DISTEND

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does distend mean? 

• DISTEND (verb)
  The verb DISTEND has 3 senses:

1. become wider

2. cause to expand as it by internal pressure

3. swell from or as if from internal pressure

  Familiarity information: DISTEND used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DISTEND (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they distend    ... he / she / it distends   
Past simple: distended   
Past participle: distended   
-ing form: distending   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Become wider

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

dilate; distend

Context example:

His pupils were dilated

Hypernyms (to "distend" is one way to...):

widen (become broader or wider or more extensive)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

distensible (capable of being distended; able to stretch and expand)

distension (the act of expanding by pressure from within)

distension (the state of being stretched beyond normal dimensions)

distention (the act of expanding by pressure from within)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Cause to expand as it by internal pressure

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

The gas distended the animal's body

Hypernyms (to "distend" is one way to...):

bloat (make bloated or swollen)

Verb group:

distend (swell from or as if from internal pressure)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

distention (the act of expanding by pressure from within)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Swell from or as if from internal pressure

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

The distended bellies of the starving cows

Hypernyms (to "distend" is one way to...):

intumesce; swell; swell up; tumefy; tumesce (expand abnormally)

Verb group:

distend (cause to expand as it by internal pressure)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sentence example:

Did his feet distend?

Derivation:

distension (the act of expanding by pressure from within)

distension (the state of being stretched beyond normal dimensions)

distention (the act of expanding by pressure from within)

 Context examples 

Sterile saline is injected into the endometrial cavity thereby distending the endometrial cavity, providing good visualization of the anatomic structures within.

(Hysterosonography, NCI Thesaurus)

A non-invasive breast adenocarcinoma located in a distended duct.

(Intraductal Papillary Breast Carcinoma, NCI Thesaurus)

A condition where the stomach wall becomes thickened, rubbery and loses its ability to distend.

(Linitis plastica, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

A Sertoli cell tumor that arises from the ovary and is characterized by the presence of cells that are distended by the presence of intracytoplasmic lipid.

(Ovarian Sertoli Cell Tumor with Lipid Storage, NCI Thesaurus)

Blood vessels are distended and prominent.

(Congestion of the Mouse Intestinal Tract, NCI Thesaurus/MMHCC)

High grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia characterized by the presence of masses of mucin within the affected distended glands.

(High Grade Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia, Mucinous Variant, NCI Thesaurus)

Any of various types of bags designed to be distended.

(Balloon Device Component, NCI Thesaurus)

When my moose-meat spluttered rowdily in the frying-pan, I noticed old Ebbits's nostrils twitch and distend as he caught the food-scent.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

A disorder characterized by failure of the left ventricle to produce adequate output despite an increase in distending pressure and in end-diastolic volume.

(Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction, NCI Thesaurus/CTCAE)

Failure of adequate output by the left ventricle despite an increase in distending pressure and in end-diastolic volume, with dyspnea, orthopnea, and other signs and symptoms of pulmonary congestion and edema.

(Left Ventricular Failure, NCI Thesaurus)