v.
Variant: also dis · til
Pronunciation: di- ' stil
Function: verb
Inflected Form: dis · tilled ; dis · till · ing
Etymology: Middle English distillen, from Anglo-French distiller, from Late Latin distillare, alteration of Latin destillare, from de- + stillare to drip, from stilla drop
Date: 14th century
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