distend

UK:*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/dɪˈstɛnd/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/dɪˈstɛnd/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(di stend)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
dis•tend /dɪˈstɛnd/USA pronunciation   v. 
  1. to expand by stretching: [+ object]Air distends a balloon.[no object]The balloon distended to about five inches in length.
dis•ten•tion /dɪˈstɛnʃən/USA pronunciation  n. [uncountable]suffering from distention of the stomach.[countable]a distention of several inches.See -tend-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
dis•tend  (di stend),USA pronunciation v.t., v.i. 
  1. to expand by stretching, as something hollow or elastic:Habitual overeating had distended his stomach.
  2. to spread in all directions;
    expand;
    swell:The sea distended about them.
  • Latin distendere, equivalent. to dis- dis-1 + tendere to stretch
  • Anglo-French destendre)
  • late Middle English (1375–1425
dis•tender, n. 
    • 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged See expand. 
    • 1, 2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged enlarge, bloat.
    • 1, 2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged shrink, contract.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
distend / dɪˈstɛnd/
  1. to expand or be expanded by or as if by pressure from within; swell; inflate
  2. (transitive) to stretch out or extend
Etymology: 14th Century: from Latin distendere, from dis-1 + tendere to stretchdisˈtensibledisˈtension, disˈtention
'distend' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):

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