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   Dis·tin·guish

   /dəˈstiNGɡwiSH/

   

   verb

   • 1. recognize or treat (someone or something) as different: "the child is perfectly capable of distinguishing reality from fantasy" Similar differentiatetell apartdiscriminatediscerndeterminepick outtell the difference betweendecide betweenmake/draw a distinction between
   • ▪ perceive or point out a difference: "bees are unable to distinguish between red, black, and various grays"
   • ▪ manage to discern (something barely perceptible): "it was too dark to distinguish anything more than their vague shapes" Similar discernseeperceivemake outobservenoticespotglimpsecatch sight ofdetectrecognizeidentifypick outformal:apprehendliterary:descryespy
   • ▪ be an identifying or characteristic mark or property of: "what distinguishes sports from games?" Similar separateset apartmake distinctivemake differentsingle outmark offdemarcatedelimitdelineatecharacterizeindividualizeindividuateidentifydesignatecategorizeclassify
   • ▪ make oneself prominent and worthy of respect through one's behavior or achievements: "many distinguished themselves in the fight"

   Word Origin late 16th century: formed irregularly from French distinguer or Latin distinguere, from dis- ‘apart’ + stinguere ‘put out’ (from a base meaning ‘prick’).

   Scrabble Points: 16

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