distance
/ˈdɪst(ə)n(t)s/ verb C2- Often followed by from: to set (someone or something) at a distance (noun sense 1.1) from someone or something else.
- To cause (a place, a thing, etc.) to seem distant, or (figurative) unfamiliar.
- To leave behind (someone or something moving in the same direction; specifically, other competitors in a race) some distance away; to outpace, to outstrip.
- To keep (someone) emotionally or socially apart from another person or people.
- To exceed or surpass (someone, such as a peer or rival); to outdo, to outstrip.
- To keep (oneself) away from someone or something, especially because one does not want to be associated with that person or thing. · He distanced himself from the comments made by some of his colleagues.
- To set oneself at a distance from someone or something else; to move away from someone or something.
- To keep oneself emotionally or socially apart from another person or people; to keep one's distance.
Plural distance · He/she/it distances · Past distanced · Past participle distanced · -ing form distancing
Verb forms
- Base form
- distance
- He/she/it
- distances
- Past
- distanced
- Past participle
- distanced
- -ing form
- distancing
From the library
After a time she heard a little pattering of feet in the distance, and she hastily dried her eyes to see what was coming.
In a little while, however, she again heard a little pattering of footsteps in the distance, and she looked up eagerly, half hoping that the Mouse had changed his mind, and was coming back to finish his story.
This seemed to Alice a good opportunity for making her escape; so she set off at once, and ran till she was quite tired and out of breath, and till the puppy’s bark sounded quite faint in the distance.
Alice thought she might as well go back, and see how the game was going on, as she heard the Queen’s voice in the distance, screaming with passion.
Other matches
Learn distance in real texts
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