distinguish
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++dis·tin·guish /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/ ●●○ S3 W3 verb 1 [intransitive, transitive]DIFFERENT to recognize and understand the difference between two or more things or people 区分，辨别 SYN differentiatedistinguish between His attorney argued that Cope could not distinguish between right and wrong. 他的辩护律师辩称科普无法分辨是非。distinguish somebody/something from a method of distinguishing cancer cells from normal tissue 辨别癌细胞和正常组织的一种方法► see thesaurus at recognize RegisterIn everyday English, people usually use the phrases tell the difference between somebody/something or tell somebody/something from somebody/something, rather than distinguish: 在日常英语中,人们一般使用短语 tell the difference between sb/sth 或 tell sb/sth from sb/sth,而不用 distinguishHe can’t tell the difference between right and wrong. 他无法分辨是非。How do you tell cancer cells from healthy cells? 怎么区分癌细胞和健康细胞？2 [transitive not in progressive]DIFFERENT to be the thing that makes someone or something different or special 使有区别，使有特色distinguish somebody/something from The factor that distinguishes this company from the competition is customer service. 使这家公司在竞争中脱颖而出的是其客户服务。distinguishing feature/mark/characteristic The main distinguishing feature of this species is the leaf shape. 这一品种的主要特征是叶子的形状。3 [transitive not in progressive]SEE written to be able to see the shape of something or hear a particular sound 看清；认出；听出 The light was too dim for me to distinguish anything clearly. 光线太暗，我什么也看不清。4 distinguish yourself DO WELLto do something so well that people notice and remember you 表现突出 He distinguished himself on several occasions in the civil war. 他在内战中屡次表现突出。→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
distinguish• The difficulty in distinguishing between hypotheses was not surprising since only 209 families with Crohn's disease were available for analysis.• They had to distinguish between problems because of a lack of ability from those of a lack of motivation.• Even a expert would find it hard to distinguish between the original painting and the copy.• From that time onwards there was reason still, but not so much reason, to distinguish between trusts and legacies.• The trick in improving quality was to distinguish between variation due to random causes and that due to specific or assignable causes.• Several thousand minerals can be distinguished, each defined by its own set of properties.• There's not a lot that distinguishes her from the other candidates.• A tiny baby soon learns to distinguish its mother's face from other adults' faces.• It was just possible to distinguish the darkened village below.• I shall not attempt to distinguish the particular sources of individual ideas.• What really distinguishes the proposal?• I couldn't distinguish the words, but his tone was clear.• What distinguishes this approach from previous attempts to deal with HIV?distinguish between• Young children often can't distinguish between TV programs and commercials.distinguishing feature/mark/characteristic• You know, to put on my passport where it says any scars or distinguishing features.• The contrast of his short-cropped white hair against his deep clayey tan was his only distinguishing feature.• Two rectangular buildings there had a pit sunk in one corner which might be taken as a distinguishing feature.• It is reason, he argued, that is the distinguishing feature of human beings as against other examples of creation.• But the striking and distinguishing feature of organisms is organisation without such simple spatial regularity.• It has a completely unique quality and is obviously one of the distinguishing features of our century.• The evolution of a rudimentary bureaucracy was, by 1180, the distinguishing feature of royal and princely administrations.• The distinguishing feature of the African elephant is the size of its ears.• But race is not the distinguishing characteristic of this growing rape epidemic.• The melodies of most composers have distinguishing characteristics which make them instantly identifiable.Origin distinguish (1500-1600) French distinguer, from Latin distinguere “to separate using a sharp pointed object”dis·tin·guish verb →REGISTER1ChineseSyllable
more understand to and recognize difference two between the or Corpus
distinguish
dis‧tin‧guish S3 W3 /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/
verb
SYN differentiate
distinguish between
His attorney argued that Cope could not distinguish between right and wrong.
distinguish somebody/something from
a method of distinguishing cancer cells from normal tissue
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually use the phrases tell the difference between somebody/something or tell somebody/something from somebody/something, rather than distinguish:
▪He can’t tell the difference between right and wrong.
▪How do you tell cancer cells from healthy cells?
2. [transitive not in progressive] to be the thing that makes someone or something different or special
distinguish somebody/something from
The factor that distinguishes this company from the competition is customer service.
distinguishing feature/mark/characteristic
The main distinguishing feature of this species is the leaf shape.
3. [transitive not in progressive] written to be able to see the shape of something or hear a particular sound:
The light was too dim for me to distinguish anything clearly.
4. distinguish yourself to do something so well that people notice and remember you:
He distinguished himself on several occasions in the civil war.
▪ recognize to know who someone is or what something is, especially because you have seen or heard them before: I hadn’t seen her for ten years, but I recognized her immediately. | Do you recognize this song?
▪identify to recognize someone or something and say who or what they are: As they came closer, I was able to identify two of the group. | It’s delicious but I can’t quite identify the taste.
▪distinguish to recognize and understand the difference between two or more things or people: By this age, kids can usually distinguish between right and wrong. | It’s often difficult to distinguish identical twins from each other.
▪make something/somebody out to be able to see or hear something or someone – used when it is very difficult to do this: In the distance, I could just make out the outline of an island. | He whispered something but I couldn’t make out what it was.
▪discern /dɪˈsɜːn $ -ɜːrn/ formal to notice or understand something by looking carefully or thinking about it carefully: I thought I discerned a faint gleam of hope in his eyes. | A number of differences can be discerned in the data for the three countries.
dis‧tin‧guish S3 W3 /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/
verb Date: 1500-1600
Language: French
Origin: distinguer, from Latin distinguere 'to separate using a sharp pointed object'
1. [intransitive and transitive] to recognize and understand the difference between two or more things or people Language: French
Origin: distinguer, from Latin distinguere 'to separate using a sharp pointed object'
SYN differentiate
distinguish between
distinguish somebody/something from
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually use the phrases tell the difference between somebody/something or tell somebody/something from somebody/something, rather than distinguish:
▪
▪
2. [transitive not in progressive] to be the thing that makes someone or something different or special
distinguish somebody/something from
distinguishing feature/mark/characteristic
3. [transitive not in progressive] written to be able to see the shape of something or hear a particular sound:
4. distinguish yourself to do something so well that people notice and remember you:
| THESAURUS |
▪
▪
▪
▪