Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
Distill - 7 dictionary results

dis⋅till

[di-stil]
–verb (used with object)
1. to subject to a process of vaporization and subsequent condensation, as for purification or concentration.
2. to extract the volatile components of by distillation; transform by distillation.
3. to concentrate, purify, or obtain by or as by distillation: to distill whiskey from mash.
4. to remove by distillation (usually fol. by off or out): to distill out impurities.
5. to extract the essential elements of; refine; abstract: She managed to distill her ideas into one succinct article.
6. to let fall in drops; give forth in or as in drops: The cool of the night distills the dew.
–verb (used without object)
7. to undergo or perform distillation.
8. to become vaporized and then condensed in distillation.
9. to drop, pass, or condense as a distillate.
10. to fall in drops; trickle; exude.

Origin:
1325–75; ME distillen (< AF distiller) < L distillāre, var. of dēstillāre, equiv. to dē- de- + stillāre to drip


dis⋅till⋅a⋅ble, adjective
dis·till also dis·til   (dĭ-stĭl')   
v.   dis·tilled also dis·tilled, dis·till·ing also dis·til·ling, dis·tills also dis·tils

v.   tr.
  1. To subject (a substance) to distillation.
  2. To separate (a distillate) by distillation.
  3. To increase the concentration of, separate, or purify by or as if by distillation.
  4. To separate or extract the essential elements of: distill the crucial points of the book.
  5. To exude or give off (matter) in drops or small quantities.
v.   intr.
  1. To undergo or be produced by distillation.
  2. To fall or exude in drops or small quantities.

[Middle English distillen, from Old French distiller, from Latin distillāre, variant of dēstillāre, to trickle : dē-, de- + stillāre, to drip (from stilla, drop).]
dis·till'a·ble adj.

Distill

Dis*till"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Distilled; p. pr. & vb. n. Distilling.] [F. distiller, from L. destillare, destillatum; de + stillare to drop, stilla a drop, prob. fr. stiria frozen drop, icicle; prob. akin to stare, E. stand. Cf. Still, n. & v., Instill.] [Written also distil.]

1. To drop; to fall in drops; to trickle.

Soft showers distilled, and suns grew warm in vain. --Pope.

2. To flow gently, or in a small stream.

The Euphrates distilleth out of the mountains of Armenia. --Sir W. Raleigh.

3. To practice the art of distillation. --Shak.

Distill

Dis*till"\, v. t. 1. To let fall or send down in drops.

Or o'er the glebe distill the kindly rain. --Pope.

The dew which on the tender grass The evening had distilled. --Drayton.

2. To obtain by distillation; to extract by distillation, as spirits, essential oil, etc.; to rectify; as, to distill brandy from wine; to distill alcoholic spirits from grain; to distill essential oils from flowers, etc.; to distill fresh water from sea water. "Distilling odors on me." --Tennyson.

3. To subject to distillation; as, to distill molasses in making rum; to distill barley, rye, corn, etc.

4. To dissolve or melt. [R.]

Swords by the lightning's subtle force distilled. --Addison.
Language Translation for : Distill
Spanish: destilar,
German: destillieren,
Japanese: 蒸留する

distill 
1393, from O.Fr. distiller, from L. distillare "trickle down in minute drops," from dis- "apart" + stillare "to drip, drop," from stilla "drop." Distillery "place for distilling," is from 1759.

Main Entry: dis·till
Variant: also dis·til /dis-'til/
Function: verb
Inflected Forms: dis·tilled;dis·till·ing
transitive senses
1 : to subject to or transform by distillation
2 : to obtain by or as if by distillation
3 : to obtain an extract from (as a plant) by infusion and distillation distilling herbs> distill intransitive senses
1 : to undergo distillation
2 : to condense or drop from a still after distillation

distill dis·till (dĭ-stĭl)
v. dis·tilled or dis·tilled, dis·till·ing or dis·til·ling, dis·tills or dis·tils

  1. To subject a substance to distillation.
  2. To separate a distillate by distillation.
  3. To increase the concentration of, separate, or purify a substance by distillation.

Search another word or see Distill on Thesaurus | Reference