4 ADJ [ADJ n] You can use distinct to emphasize that something is great enough in amount or degree to be noticeable or important. [EMPHASIS ] □ Being 6ft 3in tall has some distinct disadvantages! ● dis|tinct|ly ADV [ADV adj/-ed] □ His government is looking distinctly shaky.
5 PHRASE If you say that you are talking about one thing as distinct from another, you are indicating exactly which thing you mean. □ There's a lot of evidence that oily fish, as distinct from fatty meat, has a beneficial effect.
dis|tinc|tion /d I st I ŋkʃ ə n/ (distinctions )
1 N‑COUNT A distinction between similar things is a difference. □ [+ between ] There are obvious distinctions between the two wine-making areas. ● PHRASE If you draw a distinction or make a distinction , you say that two things are different. □ I did not yet make a distinction between the pleasures of reading and of writing fiction.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Distinction is the quality of being very good or better than other things of the same type. [FORMAL ] □ Lewis emerges as a composer of distinction and sensitivity.
3 N‑COUNT A distinction is a special award or honour that is given to someone because of their very high level of achievement. □ The order was created in 1902 as a special distinction for eminent men and women.
4 N‑SING If you say that someone or something has the distinction of being something, you are drawing attention to the fact that they have the special quality of being that thing. Distinction is normally used to refer to good qualities, but can sometimes also be used to refer to bad qualities. □ [+ of ] He has the distinction of being regarded as the country's greatest living writer.
dis|tinc|tive /d I st I ŋkt I v/ ADJ Something that is distinctive has a special quality or feature which makes it easily recognizable and different from other things of the same type. □ His voice was very distinctive. ● dis|tinc|tive|ly ADV [ADV adj/-ed] □ …the distinctively fragrant taste of elderflowers. ● dis|tinc|tive|ness N‑UNCOUNT [oft with poss] □ His own distinctiveness was always evident at school.
dis|tin|guish /d I st I ŋgw I ʃ/ (distinguishes , distinguishing , distinguished )
1 VERB If you can distinguish one thing from another or distinguish between two things, you can see or understand how they are different. □ [V n + from ] Could he distinguish right from wrong? □ [V + between ] Research suggests that babies learn to see by distinguishing between areas of light and dark. □ [V n] It is necessary to distinguish the policies of two successive governments.
2 VERB A feature or quality that distinguishes one thing from another causes the two things to be regarded as different, because only the first thing has the feature or quality. □ [V n + from ] There is something about music that distinguishes it from all other art forms. □ [V -ing] The bird has no distinguishing features.
3 VERB If you can distinguish something, you can see, hear, or taste it although it is very difficult to detect. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] There were cries, calls. He could distinguish voices.
4 VERB If you distinguish yourself , you do something that makes you famous or important. □ [V pron-refl + as ] Over the next few years he distinguished himself as a leading constitutional scholar. □ [V pron-refl] They distinguished themselves at the Battle of Assaye.
dis|tin|guish|able /d I st I ŋgw I ʃəb ə l/
1 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If something is distinguishable from other things, it has a quality or feature which makes it possible for you to recognize it and see that it is different. □ [+ from ] …features that make their products distinguishable from those of their rivals.
2 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If something is distinguishable , you can see or hear it in conditions when it is difficult to see or hear anything. □ It was getting light and shapes were more distinguishable.
dis|tin|guished /d I st I ŋgw I ʃt/
1 ADJ If you describe a person or their work as distinguished , you mean that they have been very successful in their career and have a good reputation. □ …a distinguished academic family.
2 ADJ If you describe someone as distinguished , you mean that they look very noble and respectable. □ He looked very distinguished.
dis|tort /d I stɔː r t/ (distorts , distorting , distorted )
1 VERB If you distort a statement, fact, or idea, you report or represent it in an untrue way. □ [V n] The media distorts reality; categorises people as all good or all bad. ● dis|tort|ed ADJ □ These figures give a distorted view of the significance for the local economy.
2 VERB If something you can see or hear is distorted or distorts , its appearance or sound is changed so that it seems unclear. □ [V n] A painter may exaggerate or distort shapes and forms. □ [V ] This caused the sound to distort. ● dis|tort|ed ADJ □ Sound was becoming more and more distorted through the use of hearing aids.
dis|tor|tion /d I stɔː r ʃ ə n/ (distortions )
1 N‑VAR Distortion is the changing of something into something that is not true or not acceptable. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [+ of ] It would be a distortion of reality to say that they were motivated by self-interest.
2 N‑VAR Distortion is the changing of the appearance or sound of something in a way that makes it seem strange or unclear. □ Audio signals can be transmitted along cables without distortion.