbe, that hast of love suche peyne, My lady comith, that al this may disteyne . Chaucer, Good Women, 1. 262. 2. To tinge with any color different from the natural or proper one; discolor; stain: as, a sword distained with blood. [Archaic.] Divers of the women I have seen with their chinnes dis 1690 the center of the body; being at the end; terminal; peripheral: the opposite of proximal: as, the distal end of a limb, a bone, or other part or organ. Thus, the nails are at the distal ends of the fingers; the distal extremity of the thigh-bone is at the knee; the distal organs or appendages of a hydrozoan are at the end of the main stem. An insect, in entering to suck the nectar, would depre the distal portion of the labellum [in Epipactis palustris ), and consequently would not touch the rostel. Darwin , Fertil. of Orchids by Insects, p. 97. distally (dis'tal-i), adv . In a distal situation or direction; toward the distal end or extrem- ity; remotely; terminally; peripherally. The humerus is a stout bone - prismatic, and with a rounded head at its proximal end, flattened and broad distally. Huxley , Anat. Vert., p. 185. distant, v. t. [A var. of distance , v.] To keep separate; distinguish. For an I war dead, and ye war dead, And baith in ae grave laid, O, And ye and I war tane up again, Wha could dist an your mouls frae mine, O? Laird of Drum (Child's Ballads, IV. 122). distance (dis'tans), n. [ destaunce = D. distantie = G. distanz = Dan. distance = Sw. distans , distance , distance, = Pr. Sp. Pg. distancia = It. distanza , distanzia , distant i a , distance, remotene , difference, dist an (t-)s, distant: see distant . ] 1. The measure of the interval between two objects in space, or, by extension, between two points of time; the length of the straight line from one point to another, and hence of time intervening between one event or period and another: as, the distance between New York and San Francisco; the dis tance of two events from each other; a distance of five miles; events only the distance of an hour apart. In navigation distances are usually measured along rhumb-lines. Space considered barely in length between any two beings, without considering any thing else between them, is called distance . Locke, Human Understanding, II. xiii. 2. 2. A definite or measured space to be main tained between two divisions of a body of troops, two combatants in a duel, or the like: as (in command), take your distances. He fights as you sing prick-song, keeps time, distance, and proportion. Shak., R. and J., ii. 4. 3. In horse- racing, the space measured back from the winning-post which a horse, in he a traces, must have reached when the winning horse has covered the whole course in order to be entitled to enter subsequent heats. In the United States the distances for trotting-races are (1889) as follows: Mile-heats, 80 yards; two-mile heats, 150 yards; three-mile heats, 220 yards; mile-heats, best three in five, 100 yards; mile-heats, with eight or more starters, 120 yards. The distances for running-races are as follows: Three-quarter-mile heats, 25 yards; mile-heats, 30 yards; two-mile heats, 50 yards; three-mile heats, 60 yards; s; four mile heats, 70 yards. A horse which fails to reach the distance-post before the heat has been won, or whose rider or driver is adjudged to have made certain specified errors, is said to be distanced. This was the horse that ran the whole field out of dis Sir R. L'Estrange. tance. 4. In music, the interval or difference between two tones. See interval.-5. Remotene of place or time; a remote place or time: as, at a great distance; a light appeared in the distance. "Twere an ill World, I'll swear, for ev'ry Friend, If Distance could their Union end. Cowley, Friendship in Absence, st. 3. 'Tis distance lends enchantment to the view, And robes the mountain in its azure hue. Campbell, Pleasures of Hope, i. 7. 6. Remotene in succe ion or relation: as, the distance between a descendant and his an cestor; there is a much greater distance between of the skin with needles. Sandys , Travailes, p. 85. Colors that distain The cheeks of Proteus or the silken train Of Flora's nymphs. Quarles, Emblems, iii. 14. The door, which was equipped with neither bell nor knocker, was blistered and distained . R. L. Stevens on , Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, p. 4. 3. To blot; sully; defile; tarnish. Thoughe one his tonge distayne With cursid spec he, to doo hym silf a shame. Political Poems , etc. (ed. Furnivall), p. 77. The worthine of praise distains his worth, If that the prais'd himself bring the praise forth. Shak., T. and C., i. 3. Have ye fair daughters? Look To see them live, torn from your arms, dixtained , Dishonored. Mi Mitford, Rienzi. distal (dis'tal), a. [ dist ( ance ) + -al , on analogy of central .] In an at ., situated away from those of captain and first lieutenant.-7. Remotene in intercourse; reserve of manner, induced by or manifesting reverence, respect, dignity, dislike, coldne or alienation of feel ing, etc. IMG:content-2880.png:[blocks in formation] distant Acce ible distances, such distances as may be measured by the application of any linear measure.-Angular distance, the angle of separation included by the directions of two objects from a given point. Also A called apparent distance.- Center of mean distances. See center1. C Angular Distance. The angle ACB is the angular distance between A and B as viewed from C Curtate distance. See curtate. B Focal distance. See focal. - Horizontal distance, distance measured in the direction of the horizon. Inacce ible distances, such distances as cannot be measured by the application of any linear measure, but only by triangulation.-Law of distances. See Bode's law, under law. -Line of distance, in persp., a straight line drawn from the eye to the principal point of the plane. - Mean distance of a planet from the sun, an arithmetical mean between its greatest and least distances. - Meridional distance, in navig., the distance or departure from the meridian; the easting or westing. Middle distance, in painting, the space intermediate between the foreground and the background. Also called middle ground. - Moon in distance. See moon.-Point of distance, in persp., that point in the horizontal line which is at the same distance from the principal point as the eye is. - Striking distance of an electrical discharge, as of a Leyden jar, the thickne of the layer of dry air acro which the spark will pa . It is proportional to the difference of potentials of the two electrified surfaces. - To devour the distance. See de vour.- To keep one at a distance, to avoid familiarity with one; treat one with reserve. There is great reason why superiors should keep inferiors thus at a distance , and exact so much respect of them. Pococke , Description of the East, I. 182. To keep one's distance, to show proper respect or reserve; not to be too familiar. If a man makes me keep my distance, the comfort is, he keeps his at the same time. Swift , Thoughts on Various Subjects.