Definitions for distance
ˈdɪs tənsdis·tance

Princeton's WordNet(3.88 / 8 votes)Rate this definition:

1. distance(noun)

   the property created by the space between two objects or points

2. distance(noun)

   a distant region

   "I could see it in the distance"

3. distance, length(noun)

   size of the gap between two places

   "the distance from New York to Chicago"; "he determined the length of the shortest line segment joining the two points"

4. distance, aloofness(noun)

   indifference by personal withdrawal

   "emotional distance"

5. distance, space(noun)

   the interval between two times

   "the distance from birth to death"; "it all happened in the space of 10 minutes"

6. distance(verb)

   a remote point in time

   "if that happens it will be at some distance in the future"; "at a distance of ten years he had forgotten many of the details"

7. distance(verb)

   keep at a distance

   "we have to distance ourselves from these events in order to continue living"

8. outdistance, outstrip, distance(verb)

   go far ahead of

   "He outdistanced the other runners"

Wiktionary(4.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. distance(Noun)

   The amount of space between two points, usually geographical points, usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line.

2. distance(Noun)

   The entire amount of space to the objective.

   He had promised to perform this task, but did not go the distance.

3. distance(Noun)

   A considerable amount of space.

   The friendship did not survive the row: they kept each other at a distance.

4. distance(Verb)

   To move away (from) someone or something.

   He distanced himself from the comments made by some of his colleagues.

5. distance(Verb)

   To leave at a distance; to outpace, leave behind.

Webster Dictionary(4.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Distance(noun)

   the space between two objects; the length of a line, especially the shortest line joining two points or things that are separate; measure of separation in place

   Etymology: [F. distance, L. distantia.]

2. Distance(noun)

   remoteness of place; a remote place

   Etymology: [F. distance, L. distantia.]

3. Distance(noun)

   a space marked out in the last part of a race course

   Etymology: [F. distance, L. distantia.]

4. Distance(noun)

   relative space, between troops in ranks, measured from front to rear; -- contrasted with interval, which is measured from right to left

   Etymology: [F. distance, L. distantia.]

5. Distance(noun)

   space between two antagonists in fencing

   Etymology: [F. distance, L. distantia.]

6. Distance(noun)

   the part of a picture which contains the representation of those objects which are the farthest away, esp. in a landscape

   Etymology: [F. distance, L. distantia.]

7. Distance(noun)

   ideal disjunction; discrepancy; contrariety

   Etymology: [F. distance, L. distantia.]

8. Distance(noun)

   length or interval of time; period, past or future, between two eras or events

   Etymology: [F. distance, L. distantia.]

9. Distance(noun)

   the remoteness or reserve which respect requires; hence, respect; ceremoniousness

   Etymology: [F. distance, L. distantia.]

10. Distance(noun)

    a withholding of intimacy; alienation; coldness; disagreement; variance; restraint; reserve

    Etymology: [F. distance, L. distantia.]

11. Distance(noun)

    remoteness in succession or relation; as, the distance between a descendant and his ancestor

    Etymology: [F. distance, L. distantia.]

12. Distance(noun)

    the interval between two notes; as, the distance of a fourth or seventh

    Etymology: [F. distance, L. distantia.]

13. Distance(verb)

    to place at a distance or remotely

    Etymology: [F. distance, L. distantia.]

14. Distance(verb)

    to cause to appear as if at a distance; to make seem remote

    Etymology: [F. distance, L. distantia.]

15. Distance(verb)

    to outstrip by as much as a distance (see Distance, n., 3); to leave far behind; to surpass greatly

    Etymology: [F. distance, L. distantia.]

Freebase(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Distance

   Distance is a numerical description of how far apart objects are. In physics or everyday discussion, distance may refer to a physical length, or an estimation based on other criteria. In mathematics, a distance function or metric is a generalization of the concept of physical distance. A metric is a function that behaves according to a specific set of rules, and is a concrete way of describing what it means for elements of some space to be "close to" or "far away from" each other. In most cases, "distance from A to B" is interchangeable with "distance between B and A".

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Distance

   dis′tans, n. a space or interval between: remoteness: opposition: reserve of manner: in horse-racing, the space measured back from the winning-post which a horse, in heat-races, must reach when the winner has covered the whole course, in order to run in the final heat.—v.t. to place at a distance: to leave at a distance behind.—adj. Dis′tanceless, not allowing a distant view—said of hazy weather: having no indications of distance—said of certain pictures.—Keep one at a distance, to treat with reserve; Keep one's distance, to abstain from familiarity with, to keep aloof from. [See Distant.]

Dictionary of Nautical Terms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. distance

   The run which a ship has made upon the log-board. In speaking of double stars, it is the space separating the centres of the two stars, expressed in seconds of arc. (See LUNAR DISTANCES.)

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. distance

   In military formation, signifies the relative space which is left between men standing under arms in rank, or the interval which appears between those ranks.

Suggested Resources(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. distance

   Song lyrics by distance -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by distance on the Lyrics.com website.

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'distance' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #1591

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'distance' in Written Corpus Frequency: #1751

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'distance' in Nouns Frequency: #621

How to pronounce distance?

1. Alex

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

How to say distance in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of distance in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of distance in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3

Examples of distance in a Sentence

1. Richter:

   Sorrows are like thunder-clouds: in the distance they look black, over our heads, hardly gray.

2. Martin Clayton:

   This drawing shows a certain wistfulness I think, a certain melancholy even, it's not Leonardo, the great philosopher gazing into the distance. It's a flesh and blood man at the end of a career that had achieved a great deal, but also maybe failed to achieve a great deal as well.

3. Howard Hendricks:

   You can impress people from a distance but you can impact them only up close.""The more sensitive you become toward sin, the more aware you'll be for the need of godliness and holiness.""The measure of you as a leader is not what you do, but what others do because of what you do.""You teach what you know but you reproduce what you are.""People tell me they want to make the Bible relevant. The Bible's already relevant. You're the one that's irrelevant!

4. Proverb:

   A minimal error at the start leads to a wide divergence in the distance

5. Carwyn Sharp:

   A 10K isn’t the distance where you’d need our service. Treatments are ideal for marathon runners, Ironman triathletes, long distance cycling, running or adventure races.

Images & Illustrations of distance

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