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distinguish - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'distinguish' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Distinguish [ v. i.]
- To make distinctions; to perceive the difference; to exercise discrimination; -- with between; as, a judge distinguishes between cases apparently similar, but differing in principle.
- To become distinguished or distinctive; to make one's self or itself discernible.
2 . Distinguish [ v. t.]
- Not set apart from others by visible marks; to make distinctive or discernible by exhibiting differences; to mark off by some characteristic.
- To separate by definition of terms or logical division of a subject with regard to difference; as, to distinguish sounds into high and low.
- 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.
- To constitute a difference; to make to differ.
- To separate from others by a mark of honor; to make eminent or known; to confer distinction upon; -- with by or for.

Meaning of 'distinguish' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . distinguish [ v]
Meaning (1):
- be a distinctive feature, attribute, or trait; sometimes in a very positive sense
Example in sentence:
  • His modesty distinguishes him from his peers
Meaning (2):
- detect with the senses
Example in sentence:
  • I can't make out the faces in this photograph;
  • The fleeing convicts were picked out of the darkness by the watchful prison guards
Meaning (3):
- mark as different
Example in sentence:
  • We distinguish several kinds of maple

Nearby Words:

dis dis- disabilities disability disable disabled disablement disabling disabuse disabused

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