Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Inattentive or preoccupied, especially because of anxiety.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Abstracted; absent-minded; inattentive.
- In French law, awarded to another. See
distraction , 9.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective Absent-minded; lost in thought; abstracted.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective
absent-minded ,troubled ,distracted
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective having the attention diverted especially because of anxiety
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Being, however, quite unaccustomed to dealing with this dual condition of mind it is to be feared he was a little "distrait" and mechanical of speech.
Christopher Hibbault, Roadmaker Marguerite Bryant
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Auntie became excessively pale, and was sometimes quite "distrait" and bewildered-looking, which was little wonder, considering all she had to do and arrange.
The Laurel Bush Dinah Maria Mulock Craik 1856
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I took care never to be absent or 'distrait'; but on the contrary, attended to everything that was said, done, or even looked, in company; I never failed in the minutest attentions and was never 'journalier'.
Complete Project Gutenberg Earl of Chesterfield Works Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield 1733
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I took care never to be absent or 'distrait'; but on the contrary, attended to everything that was said, done, or even looked, in company; I never failed in the minutest attentions and was never 'journalier'.
Letters to His Son on the Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman, 1748 Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield 1733
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He sounds lost—even distrait, whatever that means.
Break Time in the Army Corps of Engineers Mascot Lounge Con Chapman 2012
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“Sure, son, sure,” Jack answered with a distrait tone.
Jack Garner, Parsley Farmer Con Chapman 2011
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“Sure, son, sure,” Jack answered with a distrait tone.
Jack Garner, Parsley Farmer Con Chapman 2011
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"Sure, son, sure," Jack answered with a distrait tone.
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Though haggard and distrait, Cooke was still every inch the buckra, or Jamaican planter.
My travels: Ian Thomson in Jamaica Ian Thomson 2010
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Her Kitchen Essays appeared first in the Times, and have what Nicola Humble accurately calls a "slightly distrait charm" (what on earth to do when cook is away?).
yarb commented on the word distrait
He was continually drifting into reveries, bstracted, distrait.
- Frank Norris, The Octopus, ch. 5
August 15, 2008
jmjarmstrong commented on the word distrait
JM is distrait ....................................................................................... see!
September 22, 2010
dailyword commented on the word distrait
Dr, Meade used this word when he was talking with his wife when she was pestering him about wanting to know about what Belle Whatling's house looked like.
July 28, 2012