Noun

(en noun)

That which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination.

The act of distinguishing, discriminating; discrimination.

* {{quote-book, year=1921, title=

, author=(Bertrand Russell), chapter=Lecture II , passage=In spite of these qualifications, the broad distinction between instinct and habit is undeniable. To take extreme cases, every animal at birth can take food by instinct, before it has had opportunity to learn; on the other hand, no one can ride a bicycle by instinct, though, after learning, the necessary movements become just as automatic as if they were instinctive.}}

* {{quote-book, year=1911, title=

, chapter=Evidence , passage=But, for practical purposes, it is possible to draw a distinction between a statement of facts observed and an expression of opinion as to the inference to be drawn from these facts, and the rule telling witnesses to state facts and not express opinions is of great value in keeping their statements out of the region of argument and conjecture.}}

Specifically, a feature that causes someone or something to stand out as being better; a mark of honour, rank, eminence or excellence; being distinguished.

* {{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Ben Travers), title=(A Cuckoo in the Nest)

, chapter=2 citation , passage=Mother

* 2013 , Daniel Taylor, Steven Gerrard goal against Poland ensures England will go to World Cup'' (in ''The Guardian , 15 October 2013)[http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/15/england-poland-world-cup-qualifier]

Leighton Baines, playing with distinction again, sent over a left-wing cross with pace and accuracy. Welbeck, prominently involved all night, could not reach it but Rooney was directly behind him, flashing his header past Szczesny.

Noun

(en-noun)

(countable) An act of dissembling.

*{{quote-news, year=2009, date=March 28, author=, title=Catching Some Z’s in Days of Yore, work=New York Times citation

, passage=Such dissemblance , at any rate, is not a temptation at this exhibition. }}

(uncountable) Dissembling, as a kind of behavior; dissembling, generally.

* 1980 Dec. 22, Virginia Haradon, " Letters," Time :

With Mae West, coquettish dissemblance was out; womanly seductiveness was in.

(countable) Dissimilarity, unlikeness.

* 1849 , , The Sea Lions , ch. 11:

As this latter animal [the sperm whale] is quite one-third head, he has no very great dissemblance to the alligator in this particular.

* 1916 Feb. 7, " The Greatest Miracle," Hawera & Normanby Star (New Zealand), p. 2 (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):

Moreover, at any season there is a difference between down grass and mountain grass, between sea grass and valley grass, between moor grass and wood grass. It may be slight, and not in kind but only in shadowy dissemblances of texture and hue.