far away in space or time 遥远的；远处的；久远的 the distant sound of music 远处的音乐声 distant stars/planets 遥远的恒星／行星 The time we spent together is now a distant memory. 我们一起度过的时光现已成为久远的记忆。 - (formal)
The airport was about 20 kilometres distant. 机场在大约 20 公里远的地方。 a star 30 000 light years distant from the Earth 离地球 3 万光年远的恒星 - (figurative)
Peace was just a distant hope (= not very likely). 和平只是遥不可及的希望而已。
Extra ExamplesIt was only a few miles away but it seemed unimaginably distant. 虽然只有几英里，感觉却像遥不可及。 The medieval mind can seem impossibly distant. 中世纪的思想似乎遥不可及。 The sound of the engine was growing more and more distant. 引擎的响声越来越远。 The stars are more distant from the earth than the sun. 星星比太阳离地球更为遥远。 These sites were often several miles distant from each other. 这些场地之间往往有几英里远。 geographically distant areas of the world 世界上地理位置相隔遥远的地区 in far distant lands 在很远很远的地方
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- sound
- become
- …
- extremely
- fairly
- very
- …
- from
- two miles distant
- three days distant
- etc.
- …
- distant (from something)
not like something else 不相似的；不同的 - [only before noun]
(of a person 人 related to you but not closely 远亲的；远房的 a distant cousin/aunt/relative 远房堂兄弟／姑母／亲戚
not friendly; not wanting a close relationship with somebody 不友好的；冷淡的；疏远的 Pat sounded very cold and distant on the phone. 从电话里听起来帕特非常冷淡和疏远。 He became emotionally distant from his friends and family after the illness. 生病后，他在情感上与朋友和家人疏远了。
Extra ExamplesWhen they met, he was very cold and distant. 他们见面时，他十分冷淡疏远。 He felt oddly distant from her. 他觉得莫名其妙地跟她疏远了。 Their relationship has grown increasingly distant in recent years. 近几年来，他们的关系变得越来越疏远。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- feel
- look
- …
- extremely
- fairly
- very
- …
- cold and distant
not paying attention to something but thinking about something completely different 心不在焉的；恍惚的；出神的 There was a distant look in her eyes; her mind was obviously on something else. 她眼神恍惚，显然心里在想着别的什么事儿。 He seemed distant and distracted. 他显得冷淡而心不在焉。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- feel
- look
- …
- extremely
- fairly
- very
- …
- cold and distant
Word Originlate Middle English: from Latin distant- ‘standing apart’, from the verb distare, from dis- ‘apart’ + stare ‘stand’.
Idioms
the (dim and) distant past
a long time ago 很久以前；遥远的过去 stories from the dim and distant past 遥远过去的故事 In the distant past this land was covered in forests. 在遥远的过去，这片土地被森林覆盖。
in the not too distant future
not a long time in the future but fairly soon 在不久的将来 I hope we’ll see each other again in the not too distant future. 我希望我们能在不太远的将来再次见面。
Extra ExamplesIn the not too distant future, we may witness the cloning of human beings. 在不太遥远的将来，我们可能会看到克隆人。 We will be moving house in the not too distant future. 我们很快就要搬家。