Dictionary
distill
verb dis·till \di-ˈstil\
: to make (a liquid) pure by heating it until it becomes a gas and then cooling it until it is a liquid again : to purify (a liquid) by distillation
: to make (a strong alcoholic drink) by using this process
: to take the most important parts of something and put them in a different and usually improved form
dis·tilleddis·till·ing
Full Definition of DISTILL
transitive verb
1
: to let fall, exude, or precipitate in drops or in a wet mist
2
a : to subject to or transform by distillation <distill molasses into rum> b : to obtain by or as if by distillation <distill whiskey> <able to distill humor from personal loss> c : to extract the essence of : concentrate
intransitive verb
1
a : to fall or materialize in drops or in a fine moisture b : to appear slowly or in small quantities at a time
2
a : to undergo distillation b : to perform distillation
See distill defined for English-language learners
See distill defined for kids
Variants of DISTILL
dis·till also dis·til \di-ˈstil\
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Origin of DISTILL
Middle English distillen, from Anglo-French distiller, from Late Latin distillare, alteration of Latin destillare, from de- + stillare to drip, from stilla drop
First Known Use: 14th century
Other Chemical Engineering Terms
Rhymes with DISTILL
anthill, at will, backfill, ball mill, bluegill, Brazil, breast drill, cranesbill, crossbill, de Mille, dentil, de-skill, doorsill, downhill, duckbill, dullsville, dunghill, fire drill, foothill, freewill, free will, gin mill, goodwill, gristmill, handbill, hawksbill, hornbill, Huntsville, ill will, instill, Knoxville, lambkill, landfill, limekiln, manille, McGill, Melville, mixed grill, molehill, mudsill, Nashville, no-till, pep pill, per mill, playbill, pot still, pug mill, quadrille, red squill, refill, roadkill, sawmill, Schuylkill, self-will, Seville, sheathbill, shoebill, show bill, sidehill, sigil, spadille, spoonbill, stabile, standstill, stock-still, storksbill, T-bill, treadmill, true bill, twin bill, twist drill, until, uphill, vaudeville, waxbill, waybill, windchill, windmill, Zangwill
DISTIL Defined for Kids
distill
verb dis·till \di-ˈstil\
dis·tilleddis·till·ing
Definition of DISTILL for Kids
: to make (a liquid) pure by heating it until it becomes a gas and then cooling it until it becomes a liquid <distill water>
— dis·till·er noun
Variants of DISTILL
dis·till also dis·til \di-ˈstil\
Medical Dictionary
distill
verb dis·till
dis·tilleddis·till·ing
Medical Definition of DISTILL
transitive verb
1
: to subject to or transform by distillation
2
: to obtain by or as if by distillation
3
: to obtain an extract from (as a plant) by infusion and distillation <making medicines by distilling herbs>
intransitive verb
1
: to undergo distillation
2
: to condense or drop from a still after distillation
Variants of DISTILL
dis·till also dis·til \dis-ˈtil\
Learn More About DISTILL
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