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Shatter vs Distort - What's the difference?

shatter | distort |

In lang=en terms the difference between shatter and distort

is that shatter is to dispirit or emotionally defeat while distort is to give a false or misleading account of.

In obsolete|lang=en terms the difference between shatter and distort

is that shatter is (obsolete) to scatter about while distort is (obsolete) distorted; misshapen.

As verbs the difference between shatter and distort

is that shatter is to violently break something into pieces while distort is to bring something out of shape.

As a noun shatter

is (archaic) a fragment of anything shattered.

As an adjective distort is

(obsolete) distorted; misshapen.

shatter

English

(wikipedia shatter)

Verb

(en verb)
  • to violently break something into pieces.
    • The miners used dynamite to shatter rocks.
    a high-pitched voice that could shatter glass
    The old oak tree has been shattered by lightning.
  • to destroy or disable something.
  • to smash, or break into tiny pieces.
  • to dispirit or emotionally defeat
    • to be shattered''' in intellect; to have '''shattered''' hopes, or a '''shattered constitution
  • * 1984 Martyn Burke, The commissar's report, p36
    • Your death will shatter him. Which is what I want. Actually, I would prefer to kill him.
  • * 1992 Rose Gradym "Elvis Cures Teen's Brain Cancer!" Weekly World News , Vol. 13, No. 38 (23 June, 1992), p41
    • A CAT scan revealed she had an inoperable brain tumor. The news shattered Michele's mother.
  • * 2006 A. W. Maldonado, Luis Muñoz Marín: Puerto Rico's democratic revolution, p163
    • The marriage, of course, was long broken but Munoz knew that asking her for a divorce would shatter her.
  • * Norris
    • a man of a loose, volatile, and shattered humour
  • (obsolete) To scatter about.
  • * Milton
    • Shatter your leaves before the mellowing year.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (archaic) A fragment of anything shattered.
    • to break a glass into shatters
    (Jonathan Swift)

    Anagrams

    * * English ergative verbs

    distort

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To bring something out of shape.
  • (ergative) To become misshapen.
  • To give a false or misleading account of
    • In their articles, journalists sometimes distort the truth.

    Related terms

    * distorted (pos a) * distortion

    Derived terms

    * distorter

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (obsolete) distorted; misshapen
  • * Spenser
    • Her face was ugly and her mouth distort .