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distillation Definition

dis·til·la·tion (dis′tə lā′s̸hen)

noun

  1. a distilling; specif., the process of first heating a mixture to separate the more volatile from the less volatile parts, and then cooling and condensing the resulting vapor so as to produce a more nearly pure or refined substance
  2. anything distilled; distillate
distillation Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • represent: The data provided here represents a distillation of part of the information collected.

Converse of subject

  • obtain: Ginger oil is obtained by steam distillation of dried ginger root.
  • separate: Explain why water and alcohol can be separated by distillation.
  • prepare: It is prepared by steam distillation of the wood.

Adjective modifier

  • fractional: Give examples of how the products of fractional distillation of crude oil can be used.
  • illicit: The new duty structure was intended to prevent illicit distillation in Great Britain: it was a compromise designed to protect the spirit revenue.
  • destructive: The coal charge will, by now, have undergone destructive dry distillation.
  • crude: Top of Page Combustion the use as fuels of some of the products from crude oil distillation.
  • dry: The coal charge will, by now, have undergone destructive dry distillation.
  • double: After double distillation, the spirit was matured in new Limousin oak barrels for approximately one year.

Modifies a noun

  • apparatus: Set up a distillation apparatus using a distilling flask of 500 cm 3 capacity.
  • column: Note that distillation columns will be dealt with in a separate section.
  • process: I just hope the distillation process is done well.

Noun used with modifier

  • steam: Ginger oil is obtained by steam distillation of dried ginger root.
  • tar: This shows a familiarity with coal tar distillation that was probably acquired by practical experience within the GLCC.
  • batch: This book is based on his 18 years of research in batch distillation.
  • vacuum: Bitumen Also called asphalt or tar, bitumen is the brown or black viscous residue from the vacuum distillation of crude petroleum.
  • oil: Top of Page Combustion the use as fuels of some of the products from crude oil distillation.

Preposition: of

  • wood: It is prepared by steam distillation of the wood.
  • oil: Give examples of how the products of fractional distillation of crude oil can be used.
distillation Quotes

To a writer, madness is a final distillation of self, a final editing down. It's the drowning out of false voices.

—DeLillo, Don