Word Study
distend
OXFORD DICTIONARY
distend, v.tr. & intr. swell out by pressure from within (distended stomach).
Derivative
distensible adj. distensibility n. distension n.
Etymology
ME f. L distendere (as DIS-, tendere tens- stretch)
THESAURUS
distend
add to, aggrandize, amplify, augment, bag, balloon, belly, belly out, bilge, billow, bloat, blow up, bouge, broaden, bug, build, build up, bulge, bulk, bulk out, crescendo, develop, dilate, enlarge, expand, extend, fill out, goggle, greaten, hike, hike up, huff, increase, inflate, lengthen, magnify, pooch, pop, pouch, pout, puff, puff up, pump, pump up, raise, rarefy, round out, snowball, stretch, sufflate, swell, swell out, tumefy, up, widenROGET THESAURUS
distend
Expansion
VB become larger &c (large), expand, widen, enlarge, extend, grow, increase, incrassate, swell, gather, fill out, deploy, take open order, dilate, stretch, distend, spread, mantle, wax, grow up, spring up, bud, bourgeon, shoot, sprout, germinate, put forth, vegetate, pullulate, open, burst forth, gain flesh, gather flesh, outgrow, spread like wildfire, overrun, be larger than, surpass, render larger &c (large), expand, spread, extend, aggrandize, distend, develop, amplify, spread out, widen, magnify, rarefy, inflate, puff, blow up, stuff, pad, cram, exaggerate, fatten, become larger &c (large), expand, widen, enlarge, extend, grow, increase, incrassate, swell, gather, fill out, deploy, take open order, dilate, stretch, distend, spread, mantle, wax, grow up, spring up, bud, bourgeon, shoot, sprout, germinate, put forth, vegetate, pullulate, open, burst forth, gain flesh, gather flesh, outgrow, spread like wildfire, overrun, be larger than, surpass, render larger &c (large), expand, spread, extend, aggrandize, distend, develop, amplify, spread out, widen, magnify, rarefy, inflate, puff, blow up, stuff, pad, cram, exaggerate, fatten.Elasticity
VB stretch, flex, extend, distend, be elastic, bounce, spring back.For further exploring for "distend" in Webster Dictionary Online