distinguish

distinguish
—distinguishable, adj. —distinguishableness, distinguishability, n. —distinguishably, adv. —distinguisher, n. —distinguishment, n.
/di sting"gwish/, v.t.
1. to mark off as different (often fol. by from or by): He was distinguished from the other boys by his height.
2. to recognize as distinct or different; recognize the salient or individual features or characteristics of: It is hard to distinguish her from her twin sister.
3. to perceive clearly by sight or other sense; discern; recognize: He could not distinguish many of the words.
4. to set apart as different; be a distinctive characteristic of; characterize: It is his Italian accent that distinguishes him.
5. to make prominent, conspicuous, or eminent: to distinguish oneself in battle.
6. to divide into classes; classify: Let us distinguish the various types of metaphor.
7. Archaic. to single out for or honor with special attention.
v.i.
8. to indicate or show a difference (usually fol. by between).
9. to recognize or note differences; discriminate.
[1555-65; extension, by -ISH2, of ME disting(u)en ( < AF, MF distinguer) < L distinguere; see DISTINCT]
Syn. 2. DISTINGUISH, DIFFERENTIATE, DISCRIMINATE suggest an attempt to analyze characteristic features or qualities of things. To DISTINGUISH is to recognize the characteristic features belonging to a thing: to distinguish a light cruiser from a heavy cruiser. To DISCRIMINATE is to perceive the particular, nice, or exact differences between things, to determine wherein these differences consist, and to estimate their significance: to discriminate prejudiced from unprejudiced testimony. To DIFFERENTIATE is to point out exactly and in detail the differences between (usually) two things: The symptoms of both diseases are so similar that it is hard to differentiate one from another.
Ant. 2. confuse.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

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  • distinguish — 1 Distinguish, differentiate, discriminate, demarcate are synonymous when they mean to point out or mark the differences between things that are or seem to be much alike or closely related. Distinguish presupposes sources of confusion; the things …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

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  • distinguish — 1560s, from M.Fr. distinguiss , stem of distinguer, or directly from L. distinguere to separate between, separate by pricking, from dis apart (see DIS (Cf. dis )) + stinguere to prick (see EXTINGUISH (Cf. extinguish), and Cf. L. instinguere …   Etymology dictionary

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  • distinguish — 01. Children under the age of 4 cannot always [distinguish] between the truth and a lie. 02. Witnesses to the crime said the suspect had no [distinguishing] features. 03. The Beatles [distinguished] themselves as perhaps the most important… …   Grammatical examples in English

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