*distillation*

n. [ F. distillation, L. destillatio. ] 1. The act of falling in drops, or the act of pouring out in drops. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which falls in drops. [ R. ] Johnson [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Chem.) The separation of the volatile parts of a substance from the more fixed; specifically, the operation of driving off gas or vapor from volatile liquids or solids, by heat in a retort or still, and the condensation of the products as far as possible by a cool receiver, alembic, or condenser; rectification; vaporization; condensation; as, the distillation of illuminating gas and coal, of alcohol from sour mash, or of boric acid in steam. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The evaporation of water, its condensation into clouds, and its precipitation as rain, dew, frost, snow, or hail, is an illustration of natural distillation. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The substance extracted by distilling. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Destructive distillation (Chem.), the distillation, especially of complex solid substances, so that the ultimate constituents are separated or evolved in new compounds, -- usually requiring a high degree of heat; as, the destructive distillation of soft coal or of wood. --
Dry distillation, the distillation of substances by themselves, or without the addition of water or of other volatile solvent; as, the dry distillation of citric acid. --
Fractional distillation. (Chem.) See under Fractional. [ 1913 Webster ]