To move away from someone or something, either physically or emotionally; to create space or separation.
From 'distance' (from Latin 'distantia,' meaning 'being apart'). The verb form developed naturally as 'distance' became used as a transitive verb meaning 'to place at a distance.'
In sports, you might 'distance' yourself from the competition by running faster, but the emotional version—distancing from a friend—is also powerful. The word captures the idea that separation can be chosen, measured, and adjusted!
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