French word

distiller

Pronunciation

IPA/distile/

Meaning

  • verbdistill

Example

Ils distillent de l'alcool dans une petite distillerie.

They distill alcohol in a small distillery.

Illustration for distiller (distill)

More examples

Le journaliste distille des informations au fil de l'enquête.

The journalist dribbles out information as the investigation progresses.

Core concept

A liquid becomes vapor and then drops again, leaving a chosen substance more concentrated; information can likewise be released in measured portions.

Common phrases

  • distiller de l'information

    dribble out information

  • distiller des conseils

    dribble out advice

Similar words

extraire: To obtain a desired component or piece of information from a mixture or source.
filtrer: To remove unwanted particles or solids by passing a liquid or gas through a filter.
séparer: To divide a mixture into separate parts according to their types or properties.
purifier: To remove impurities so something becomes purer and safer.

Definition in French

Extraire un constituant d'un liquide par évaporation puis condensation; s'emploie aussi, au sens figuré, pour transmettre progressivement une information ou une idée.

Word origin

French distiller comes from Latin distillare, formed from dis- and stillare, 'to drip', and developed from a technical process into a figurative sense of gradual transmission.

Usage tips

  • As a transitive verb, distiller takes the substance directly, as in distiller de l'alcool, and the figurative use takes objects such as une information or un message.

Other meanings

  • extractverb
  • drip-feedverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word