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Distinguish vs Clarify - What's the difference?

distinguish | clarify |

In obsolete|lang=en terms the difference between distinguish and clarify

is that distinguish is (obsolete) to make to differ while clarify is (obsolete) to glorify.

As verbs the difference between distinguish and clarify

is that distinguish is to see someone or something as different from others while clarify is to make clear or bright by freeing from feculent matter; to defecate; to fine; -- said of liquids, as wine or syrup.

distinguish

English

Verb

  • To see someone or something as different from others.
  • * {{quote-book, author=De Lacy O'Leary, title=, year=1922
  • , passage=It had begun to take a leading place even in the days of the Ptolemies, and in scientific, as distinguished from purely literary work, it had assumed a position of primary importance early in the Christian era.}}
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2012, month=March-April
  • , author=(Jeremy Bernstein) , title=A Palette of Particles , volume=100, issue=2, page=146 , magazine=(American Scientist) citation , passage=The physics of elementary particles in the 20th century was distinguished by the observation of particles whose existence had been predicted by theorists sometimes decades earlier.}}
  • To see someone or something clearly or distinctly.
  • To make oneself noticeably different or better from others through accomplishments.
  • * 1784 : William Jones, The Description and Use of a New Portable Orrery, &c. , PREFACE
  • THE favourable reception the Orrery has met with from Per?ons of the fir?t di?tinction, and from Gentlemen and Ladies in general, has induced me to add to it ?everal new improvements in order to give it a degree of Perfection; and di?tingui?h it from others; which by Piracy, or Imitation, may be introduced to the Public.
  • (obsolete) To make to differ.
  • * Bible, 1 Cor. iv. 7 (Douay version)
  • Who distinguisheth thee?

    Usage notes

    In sense “see a difference”, more casual than differentiate or the formal discriminate; more casual is “tell the difference”.

    Synonyms

    (see a difference) differentiate, discriminate

    Derived terms

    * distinguished * distinguishable * distinguishness

    Antonyms

    * (to see someone or something as different from others) confuse

    clarify

    English

    (Webster 1913)

    Verb

    (en-verb)
  • To make clear or bright by freeing from feculent matter; to defecate; to fine; -- said of liquids, as wine or syrup.
  • * (rfdate) Ure:
  • Boiled and clarified .
  • To make clear; to free from obscurities; to brighten or illuminate.
  • * (rfdate) South:
  • To clarify his reason, and to rectify his will.
  • (ergative) To grow or become clear or transparent; to become free from feculent impurities, as wine or other liquid under clarification.
  • * Leave the wine for 24 hours and it will clarify .
  • (ergative) To grow clear or bright; to clear up.
  • (obsolete) To glorify.