Distinguishing

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Distinguish \Dis*tin"guish\, v. t. [imp. & p. p.
     {Distinguished}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Distinguishing}.] [F.
     distinguer, L. distinguere, distinctum; di- = dis- +
     stinguere to quench, extinguish; prob. orig., to prick, and
     so akin to G. stechen, E. stick, and perh. sting. Cf.
     {Extinguish}.]


     1. Not set apart from others by visible marks; to make
        distinctive or discernible by exhibiting differences; to
        mark off by some characteristic.
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              Not more distinguished by her purple vest,
              Than by the charming features of her face. --Dryden.
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              Milton has distinguished the sweetbrier and the
              eglantine.                            --Nares.
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     2. To separate by definition of terms or logical division of
        a subject with regard to difference; as, to distinguish
        sounds into high and low.
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              Moses distinguished the causes of the flood into
              those that belong to the heavens, and those that
              belong to the earth.                  --T. Burnet.
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     3. To recognize or discern by marks, signs, or characteristic
        quality or qualities; to know and discriminate (anything)
        from other things with which it might be confounded; as,
        to distinguish the sound of a drum.
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              We are enabled to distinguish good from evil, as
              well as truth from falsehood.         --Watts.
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              Nor more can you distinguish of a man,
              Than of his outward show.             --Shak.
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     4. To constitute a difference; to make to differ.
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              Who distinguisheth thee?              --1 Cor. iv.
                                                    7. (Douay
                                                    version).
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     5. To separate from others by a mark of honor; to make
        eminent or known; to confer distinction upon; -- with by
        or for."To distinguish themselves by means never tried
        before." --Johnson.
  
     Syn: To mark; discriminate; differentiate; characterize;
          discern; perceive; signalize; honor; glorify.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Distinguishing \Dis*tin"guish*ing\, a.
     Constituting difference, or distinction from everything else;
     distinctive; peculiar; characteristic.
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           The distinguishing doctrines of our holy religion.
                                                    --Locke.
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     {Distinguishing pennant} (Naut.), a special pennant by which
        any particular vessel in a fleet is recognized and
        signaled. --Simmonds.
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From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  distinguishing
       adj : serving to distinguish or identify a species or group; "the
             distinguishing mark of the species is its plumage";
             "distinctive tribal tattoos"; "we were asked to
             describe any identifying marks or distinguishing
             features" [syn: {distinctive}, {identifying(a)}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  46 Moby Thesaurus words for "distinguishing":
     accurate, appreciative, characteristic, characterizing,
     contrastive, critical, delicate, diacritical, diagnostic,
     differencing, differential, differentiative, discriminate,
     discriminating, discriminative, distinctive, exact, exemplary,
     fastidious, fine, idiosyncratic, individualizing, individuating,
     natural, naturalistic, nice, normal, peculiar, personalizing,
     precise, quintessential, realistic, refined, regular, sample,
     selective, sensitive, separative, subtle, tactful, true to form,
     true to type, typal, typic, typical, usual