 |
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Distinguish \Dis*tin"guish\, verb (used with an object) [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.
Not more distinguished by her purple vest, Than by the charming features of her face. --Dryden.
Milton has distinguished the sweetbrier and the eglantine. --Nares.
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.
Moses distinguished the causes of the flood into those that belong to the heavens, and those that belong to the earth. --T. Burnet.
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.
We are enabled to distinguish good from evil, as well as truth from falsehood. --Watts.
Nor more can you distinguish of a man, Than of his outward show. --Shak.
4. To constitute a difference; to make to differ.
Who distinguisheth thee? --1 Cor. iv. 7. (Douay version).
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.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Distinguishing \Dis*tin"guish*ing\, adjective Constituting difference, or distinction from everything else; distinctive; peculiar; characteristic.
The distinguishing doctrines of our holy religion. --Locke.
{Distinguishing pennant} (Naut.), a special pennant by which any particular vessel in a fleet is recognized and signaled. --Simmonds.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
distinguishing
adjective: serving to distinguish or identify a species or group; "the distinguishing mark of the species is its plumage"; "distinctive tribal tattoos"; "we were asked to describe any identifying marks or distinguishing features" [syn: {distinctive}, {identifying(a)}]
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
46 Moby Thesaurus words for "distinguishing": accurate, appreciative, characteristic, characterizing, contrastive, critical, delicate, diacritical, diagnostic, differencing, differential, differentiative, discriminate, discriminating, discriminative, distinctive, exact, exemplary, fastidious, fine, idiosyncratic, individualizing, individuating, natural, naturalistic, nice, normal, peculiar, personalizing, precise, quintessential, realistic, refined, regular, sample, selective, sensitive, separative, subtle, tactful, true to form, true to type, typal, typic, typical, usual
 |
Definitions retrieved from local copies of the freely distributed DICT client/server software and databases. Click here for database copyright information. - KM |