Meaning

To exude (a liquid) in small drops; also, to give off (a vapour) which condenses in small drops..

Definitions by Sense

1. To exude (a liquid) in small drops; also, to give off (a vapour) which condenses in small drops.
2. To impart (information, etc.) in small quantities; to infuse.
3. To heat (a substance, usually a liquid) so that a vapour is produced, and then to cool the vapour so that it condenses back into a liquid, either to purify the original substance or to obtain one of its components; to subject to distillation.
4. Followed by off or out: to expel (a volatile substance) from something by distillation.
5. To extract the essence of (something) by, or as if by, distillation; to concentrate, to purify.
6. To transform a thing (into something else) by distillation.
7. To make (something, especially spirits such as gin and whisky) by distillation.
8. To transform a complex large language model into a smaller one.

Example Sentences

Firs distil resin.

[I]t [Silene] eaſeth the head-ach, if togither with oile of roſes it be diſtilled upon the head by way of embrochation.

[B]eſide it [the tree of the knowledge of good and evil] ſtood One ſhap'd & wing'd like one of thoſe from Heav'n By us oft ſeen; his dewie locks diſtill'd Ambroſia; […]

[page 250] […] Trees do deſtil VVater a pace when Clouds or Miſts hang about them; […] [page 251] Beſides that in hot Regions Trees may in the nigh time deſtil VVater, though the Air be clear, and there be no Miſt about them, […]

Animals are a little like ourselves: they excel in an art only on condition of specializing in it. The Epeira, who, being omnivorous, is obliged to generalize, abandons scientific methods and makes up for this by distilling a poison capable of producing torpor and even death, no matter what the point attacked.

But of all other men our Solomon could leaſt be ignorant of this truth. Not only for that reaſon, becauſe God had filled his heart with a large meaſure of wiſdom beyond other men: but even for this reaſon alſo: that being born of wiſe and godly Parents, and born to a Kingdom too, […] he had this truth (conſidering the great uſefulneſs of it to him in the whole time of his future Government) early diſtilled into him by both his Parents, and was ſeaſoned thereinto from his childhood in his education.

She felt the slackening frost distil Through her blood the last ooze dull and chill: Her lids were dry and her lips were still.

Haue I not bene Thy Pupill long? Haſt thou not learn'd me how To make Perfumes? Diſtill? Preſerue?

Word Forms

• distils
• distilling
• distilled
• distill

Synonyms for distil

Related Words

When Should You Use Distil?

Use distil when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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