See Also: distance(2)(dictionary)
Distance(medicine)
map distance(medicine)
distance(1)(dictionary)
Levenshtein Distance(law)
Distance healing(health)
sociometric distance(medicine)
social distance(medicine)
pupillary distance(medicine)
long-distance(dictionary)

distance(1) (iou)



distance noun. ME.
[Old French destance, (also mod.) distance or Latin distantia, from distant-: see DISTANT adjective, -ANCE.]
I. [Old French destance.]
The condition of being at variance; discord, dissension; dispute, debate. ME-M18.
A disagreement, a quarrel; an estrangement. ME-M17.
II. [Latin distantia.]
Difference of quality or nature; diversity. LME-M16.
III. [Latin distantia, Old & mod. French distance.]
The fact or condition of being apart or far off in space; remoteness. LME.
Shelley Afar the Contadino's song is heard..made sweet by distance. C. H. Sisson A bench some distance from the bed.
The extent of space lying between two points; the space to be passed over before reaching an object; an intervening space. LME.
W. S. Maugham Excursions to places of interest within convenient distance. A. Paton He..began to walk across the bare fields, measuring the distance with his strides.
b. Fencing. A definite interval of space to be kept between two combatants. L16.
c. Military. The space between adjacent individuals when standing in rank; the space between the ranks. M17.
d. Horse-racing. A distance of 240 yards (220 metres) or thereabouts; orig. (now US), the distance from the winning-post which a horse must have reached when the winner finishes in order to qualify for a subsequent heat. L17.
e. The range within which a boxer can strike his opponent. E19.
The length of time between two events; an interval, an intervening period. Now only in distance of time. LME.
S. Foote Take..three times a day, at two hours distance. Ld Macaulay An apprehension not to be mentioned, even at this distance of time, without shame and indignation.
b. The scheduled length of a boxing-match. Esp. in go the distance below. M20.
Music. An interval. M16-L18.
(The part of a picture representing) the distant part of a landscape; the more remote part of what the eye can see; a point or region a long way away. M16.
J. Willock I was unable to walk to any distance. C. Darwin The rocks..appear from a distance of a brilliantly white colour. Day Lewis A bicycle-bell rings in the distance.
Remoteness in personal relations; lack or avoidance of intimacy or familiarity; aloofness, reserve. Formerly also, deference. L16.
Shakespeare Othello He shall in strangeness stand no further off Than in a politic distance. E. Reveley A certain distance had to be maintained and he kept his own voice deliberately cool.
fig. Remoteness or lack of closeness in likeness, relationship, allusion, degree, etc. M17.
Phrases: at a distance, (arch.) at distance far off, not very near (action at a distance: see ACTION noun 1). go the distance Boxing complete the scheduled duration of a fight. keep one's distance remain a certain way away (from); avoid closeness; fig. avoid undue familiarity. know one's distance arch. recognize what degree of familiarity is appropriate. LONG-DISTANCE. lunar distance: see LUNAR adjective. middle distance: see MIDDLE adjective. polar distance: see POLAR adjective. social distance: see SOCIAL adjective. within a measurable distance of: see MEASURABLE 1. within hailing distance, within walking distance near enough to reach easily by the specified means (cf. striking distance s.v. STRIKING noun).
Comb.: distance learning: in which lessons are given by post, radio, etc., rather than in person; distance-post Horse-racing: marking a distance (sense 5d) before the winning-post; distance runner: who competes in long- or middle-distance races.