Dissymmetry, dis-sim′e-tri, n. want of symmetry.—adjs. Dissymmet′ric, -al, of similar shape, but not capable of being superposed, as right and left hand gloves, crystals with different optical properties, &c.
Distaff, dis′taf, n. the stick which holds the bunch of flax, tow, or wool in spinning.—Distaff side, the female part of a family. [A.S. distæf, from dise = Low Ger. diesse, the bunch of flax on the staff; and stæf = Eng. staff. See Dizen.]
Distain, dis-tān′, v.t. to stain: to sully. [O. Fr. desteindre, to take away the colour of—L. dis, neg., and tingĕre, to stain. See Stain.]
Distal, dis′tal, adj. (anat.) at the end.—adv. Dis′tally. [Formed on the analogy of central, from Distance.]
Distance, dis′tans, n. a space or interval between: remoteness: opposition: reserve of manner: in horse-racing, the space measured back from the winning-post which a horse, in heat-races, must reach when the winner has covered the whole course, in order to run in the final heat.—v.t. to place at a distance: to leave at a distance behind.—adj. Dis′tanceless, not allowing a distant view—said of hazy weather: having no indications of distance—said of certain pictures.—Keep one at a distance, to treat with reserve; Keep one's distance, to abstain from familiarity with, to keep aloof from. [See Distant.]
Distant, dis′tant, adj. at a certain distance: remote, in time, place, or connection: not obvious: indistinct: reserved in manner.—adv. Dis′tantly. [Fr.,—L. distans, -tantis—dis, apart, stans, stantis, pr.p. of stāre, to stand.]
Distaste, dis-tāst′, n. oppositeness or aversion of taste: dislike of food: dislike: disgust.—v.t. (arch.) to dislike: (obs.) to offend: (Shak.) to spoil the taste of.—v.i. (Shak.) to be distasteful.—adj. Distaste′ful, nauseous to the taste: unpleasant: (Shak.) indicating distaste.—adv. Distaste′fully.—n. Distaste′fulness.
Distemper, dis-tem′pėr, n. a coarse mode of painting, in which the colours are mixed in a watery glue, white of egg, &c., chiefly used in scene-painting and in staining paper for walls.—Also Destem′per. [Same ety. as succeeding word.]
Distemper, dis-tem′pėr, n. a morbid or disorderly state of body or mind: disease, esp. of animals, specifically a typhoid inflammation of the mucous membranes of young dogs: ill-humour.—v.t. to derange the temper: to disorder or disease.—adj. Distem′perate, not temperate, immoderate: diseased.—n. Distem′perature (arch.), want of proper temperature: intemperateness, disturbance: uneasiness of mind: indisposition.—p.adj. Distem′pered, disordered: intemperate, ill-humoured, put out of sorts. [O. Fr. destemprer, to derange—L. dis, apart, temperāre, to govern.]
Distend, dis-tend′, v.t. to stretch in all directions: to swell.—v.i. to swell.—n. Distensibil′ity, capacity for distension.—adjs. Disten′sible, that may be stretched; Disten′sive, capable of stretching or of being stretched; Distent′ (Spens.), distended.—ns. Disten′tion, Disten′sion, act of distending or stretching: state of being stretched: (rare) breadth. [Fr.,—L. distendĕre—dis, asunder, tendĕre, tensum or tentum, to stretch.]