Result from Foreign Dictionaries (3 entries found)

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: Distinguish \Dis*tin"guish\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Distinguished}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Distinguishing}.] [F. distinguer, L. distinguere, distinctum; di- = dis- + stinguere to quench, extinguish; prob. orig., to prick, and so akin to G. stechen, E. stick, and perh. sting. Cf. {Extinguish}.] 1. Not set apart from others by visible marks; to make distinctive or discernible by exhibiting differences; to mark off by some characteristic. [1913 Webster] Not more distinguished by her purple vest, Than by the charming features of her face. --Dryden. [1913 Webster] Milton has distinguished the sweetbrier and the eglantine. --Nares. [1913 Webster] 2. To separate by definition of terms or logical division of a subject with regard to difference; as, to distinguish sounds into high and low. [1913 Webster] Moses distinguished the causes of the flood into those that belong to the heavens, and those that belong to the earth. --T. Burnet. [1913 Webster] 3. To recognize or discern by marks, signs, or characteristic quality or qualities; to know and discriminate (anything) from other things with which it might be confounded; as, to distinguish the sound of a drum. [1913 Webster] We are enabled to distinguish good from evil, as well as truth from falsehood. --Watts. [1913 Webster] Nor more can you distinguish of a man, Than of his outward show. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 4. To constitute a difference; to make to differ. [1913 Webster] Who distinguisheth thee? --1 Cor. iv. 7. (Douay version). [1913 Webster] 5. To separate from others by a mark of honor; to make eminent or known; to confer distinction upon; -- with by or for."To distinguish themselves by means never tried before." --Johnson. Syn: To mark; discriminate; differentiate; characterize; discern; perceive; signalize; honor; glorify. [1913 Webster] From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: Distinguish \Dis*tin"guish\, v. i. 1. To make distinctions; to perceive the difference; to exercise discrimination; -- with between; as, a judge distinguishes between cases apparently similar, but differing in principle. [1913 Webster] 2. To become distinguished or distinctive; to make one's self or itself discernible. [R.] [1913 Webster] The little embryo . . . first distinguishes into a little knot. --Jer. Taylor. [1913 Webster] From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]: distinguish v 1: mark as different; "We distinguish several kinds of maple" [syn: {distinguish}, {separate}, {differentiate}, {secern}, {secernate}, {severalize}, {severalise}, {tell}, {tell apart}] 2: detect with the senses; "The fleeing convicts were picked out of the darkness by the watchful prison guards"; "I can't make out the faces in this photograph" [syn: {spot}, {recognize}, {recognise}, {distinguish}, {discern}, {pick out}, {make out}, {tell apart}] 3: be a distinctive feature, attribute, or trait; sometimes in a very positive sense; "His modesty distinguishes him from his peers" [syn: {distinguish}, {mark}, {differentiate}] 4: make conspicuous or noteworthy [syn: {signalize}, {signalise}, {distinguish}] 5: identify as in botany or biology, for example [syn: {identify}, {discover}, {key}, {key out}, {distinguish}, {describe}, {name}]