Definition of distantly

distantlyadverb

xa xôi

/ˈdɪstəntli//ˈdɪstəntli/

The word "distantly" has its roots in the 15th century. It comes from the Old French word "destain", which means "to stretch out" or "to reach far". The word "distantly" is an adverb that is formed by adding the suffix "-ly" to the adjective "distant", meaning far away or separate. In Middle English (circa 1300-1500), the word "distan" meant "to separate" or "to set apart", and it was often used in phrases such as "distan and halten" meaning "to keep at a distance" or "to preserve distance". Over time, the meaning of the word shifted to "from a distance" or "at a distance", and by the 16th century, the adverb "distantly" emerged, signifying a sense of removal or separation. Today, "distantly" is used to describe something happening or being done from a distance, often figuratively, such as "they talked distantly on the phone" or "the stars shone distantly in the sky".

namespace

far away in space or time

xa xôi trong không gian hoặc thời gian

Example:
  • Somewhere, distantly, he could hear the sound of the sea.

    Ở đâu đó xa xa, anh có thể nghe thấy tiếng biển.

not closely

không chặt chẽ

Example:
  • We're distantly related.

    Chúng ta có quan hệ họ hàng xa.

  • The way I speak only distantly resembles the way I write.

    Cách tôi nói chỉ giống một chút với cách tôi viết.

in a way that does not show real emotion because you are thinking about something else

theo cách không thể hiện cảm xúc thực sự vì bạn đang nghĩ về điều gì khác

Example:
  • Holly smiled distantly.

    Holly mỉm cười xa xăm.

Related words and phrases