distant
Word family
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++dis·tant /ˈdɪstənt/ ●●○ W3 adjective 1 far away 远处的FAR far away in space or time 遥远的，远处的；久远的 the sound of distant gunfire 远处的炮火声 Her honeymoon seemed a distant memory. 她的蜜月似乎成了遥远的记忆。 That affair was in the dim and distant past (=a long time ago). 那件事已成为遥远的过去了。 The president hopes to visit Ireland in the not too distant future (=quite soon). 总统希望在不久的将来访问爱尔兰。distant from stars that are distant from our galaxy 与我们星系距离遥远的恒星► see thesaurus at far2 not friendly 不友好的UNFRIENDLY unfriendly 不友好的，冷淡的，疏远的 After the quarrel Sue remained cold and distant. 那次争吵之后，休一直冷淡疏远。3 not concentrating 心不在焉的 thinking deeply about something private, rather than about what is happening around you 心不在焉的，恍惚的，出神的 Geri had a distant look in her eyes. 格里眼神恍惚。4 relative 亲属 [only before noun]SSFFAMILY not closely related to you 远亲的 OPP close a distant cousin 一位远房表亲5 distant from something different from something or not closely connected with it 与某事物不同，与某事物关系不密切 The reality of independence was distant from the hopes they had had. 独立后的现实情况与他们原先所希望的大不一样。 —distantly adverb We are distantly related. 我们是远亲。n COLLOCATIONSnounsthe distant past/future (=a long time in the past/future)It is a fictional story set in the distant past.In the distant future, there may be a cure for the disease.a distant memory (=something that happened a long time ago)Already the summer seemed like a distant memory.distant mountains/hillsFrom here, you can look out to the distant hills.a distant planet/galaxy/starThey saw telescope images of the distant planet Neptune.a distant soundSometimes you can hear the distant sound of traffic from the main road.distant thunderDistant thunder rumbled over the mountains.distant placesShe loved the wild, distant places of Scotland.a distant land literary (=a country that is a long way away)He fled to a distant land.phrasesin the dim and distant past humorous (=a long time ago)Back in the dim and distant past when I was at school, computers didn’t exist.in the not too distant future (=quite soon)We’re expecting a final decision in the not too distant future.Examples from the Corpus
distant• Firebug shrugged, his eyes distant.• The neighbors seem very distant, although I try to be friendly.• Fog hangs on the distant and some of the near hills.• As she was growing up, her father was always distant and took little interest in her achievements.• Then her sad eyes met Morse's in a sort of distant, anonymous camaraderie: she smiled across, almost fully.• Howard is a distant cousin of my mother's.• High-tech digital cameras are used extensively in astronomy to capture dim light from distant galaxies.• Travelers came from distant lands to visit the shrine.• Jeff's been kind of distant lately.• There was no sound other than the distant roar of the ocean.• Even the plural in their name seems to make them extend farther into a distant romantic haze.• Adelaida Parra coordinates seven literacy groups each week spending long hours travelling by bus between the distant shanty towns.• By now, the plane was just a distant speck in the sky.• There was a flash of lightning and then the rumble of distant thunder.in the not too distant future• Wilder thinks there will be a black president in the not too distant future.• Afterwards, Mr. Reynolds announced that the President would be visiting Ireland in the not too distant future.• The latter is already yielding fresh produce and fresh fruit is expected from the orchard in the not too distant future.• This, and similar organisations, may well become agents of environmental change in the not too distant future.Origin distant (1300-1400) Latin distans, present participle of distare “to stand apart”, from stare “to stand”dis·tant adjective →n COLLOCATIONS1LDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable
Corpus time far or away space in
distant
dis‧tant W3 /ˈdɪstənt/
adjective
the sound of distant gunfire
Her honeymoon seemed a distant memory.
That affair was in the dim and distant past (=a long time ago).
The President hopes to visit Ireland in the not too distant future (=quite soon).
distant from
stars that are distant from our galaxy
2. NOT FRIENDLY unfriendly:
After the quarrel Sue remained cold and distant.
3. NOT CONCENTRATING thinking deeply about something private, rather than about what is happening around you:
Geri had a distant look in her eyes.
4. RELATIVE [only before noun] not closely related to you
OPP close:
a distant cousin
5. distant from something different from something or not closely connected with it:
The reality of independence was distant from the hopes they had had.
—distantly adverb:
We are distantly related.
■ nouns
▪the distant past/future (=a long time in the past/future) It is a fictional story set in the distant past. | In the distant future, there may be a cure for the disease.
▪a distant memory (=something that happened a long time ago) Already the summer seemed like a distant memory.
▪distant mountains/hills From here, you can look out to the distant hills.
▪a distant planet/galaxy/star They saw telescope images of the distant planet Neptune.
▪a distant sound Sometimes you can hear the distant sound of traffic from the main road.
▪distant thunder Distant thunder rumbled over the mountains.
▪distant places She loved the wild, distant places of Scotland.
▪a distant land literary (=a country that is a long way away) He fled to a distant land.
■ phrases
▪in the dim and distant past humorous (=a long time ago) Back in the dim and distant past when I was at school, computers didn’t exist.
▪in the not too distant future (=quite soon) We’re expecting a final decision in the not too distant future.
▪ far adverb a long distance – used mainly in negatives and questions, or after ‘too’, ‘so’, and ‘as’: It’s not far to the airport from here. | Have you driven far? | The ship was so far away we could hardly see it.
▪a long way adverb a long distance from somewhere. This is the most common way of talking about long distances, except in negatives and questions when far is also common: You must be tired – you’ve come a long way. | It’s a long way down from the top of the cliff. | I can’t see things that are a long way away.
▪miles adverb informal a very long way: We hiked miles. | The school is miles away from where I live.
▪in the distance adverb a long way from where you are now – used when talking about things that seem small or sounds that seem quiet because they are a long way away: Dogs were barking somewhere in the distance.
▪distant adjective especially written used about something that is a long distance from where you are now, and looks small or sounds quiet: By now, the plane was just a distant speck in the sky. | the rumble of distant thunder
▪faraway adjective especially written a very long distance from where you are now: a traveller from a faraway land | His voice sounded faraway. | He told us stories about the faraway countries he had visited.
▪remote adjective a remote place is a long distance from other places, and few people go there: The helicopter crashed in a remote part of the country. | remote holiday destinations
▪isolated adjective an isolated place is a long distance from other towns, buildings, or people, and there is very little communication with surrounding places: isolated rural areas of Nepal | Occasionally we passed through a small isolated village. | If you travel to isolated areas, make sure you have a good guide.
▪off the beaten track (also off the beaten path American English) adverb a place that is off the beaten track is a long distance from the places where people usually go, and often seems interesting and different because of this: She likes to go to places that are a bit off the beaten track.
dis‧tant W3 /ˈdɪstənt/
adjective Date: 1300-1400
Language: Latin
Origin: distans, present participle of distare 'to stand apart', from stare 'to stand'
1. FAR AWAY far away in space or time:Language: Latin
Origin: distans, present participle of distare 'to stand apart', from stare 'to stand'
distant from
2. NOT FRIENDLY unfriendly:
3. NOT CONCENTRATING thinking deeply about something private, rather than about what is happening around you:
4. RELATIVE [only before noun] not closely related to you
OPP close:
5. distant from something different from something or not closely connected with it:
—distantly adverb:
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