different between distinguish vs pigeonhole

English

Etymology

From Middle English distingwen, from Old French distinguer, from Latin distinguere (“to separate, divide, distinguish, set off, adorn, literally mark off”), from di-, dis- (“apart”) + stinguere. Compare extinguish.

Pronunciation

• enPR: d?s-t?ng?gw?sh, IPA^(key): /d?s?t???w??/
• Rhymes: -???w??
• Hyphenation: dis?tin?guish

Verb

distinguish (third-person singular simple present distinguishes, present participle distinguishing, simple past and past participle distinguished)

1. To recognize someone or something as different from others based on its characteristics.

   Synonyms: differentiate, discriminate; see also Thesaurus:tell apart

   Antonym: confuse
2. To see someone or something clearly or distinctly.
3. To make oneself noticeably different or better from others through accomplishments.
   • 1784: William Jones, The Description and Use of a New Portable Orrery, &c., PREFACE

     THE favourable reception the Orrery has met with from Per?ons of the fir?t di?tinction, and from Gentlemen and Ladies in general, has induced me to add to it ?everal new improvements in order to give it a degree of Perfection; and di?tingui?h it from others; which by Piracy, or Imitation, may be introduced to the Public.

4. (transitive, obsolete) To make to differ.

Usage notes

In sense “see a difference”, more casual than differentiate or the formal discriminate; more casual is “tell the difference”.

Derived terms

• distinguished
• distinguishable
• distinguishing
• distinguishness
• undistinguishing

Related terms

• distinct
• distinction
• extinguish

Translations

Further reading

• distinguish in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• distinguish in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

English

Alternative forms

• pigeon-hole
• pigeon hole

Etymology

pigeon +? hole.

Originally literal hole for pigeons, later similar compartments for paper, then extended metaphorically in verb sense of narrowly categorizing or deferring.

Pronunciation

Noun

pigeonhole (plural pigeonholes)

1. One of an array of compartments for housing pigeons.
2. One of an array of compartments for receiving mail and other messages at a college, office, etc.

   Fred was disappointed to find his pigeonhole empty except for bills and a flyer offering 20% off on manicures.

3. One of an array of compartments for storing scrolls at a library.
4. A similar compartment in a desk, used for sorting and storing papers.

Translations

Verb

pigeonhole (third-person singular simple present pigeonholes, present participle pigeonholing, simple past and past participle pigeonholed)

1. To categorize; especially to limit or be limited to a particular category, role, etc.

   Fred was tired of being pigeonholed as a computer geek.

   • 1902, Jack London, A Daughter of the Snows

     He prided himself on his largeness when he granted that there were three kinds of women... Not that he pigeon-holed Frona according to his inherited definitions.

2. To put aside, to not act on (proposals, suggestions, advice).
   • 1910, Angus Hamilton, Herbert Henry Austin, Masatake Terauchi, Korea: Its History, Its People, and Its Commerce, page 294

     These laws were not carried into effect: they were pigeon-holed.

   • 1917, The Crisis, November 1917 issue, The Looking Glass: Election laws in Southern California, page 29

     [...] vociferously declared that they had the evidence. But no one prosecutes. No one swears out a warrant. The evidence is pigeonholed.

   • 2008, Edward Sidlow, Beth Henschen, America at Odds, page 251

     Alternatively, the chairperson may decide to put the bill aside and ignore it. Most bills that are pigeonholed in this manner receive no further action.

Synonyms

• (not act on): mothball, shelve, table, glove box

Translations

Derived terms

• pidge

Related terms

• pigeonhole principle
• pigeonholeable
• pigeonholer

See also

• cubbyhole