distance: [13] Etymologically, things that are distant stand far apart from each other. The word comes via Old French from Latin distantia, an abstract noun formed from distāns, the present participle of distāre ‘be remote’. This was a compound verb formed from the prefix dis- ‘apart’ and stāre ‘stand’ (source of English state, station, statue, etc and related to English stand). => stand, state, station, statue
distance (n.)
late 13c., "quarrel, estrangement, discord, strife," from Old French destance (13c.), from Latin distantia "a standing apart," from distantem (nominative distans) "standing apart, separate, distant," present participle of distare "stand apart," from dis- "apart, off" (see dis-) + stare "to stand," from PIE root *sta- "to stand, set down, make or be firm" (see stet).
Meaning "remoteness, space between things or places" is late 14c. The figurative sense of "aloofness" is the same as in stand-offish. Phrase go the distance (1930s) seems to be originally from the prize ring, where the word meant "scheduled length of a bout."
distance (v.)
1570s (transitive); 1640s (intransitive), from distance (n.). Related: Distanced; distancing.
实用例句
1. Jay had always tended to keep his girlfriends at a distance.
杰伊一贯和他的女朋友们保持距离。
来自柯林斯例句
2. He stares detachedly into the middle distance, towards nothing in particular.
他漠然而漫无目标地注视着不远处。
来自柯林斯例句
3. By half distance we held a comfortable two-lap lead.
到半程时，我们轻松领先两圈。
来自柯林斯例句
4. Even from a distance the effect of his fox costume was stunning.
即使从远处看，他的狐狸戏服也很抢眼。
来自柯林斯例句
5. Kenya's long distance runners have taken the athletics world by storm.
