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Distend vs Expend - What's the difference?

distend | expend |

As verbs the difference between distend and expend

is that distend is to extend or expand, as from internal pressure; to swell while expend is (label) to consume, exhaust (some resource).

distend

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To extend or expand, as from internal pressure; to swell
  • *
  • (transitive, reflexive, archaic) To extend; to stretch out; to spread out.
  • * 1662 Thomas Salusbury, Galileo's Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems (Dialogue 2):
    • These impure and frail matters are conteined within the angust concave of the Lunar Orb, above which with uninterrupted Series the things Celestial distend themselves.
  • * Milton
    • But say, what mean those coloured streaks in heaven / Distended as the brow of God appeased?
  • To cause to swell.
  • (biology) To cause gravidity.

    • Derived terms

    * distensible

    References

    * ----

    expend

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (label) to consume, exhaust (some resource)
  • * , King Henry VI Part 2 , act 3, scene 1:
    • If my death might make this island happy
    I would expend it with all willingness.
  • to spend, disburse