distance

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) An amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line.
2. (countable, uncountable) An amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line.
3. (countable, uncountable) Chiefly in from a distance: a place which is far away or remote; specifically (especially painting), a more remote part of a landscape or view as contrasted with the foreground.
4. (countable, uncountable) Chiefly with a modifying word: a measure between two points or quantities; a difference, a variance.
5. (countable, uncountable) An interval or length of time between events.
6. (countable, figuratively, uncountable) A separation in some way other than space or time.
7. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) Synonym of length (“an extent measured along the longest dimension of an object”).
8. (countable, figuratively, obsolete, uncountable) A disagreement, a dispute; also, an estrangement.
9. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) A difference in pitch between sounds; an interval.
10. (countable, uncountable) The amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line.
11. (countable, uncountable) The amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line.
12. (countable, uncountable) The amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line.
13. (countable, uncountable) The amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line.
14. (countable, uncountable) The amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line.
15. (countable, uncountable) The amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line.
16. (countable, uncountable) The amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line.
17. (countable, uncountable) Chiefly preceded by the, especially in into or in the distance: the place that is far away or remote.
18. (countable, uncountable) The state of being separated from something else, especially by a long way; the state of being far off or remote; farness, remoteness.
19. (countable, figuratively, uncountable) The entire amount of progress to an objective.
20. (countable, figuratively, uncountable) The state of remoteness or separation in some way other than space or time.
21. (countable, figuratively, uncountable) The state of people not being close, friendly, or intimate with each other; also, the state of people who were once close, friendly, or intimate with each other no longer being so; estrangement.
22. (countable, figuratively, uncountable) Excessive reserve or lack of friendliness shown by a person; aloofness, coldness.
23. (countable, figuratively, obsolete, uncountable) The rank to which an important person belongs.
24. (countable, figuratively, obsolete, uncountable) The state of disagreement or dispute between people; dissension.
25. (countable, figuratively, obsolete, uncountable) Often followed by to or towards: an attitude of remoteness or reserve which respect requires; hence, ceremoniousness.

Verb

1. (transitive) Often followed by from: to set (someone or something) at a distance (noun sense 1.1) from someone or something else.
2. (transitive) To cause (a place, a thing, etc.) to seem distant, or (figurative) unfamiliar.
3. (transitive) To leave behind (someone or something moving in the same direction; specifically, other competitors in a race) some distance away; to outpace, to outstrip.
4. (figuratively, transitive) To keep (someone) emotionally or socially apart from another person or people.
5. (figuratively, transitive) To exceed or surpass (someone, such as a peer or rival); to outdo, to outstrip.
6. (figuratively, reflexive, transitive) To keep (oneself) away from someone or something, especially because one does not want to be associated with that person or thing.
7. (US, archaic, transitive) 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.
8. (obsolete, transitive) To cover the entire distance to (something).
9. (obsolete, transitive) To depart from (a place); to leave (a place) behind.
10. (obsolete, transitive) To indicate or measure the distance to (a place).
11. (obsolete, transitive) To set (two or more things) at regular distances from each other; to space, to space out.
12. (intransitive, reflexive) Often followed by from.
13. (figuratively, intransitive, reflexive) Often followed by from.

Synonyms

space

remoteness

interval

length

range

gap

way

offset

journey

extent

outstrip

place

expanse

direction

mileage

outdistance

stretch

span

turn away

send away

remove

road

🛣️

route

haul

width

farness

far

step

aloofness

distant

fetch

far away

spacing

height

course

number

🔢

other side

path length

period

period of time

perspective

position

postponement

quantity

reach

remotion

removal

reserve

restraint

room

run

scope

section

separate

shot

sphere

spread

street

time

⌚

trip

turn

walk

🚶

yardage

yonder

by correspondence

cruising radius

distant place

farawayness

move away from

posteriority

standoffishness

far off time

far off place

Distance

space perception

geodesic distance

absence

DX

abstemiousness

abstention

abstinence

across

air space

alien

👽

alienate

amount

at a distance

atmosphere

avenue

between

beyond

chase

compass

🧭

competition

continence

continency

d

d

depths

deviation

difference

division

estrangement

far and near

here and there

itinerary

leave behind

limit

line

measure

milage

move away

moving away

Translations

distance

distancia

Entfernung

Abstand

afstand

Distanz

mesafe

eind

🔚

Weite

uzaklık

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈdɪst(ə)ns/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: distance

Cognate with French: distance

Cognate with Middle Dutch: distancie

Cognate with Dutch: distantie

Cognate with Dutch: afstand

Cognate with German: Distanz

Cognate with German: Abstand

Cognate with Italian: distanza

Cognate with Portuguese: distância

Cognate with Spanish: distancia

In summary

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

Sentences

The vast space stretched into the far distance .

From the railway station in the distance came the sound of trains , ringing and rumbling .