distill

Distill is defined as to heat a mixture to separate its parts and then cool it to create a new substance, or to drip or to cause to drip.

(verb)

  1. An example of distill is to create vodka.
  2. An example of distill is for water to drip from the faucet.

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See distill in Webster's New World College Dictionary

or distil

intransitive verb distilled, distilling

  1. to fall in drops; trickle; drip
  2. to undergo distillation
  3. to be produced as the essence of something

Origin: ME distillen < OFr distiller < L distillare, for destillare, to trickle down < de-, down + stillare, to drop < stilla, a drop: see stone

transitive verb

  1. to cause or allow to fall in drops
  2. to subject to, or purify or refine by, distillation: to distill water
  3. to remove, extract, or produce by distillation: to distill whiskey
  4. to purify, refine, or concentrate as if by distillation: to distill one's style
  5. to draw out or obtain the part that is essential, pure, etc.

See distill in American Heritage Dictionary 4

also dis·til

verb dis·tilled also dis·tilled, dis·till·ing also dis·til·ling, dis·tills also dis·tils
verb, transitive
  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.
verb, intransitive
  1. To undergo or be produced by distillation.
  2. To fall or exude in drops or small quantities.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English distillen

Origin: , from Old French distiller

Origin: , from Latin distillāre

Origin: , variant of dēstillāre, to trickle

Origin: : dē-, de-

Origin: + stillāre, to drip (from stilla, drop)

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Related Forms:

  • dis·tillˈa·ble adjective

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