| Distinguish 1. (v. t.) Not set apart from others by visible marks; to make distinctive or discernible by exhibiting differences; to mark off by some characteristic. 2. (v. t.) To separate by definition of terms or logical division of a subject with regard to difference; as, to distinguish sounds into high and low. 3. (v. t.) 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. 4. (v. t.) To constitute a difference; to make to differ. 5. (v. t.) To separate from others by a mark of honor; to make eminent or known; to confer distinction upon; -- with by or for. 6. (v. i.) To make distinctions; to perceive the difference; to exercise discrimination; -- with between; as, a judge distinguishes between cases apparently similar, but differing in principle. 7. (v. i.) To become distinguished or distinctive; to make one's self or itself discernible. Thesaurus Entries adorn, aggrandize, analyze, anatomize, atomize, be characteristic, behold, bestow honor upon, call attention to, catch sight of, categorize, change, characterize, chop logic, clap eyes on, classify, confer distinction on, contradistinguish, decide, define, demarcate, demark, denote, describe, descry, designate, desynonymize, detach, detect, determinate, determine, diagnose, difference, differentiate, dignify, discern, discover, discriminate, disengage, disequalize, disjoin, diversify, divide, draw the line, earmark, ennoble, erect, espy, extricate, feel, finger, glimpse, glorify, grace, grade, group, have, have in sight, hear, honor, identify, indicate, individualize, individuate, judge, ken, keynote, know, know again, lay eyes on, look on, look upon, magnify, make a distinction, make out, mark, mark off, mark out, mark the interface, modify, nail, note, notice, observe, part, particularize, peg, perceive, personalize, pick out, pick up, pinpoint, place, qualify, realize, recall knowledge of, recognize, refine a distinction, reidentify, remark, screen, screen out, see, segregate, select, sense, separate, set a limit, set apart, set off, set the pace, set the tone, sever, severalize, sieve, sieve out, sift, sift out, sight, signalize, single out, smell, sort, sort out, sound the keynote, specialize, split hairs, spot, spy, subdivide, sublime, subtilize, take in, taste, tell, tell apart, twig, uprear, vary, view, winnow, witness |