- distraction (n.)
[distraction 词源字典] - mid-15c., "the drawing away of the mind," from Latin distractionem (nominative distractio) "a pulling apart, separating," noun of action from past participle stem of distrahere (see distract). Meaning "mental disturbance" (in driven to distraction, etc.) is c. 1600. Meaning "a thing or fact that distracts" is from 1610s.[distraction etymology, distraction origin, 英语词源]
- distraught (adj.)
- late 14c., alteration (Englishing) of earlier distract (perhaps by association with other past participle forms in -ght, such as caught, bought, brought), mid-14c., past participle of distracten "derange the intellect of, drive mad" (see distract).
- distress (n.)
- late 13c., "circumstance that causes anxiety or hardship," from Old French destresse, from Vulgar Latin *districtia "restraint, affliction, narrowness, distress," from Latin districtus, past participle of distringere "draw apart, hinder," also, in Medieval Latin "compel, coerce," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + stringere "draw tight, press together" (see strain (v.)). Meaning "anguish, suffering; grief" is from c. 1300.
- distress (v.)
- late 14c., from Old French destresser, from Vulgar Latin *districtiare (see distress (n.)). Related: Distressed; distressing.
- distressed (adj.)
- past participle adjective from distress. In reference to furniture, by 1940.
- distressful (adj.)
- 1590s, from distress + -ful. Related: Distressfully; distressfulness.
- distribute (v.)
- early 15c., "to deal out or apportion," from Latin distributus, past participle of distribuere "to divide, distribute" (see distribution). Related: Distributable; distributed; distributing.
- distribution (n.)
- mid-14c., from Old French distribution (13c.) and directly from Latin distributionem (nominative distributio) "a division, distribution," noun of action from past participle stem of distribuere "deal out in portions," from dis- "individually" + tribuere "assign, allot" (see tribute).
- distributive (adj.)
- mid-15c., from Middle French distributif, from Late Latin distributivus, from Latin distribut-, past participle stem of distribuere (see distribution). Related: Distributively.
- distributor (n.)
- 1520s, distributer (Latinized form is from 1570s), agent noun from Latin distribuere (see distribution). As a part in an internal combustion engine, from 1905.
- district (n.)
- 1610s, "territory under the jurisdiction of a lord or officer," from French district (16c.), from Medieval Latin districtus "restraining of offenders, jurisdiction," then under the feudal system "area of jurisdiction," noun use of past participle of Latin distringere "hinder, detain" (see distress). Used vaguely of "any tract of land" from 1712. District attorney attested by 1789, American English.
- distrust
- early 15c. (v.); 1510s (n.), from dis- + trust. "The etymologically correct form is mistrust, in which both elements are Teutonic" [Klein]. Related: Distrusted; distrusting; distrustful; distrustfully; distrustfulness.
- disturb (v.)
- c. 1300, "to stop or hinder," from Old French destorber (Old North French distourber) and directly from Latin disturbare "throw into disorder," from dis- "completely" (see dis-) + turbare "to disorder, disturb," from turba "turmoil" (see turbid).
Meaning "to frighten" is late 13c.; that of "to stir up, agitate" is c. 1300. Related: Disturbed; disturbing; disturbingly. Middle English also had distourbler (n.) "one who disturbs or incites" (late 14c.). - disturbance (n.)
- late 13c., "mental distress," from Old French destorbance (12c., Old North French distorbance), from destourber, from Latin disturbare (see disturb). Meaning "public disturbance" is c. 1300; that of "destruction of peace or unity" is late 14c.
- disturbed (adj.)
- past participle adjective from disturb. Meaning "emotionally or mentally unstable" is from 1904.
- disunion (n.)
- late 15c., from dis- + union.
- disunite (v.)
- 1560s (implied in disunited); see dis- + unite. Related: Disuniting.
- disuse (n.)
- c. 1400, see dis- + use (n.).
- disuse (v.)
- c. 1400, "misuse, pervert;" mid-15c., "become unaccustomed," from or on analogy of Old French desuser, from des- "not" (see dis-) + user "use" (see use (v.)). Related: Disused.
- ditch (n.)
- Old English dic "ditch, dike," a variant of dike (q.v.). Last ditch (1715) refers to the last line of military defenses.
