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Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary dis·tin·guish ETYMOLOGY alteration of Middle English distinguen, from Anglo-French distinguer, from Latin distinguere, literally, to separate by pricking, from dis- + -stinguere (akin to Latin instigareto urge on) — more at stick DATE 15th century transitive verb 1. to perceive a difference in : mentally separate so alike they could not be distinguished 2. a. to mark as separate or different a policy that distinguishes him from other candidates b. to separate into kinds, classes, or categories distinguish words by their part of speech c. to give prominence or distinction to distinguished themselves in music d. characterize recipes distinguished by simplicity 3. a. discern distinguished a light in the distance b. to single out : take special notice of intransitive verb : to perceive a difference distinguish between right and wrong English Etymology distinguish 1560s, from M.Fr . distinguiss-, stem of distinguer, from L.distinguere "to separate between, separate by pricking," from dis-"apart" + -stinguere "to prick." The suffix -ish is due to the influence of many verbs in which it is the equivalent of http://M.Fr O.Fr . -iss,ultimately from L. inchoative suffix -iscere (this is also the case in extinguish, admonish, and astonish). Related: Distinguishing.http://O.Fr Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary-牛津双解-OALD7 ☞ distinguish dis·tin·guish / di5stiN^wiF / verb1. ~ (between) A and B | ~ A from B to recognize the difference between two people or things 区分；辨别；分清 SYN differentiate :
▪ [V] At what age are children able to distinguish between right and wrong? 儿童到什么年龄才能明辨是非？ ▪ [VN] It was hard to distinguish one twin from the other. 很难分辨出一对孪生儿谁是谁。 Sometimes reality and fantasy are hard to distinguish. 有时候现实和幻想很难区分。 2. [VN] (not used in the progressive tenses 不用于进行时) ~ A (from B) to be a characteristic that makes two people, animals or things different 成为…的特征；使具有…的特色；使有别于: What was it that distinguished her from her classmates? 是什么使得她有别于班上其他同学呢？ The male bird is distinguished from the female by its red beak. 雄鸟喙红色,有别于雌鸟。 Does your cat have any distinguishing marks? 你的猫有什么特殊标记吗？ 3. [VN] (not used in the progressive tenses 不用于进行时) to be able to see or hear sth 看清；认出；听出 SYN differentiate , make out :
I could not distinguish her words, but she sounded agitated. 我听不清她说的话,但听得出她很激动。 ⇨ note at identify 4. [VN] ~ yourself (as sth) to do sth so well that people notice and admire you 使出众；使著名；使受人青睐: She has already distinguished herself as an athlete. 作为运动员她已享有盛名。 • dis·tin·guish·able / di5stiN^wiFEbl / adj. ~ (from sb / sth) : The male bird is easily distinguishable from the female. 这种鸟很容易辨认雌雄。 The coast was barely distinguishable in the mist. 在雾中很难看清海岸。 Oxford Collocations Dictionary for Students of English distinguish verb ADV. clearly, sharply | carefully | easily, readily The adult can be readily distinguished by its orange bill. VERB + DISTINGUISH be able to, can/could | be unable to | be difficult to, be hard to, be impossible to, be possible to | be important to, be necessary to It is important to distinguish between cause and effect. PREP. between It is often difficult to distinguish clearly between fact and fiction in this book. | from She could not distinguish one child from another. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Thesaurus-11th Edition v. Function: verb 1 Synonyms: KNOW 4, difference, differentiate, discern, discrepate, discriminate, extricate, separate, sever, severalize Related Words: divide, part; detach, disengage; demarcate, set off Contrasted Words: confuse, mistake Antonyms: confound 2 Synonyms: EXALT 1, aggrandize, dignify, ennoble, erect, glorify, honor, magnify, sublime, uprear 3 Synonyms: CHARACTERIZE 2, individualize, individuate, mark, qualify, signalize, singularize Idioms: set apart 4 Synonyms: SEE 1, descry, discern, mark, note, notice, observe, perceive, remark, view 5 Synonyms: IDENTIFY , determinate, diagnose, diagnosticate, finger, pinpoint, place, recognize, spotWebster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged dis·tin·guish \də̇ˈstiŋgwish, -wēsh, chiefly in pres part -wəsh; ÷ -ŋw-\ verb (-ed/-ing/-es) Etymology: Middle French distinguer, from Latin distinguere, from dis- dis- (I) + -stinguere (akin to Latin instigare to urge on, stimulate) — more at stick transitive verb 1. a. : to perceive as being separate or different : recognize a difference in < able to distinguish normally confused sounds > b. obsolete : to draw fine distinctions in respect to 2. a. : to mark as separate or different (as one thing from another) :make a difference between : discriminate < the concept of culture … ties some phenomena and interpretations together; it dissimilates and distinguishes others — A.L.Kroeber > < he was slightly built, shy, deferential almost, with nothing in his dress to distinguish him from his workmen — G.S.Gale > < the church was distinguished by the absence of a tower > < a man distinguished by a shock of wild white hair > also : to make clearly visible < street lamps and lighted windows distinguish the hills and valleys that are obscured in the day by tenements and apartment houses — American Guide Series: New York City > b. : to separate into kinds, classes, or categories (as by logical division) < unable to distinguish the notes into anything more than high or low > c. : to set above or apart from others : make eminent : give prestige to < he has distinguished himself by negotiating a number of international trade agreements — American Guide Series: Tennessee > < the New Jersey Constitution is distinguished as one of the briefest in the country — American Guide Series: New Jersey > < men who had distinguished themselves in action in several significant battles > d. obsolete : to separate or divide into portions or sections : mark (parts) as separate e. : to make identifiable or discernible as a separate entity : mark off : characterize < once writers were a class apart, distinguished by ink-stained fingers, unkempt hair, and a predilection for drinking cheap wine in cellars — Edward Uhlan > < nothing distinguishes the taste of an age more clearly than the language which it admires — R.W.Southern > 3. a. : to perceive, discern, or descry (something easily confused or blended with adjacent things) < I glanced seaward … and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock — Scott Fitzgerald > < unable to distinguish road markings in the fog > b. : to pick out or single out < the examiner must be careful to distinguish the excitable individuals — H.G.Armstrong > 4. archaic : to pay special attention to : note especially 5. obsolete : to argue subtly and speciously intransitive verb : to perceive a difference : exercise discrimination < a judge distinguishes between cases apparently similar > Synonyms: distinguish , differentiate , discriminate , and demarcate can mean, in common, to point out or mark the differences between things that are or seem to be very much and often confusingly alike. distinguish implies a reason for confusion as between two things having an extremely close relationship or connection < nothing more profoundly distinguishes the Hellenic from the modern view of life than the estimate in which women were held by the Greeks — G.L.Dickinson > < he must be taught to distinguish between the truth and his imagination — Mary Austin > < a child under four will hardly distinguish between yesterday and a week ago — Bertrand Russell > < Dr. Dunham distinguished between the terms public relations and publicity — T.F.Reidy > differentiate implies the possession of a distinguishing character or characters or the ascertainment of the differences between things easily confused < his immaculate appearance differentiates him from his fellow workers > < classes small enough to enable the teacher to differentiate the strong and the willing from the sluggards — C.H.Grandgent > < he differentiates industrial, political, and moral activities — D.S.Robinson > discriminate can imply the possession of obvious distinguishing characteristics < his gift of fine oratory discriminates him from other statesmen > but usually implies the power to discern differences, often slight, between similar things < irritated by the wasp's inability to discriminate a house from a tree — E.K.Brown > < no dictionary discriminates perfectly among these finely shaded distinctions in trade vocabularies — Ben Riker > demarcate , implying the literal setting of boundaries, can be used to suggest a distinguishing between things as if by marking them off < how shall we demarcate reproduction from growth — G.H.Lewes > • - distinguish of |
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