/ ˈdɪstənt; NAmE / adjective
1.
far away in space or time :
the distant sound of music
distant stars / planets
The time we spent together is now a distant memory.
( formal )
The airport was about 20 kilometres distant.
a star 30 000 light years distant from the Earth
( figurative )
Peace was just a distant hope (= not very likely) .
2.
distant (from sth) not like sth else
SYN remote :
Their life seemed utterly distant from his own.
3.
[ only before noun ] ( of a person ) related to you but not closely :
a distant cousin / aunt / relative
4.
not friendly; not wanting a close relationship with sb :
Pat sounded very cold and distant on the phone.
5.
not paying attention to sth but thinking about sth completely different :
There was a distant look in her eyes; her mind was obviously on something else.
► dis·tant·ly adverb :
Somewhere, distantly, he could hear the sound of the sea.
We're distantly related.
Holly smiled distantly.
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IDIOMS
- the (dim and) distant past
- in the not too distant future
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Latin distant- standing apart, from the verb distare , from dis- apart + stare stand.