distance
/ˈdɪstəns/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdɪstəns/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈdi-stən(t)s/ (ame, mw)
distance — noun
- distancesingular
- distancesplural
1. the length separating one place or object from another; how far it is from one p
the length separating one place or object from another; how far it is from one point to another
The distance between Tariq's house and the nearest shop is about two kilometres.
distance between [place] and [place]
Mei used a ruler to measure the distance from her desk to the window.
measure the distance from [place] to [place]
At this distance the small print on the menu is impossible to read.
A safe distance between cars helps prevent accidents on the highway.
Yuki checked the online map for the distance to the national park.
- proximity
the state of being near or close rather than far apart
文法句型
distance + between + noun + and + noun
distance + from + noun + to + noun
用法筆記
Often used with 'between' (the gap linking two items) or 'from...to' (the journey measurement). Can be modified by adjectives like 'short', 'long', 'safe', 'great'.
常見錯誤
2. used in the fixed expression 'from a distance' to indicate something happening f
used in the fixed expression 'from a distance' to indicate something happening far away from where you are
Élise admired the waterfall from a distance, not wanting to get wet.
from a distance
From a distance the old temple looked like a small white box on the hillside.
Stefan could hear the music from a distance as he walked through the park.
Haruto watched the eagles from a distance so as not to disturb them.
- afar
literary or formal; used in 'from afar' instead of 'from a distance'
- close up
from very near rather than from far away
文法句型
from a distance
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the fixed phrase 'from a distance'. Unlike sense 1, no specific measurement is given — the focus is on 'not close' rather than 'how far'.
常見錯誤
3. a spot or location far away from the speaker, especially one that remains in vie
a spot or location far away from the speaker, especially one that remains in view or can still be heard; commonly appears in the phrase 'in the distance'
Rafael could see a tiny figure in the distance walking along the beach.
in the distance
The sound of church bells came from the distance, soft and warm.
from the distance
A ship appeared in the distance, moving slowly across the horizon.
Looking into the distance, Asher noticed dark clouds gathering over the mountains.
The lights of the town shone in the distance as the bus came closer.
- horizon
the specific line where earth and sky meet, narrower in meaning
- background
the part of a view that is furthest from the viewer, but not necessarily far away
- foreground
the part of a view closest to the viewer
文法句型
in the distance
用法筆記
Unlike sense 2 ('from a distance'), which emphasises the source of perception, sense 3 ('in the distance' / 'the distance') locates the point itself far away. 'The distance' here refers to the far-away location, not the measurement of space.
常見錯誤
4. behaviour or feelings that show a lack of warmth, friendliness, or closeness bet
behaviour or feelings that show a lack of warmth, friendliness, or closeness between people; deliberate emotional separation
There was a cold distance between Adisa and his brother after the argument.
distance between [people]
Sana kept her distance from the new team until she felt more comfortable with them.
keep (one's) distance from
The cold distance in her voice showed she did not want to talk further.
Nadia felt a growing distance between herself and her best friend after the move.
The manager's distance towards the staff created an unfriendly atmosphere in the office.
- coolness
less intense than 'distance'; suggests polite but unfriendly behaviour
- remoteness
emphasises a detached or unreachable quality in a person's manner
- aloofness
suggests conscious choice to stay apart, often with a sense of superiority
文法句型
distance + between + people
keep + (possessive) + distance + from
用法筆記
Can be modified by adjectives like 'cold', 'growing', 'emotional'. The phrase 'keep one's distance' is a common fixed expression meaning 'avoid getting too close emotionally'.
常見錯誤
5. a period of time that separates two events; the interval between one moment and
a period of time that separates two events; the interval between one moment and another, especially when considering how far apart they feel
There is a distance of about three months between the two music festivals.
distance of [time period] between
With time and distance from the exam results, Christopher saw his worry had been unnecessary.
with some distance from [event]
With the distance of ten years, those school days seemed much happier than they did at the time.
A few weeks of distance gave her time to reflect on the decision.
- immediacy
the quality of being current or happening without delay
文法句型
distance + of + time period
at a distance of + time
用法筆記
Often used with the idea of 'perspective' — the passage of time allows clearer thinking. Frequently appears in the phrase 'with the distance of time' or 'at a distance of [years]'.
常見錯誤
6. a notable separation or absence of a link between two items that might be expect
a notable separation or absence of a link between two items that might be expected to connect
There is a huge distance between what the government promises and what it actually delivers.
distance between [idea] and [idea]
The distance between their political views made friendly conversation nearly impossible.
Yael felt a growing distance between her own values and those of her employer.
The report showed the distance between rich and poor incomes in the region.
文法句型
distance + between + noun + and + noun
用法筆記
More abstract than sense 1 (physical space). Common in formal writing about social, political, or conceptual differences. Often interchangeable with 'gap' or 'disparity' in these contexts.
常見錯誤
distance — verb
- distancepresent simple I / you / we / they
- distances3rd person singular
- distancing-ing form
- distancedpast simple
1. to deliberately keep yourself apart from someone or something, usually by your o
to deliberately keep yourself apart from someone or something, usually by your own choice; to show that you do not want to be linked with a person, group, or event
The politician distanced himself from the scandal by publicly condemning the behaviour.
distance oneself from [situation]
Adisa tried to distance himself from the argument before things got worse.
The company quickly distanced itself from the manager's controversial comments.
Yael distanced herself from the gossip, refusing to comment on the rumour.
Parents should distance themselves from small fights and let kids sort it out.
- separate oneself from
more general; can be physical or emotional, not as deliberate
- withdraw from
suggests pulling back from an activity or relationship
- detach oneself from
suggests emotional disconnection, often with effort
- associate with
to connect or involve yourself with someone or something
- embrace
to accept or support something willingly and enthusiastically
文法句型
distance + oneself + from + noun/pronoun
用法筆記
Almost always used with a reflexive pronoun (myself, yourself, himself, etc.) followed by 'from'. Never used transitively without the reflexive — 'she distanced him' is incorrect.
常見錯誤
2. to move so far in front of someone or something that they cannot catch up, espec
to move so far in front of someone or something that they cannot catch up, especially in a race or competition; to overtake by a wide margin
Asher distanced all the other runners in the final lap and won the race easily.
distance [competitors] in [event]
The new phone distanced its rivals with a better camera and battery.
The home team distanced the visitors by twenty points by the end of the game.
The university has distanced other schools in the region with its research in renewable energy.
- trail
to fall behind or follow at a slower pace
- lag behind
to move or develop more slowly than others
文法句型
distance + noun/pronoun
用法筆記
Less common in everyday speech than 'outstrip' or 'leave behind'. Typically used in sports journalism, business writing, and formal comparisons. Often includes a specific margin ('distanced by ten points').
distance — adjective
- distancepositive
- more distancecomparative
- most distancesuperlative
1. describing education or training that takes place with teachers and students in
describing education or training that takes place with teachers and students in different locations, usually through the internet, video calls, or postal materials
Mei signed up for a distance learning course in graphic design from a British university.
distance learning course
Many schools introduced distance education when students could not attend classes in person.
distance education
Distance learning lets students study from anywhere with an internet connection.
The quality of distance teaching has improved greatly with better video technology.
Stefan completed a distance programme in engineering while working full-time at a factory.
- in-person
happening with people physically present in the same place
- face-to-face
involving direct personal contact rather than remote connection
文法句型
distance + noun (learning, education, course, class)
用法筆記
Only used before a noun. The most common combinations are 'distance learning', 'distance education', and 'distance course'. Not used predicatively — 'this course is distance' is incorrect. This sense is an attributive use of the noun, functioning as an adjective.