distil
Americanverb (used with or without object)
verb
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to subject to or undergo distillation See also rectify
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to purify, separate, or concentrate, or be purified, separated, or concentrated by distillation
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to obtain or be obtained by distillation
to distil whisky
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to exude or give off (a substance) in drops or small quantities
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(tr) to extract the essence of as if by distillation
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of distil
C14: from Latin dēstillāre to distil, from de- + stillāre to drip
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Odones approached Croda, which had large manufacturing plants in Hull, and the chemist Don Suddaby, who was persuaded to distil the formula.
From BBC • Dec. 14, 2025
It’s hard to distil elections in a country as large as India to just a few faces - political choices can vary widely from region to region.
From BBC • Apr. 18, 2024
"It is difficult to distil the geopolitical tensions from the macroeconomic backdrop," Dushanova said.
From Reuters • Nov. 19, 2021
Cobb also eloquently shows how figurative language does much more than simply distil or give shape to complex, intangible subjects.
From Nature • Mar. 29, 2020
The year 1848 was characterized by the usual venom which the anti-slavery societies industriously endeavored to distil into the community.
From History of American Abolitionism by Fontaine, F. G. de
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
