v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Distilled p. pr. & vb. n. Distilling. ] [ F. distiller, from L. destillare, destillatum; de + stillare to drop, stilla a drop, prob. fr. stiria frozen drop, icicle; prob. akin to stare, E. stand. Cf. Still, n. & v., Instill. ] [ Written also distil. ] 1. To drop; to fall in drops; to trickle. [ 1913 Webster ]

Soft showers distilled, and suns grew warm in vain. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To flow gently, or in a small stream. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Euphrates distilleth out of the mountains of Armenia. Sir W. Raleigh. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To practice the art of distillation. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To let fall or send down in drops. [ 1913 Webster ]

Or o'er the glebe distill the kindly rain. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

The dew which on the tender grass
The evening had distilled. Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To obtain by distillation; to subject to a process of evaporation and subsequent condensation; to extract by distillation, as spirits, essential oil, etc.; to rectify; as, to distill brandy from wine; to distill alcoholic spirits from grain; to distill essential oils from flowers, etc.; to distill fresh water from sea water. “Distilling odors on me.” Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To subject to distillation; as, to distill molasses in making rum; to distill barley, rye, corn, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To dissolve or melt. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Swords by the lightning's subtle force distilled. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. to extract out and present the essence of; to shorten and refine; to present the essential elements of; -- of ideas or texts. [ PJC ]

a. (Chem.) Capable of being distilled; especially, capable of being distilled without chemical change or decomposition; as, alcohol is distillable; olive oil is not distillable. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Chem.) The product of distillation; as, the distillate from molasses. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. distillation, L. destillatio. ] 1. The act of falling in drops, or the act of pouring out in drops. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which falls in drops. [ R. ] Johnson [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Chem.) The separation of the volatile parts of a substance from the more fixed; specifically, the operation of driving off gas or vapor from volatile liquids or solids, by heat in a retort or still, and the condensation of the products as far as possible by a cool receiver, alembic, or condenser; rectification; vaporization; condensation; as, the distillation of illuminating gas and coal, of alcohol from sour mash, or of boric acid in steam. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The evaporation of water, its condensation into clouds, and its precipitation as rain, dew, frost, snow, or hail, is an illustration of natural distillation. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The substance extracted by distilling. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Destructive distillation (Chem.), the distillation, especially of complex solid substances, so that the ultimate constituents are separated or evolved in new compounds, -- usually requiring a high degree of heat; as, the destructive distillation of soft coal or of wood. --
Dry distillation, the distillation of substances by themselves, or without the addition of water or of other volatile solvent; as, the dry distillation of citric acid. --
Fractional distillation. (Chem.) See under Fractional. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. distillatoire. ] Belonging to, or used in, distilling; as, distillatory vessels. -- n. A distillatory apparatus; a still. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who distills; esp., one who extracts alcoholic liquors by distillation. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The condenser of a distilling apparatus. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Distilleries [ F. distillerie. ] 1. The building and works where distilling, esp. of alcoholic liquors, is carried on. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act of distilling spirits. [ R. ] Todd. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Distillation; the substance obtained by distillation. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]