Definition of distend Distend

/dɪstɛˈnd/ - [distend] - dis•tend

We found 12 definitions of distend from 5 different sources.

What does distend mean?

Verb distends, distending, distended
distend - swell from or as if from internal pressure; "The distended bellies of the starving cows"
		swell up, tumesce, intumesce, tumefy, swell cause to become very swollen
distend - cause to expand as it by internal pressure; "The gas distended the animal's body"
		bloat become bloated or swollen or puff up; "The dead man's stomach was bloated"
distend - become wider; "His pupils were dilated"
		dilate
		widen become broader or wider or more extensive; "The road widened"

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distend (v. t.)
To extend in some one direction; to lengthen out; to stretch.
distend (v. t.)
To stretch out or extend in all directions; to dilate; to enlarge, as by elasticity of parts; to inflate so as to produce tension; to cause to swell; as, to distend a bladder, the stomach, etc.
distend (v. i.)
To become expanded or inflated; to swell.

distend
dis-tend′, v.t. to stretch in all directions: to swell.—v.i. to swell.—n. Distensibil′ity, capacity for distension.—adjs. Disten′sible, that may be stretched; Disten′sive, capable of stretching or of being stretched; Distent′ (Spens.), distended.—ns. Disten′tion, Disten′sion, act of distending or stretching: state of being stretched: (rare) breadth. [Fr.,—L. distendĕre—dis, asunder, tendĕre, tensum or tentum, to stretch.]