remote
/rɪˈməʊt
/adjective (remoter, remotest)
1(Of a place) situated far from the main centres of population; distant: the valley is remote from the usual tourist routes a remote Welsh valley...
- This problem centres on our very large landmass, long coastline, remote location and small population.
- The facts are that since 1981, the Aboriginal population in remote areas has grown by more than 20 per cent.
- Diseases continue to ravage large populations, especially in remote areas.
Synonyms
faraway, distant, far, far off, far removed;
dim and distant
isolated, out of the way, outlying, off the beaten track, secluded, in the depths of …, hard to find, lonely, in the back of beyond, in the hinterlands, off the map, in the middle of nowhere, godforsaken, obscure, inaccessible, cut-off, unreachable;
faraway, far-flung;
North American in the backwoods, lonesome;
South African in the backveld, in the platteland;
Australian/New Zealand in the backblocks, in the booay
informal unget-at-able, in the sticks
North American informal jerkwater, in the tall timbers
Australian/New Zealand informal Barcoo, beyond the black stump
literary lone
archaic unapproachable
1.1(Of an electronic device) operating or operated at a distance by means of radio or infrared signals: a second feature allows pagers to be alerted from remote alarm sensors...
- A signal condition monitoring circuit drives an integral two-color LED and an alarm signal for remote monitoring at the control.
- Walthall has spent hundreds of hours aboard NASA planes, operating remote sensors, but he is doing his research on the ground now.
- The researchers had already deployed time-lapse cameras mounted to trees and remote microphones to listen for the telltale calls.
1.2Distant in time: a golden age in the remote past...
- Each idyll is a society in the distant future or the remote past that can be held up as a noble alternative to American society.
- Some of the pictures featured at the show were those sent by spacecraft such as Mariner 9 which reveal extensive channels made by flowing water in the remote past of the planet.
- It gives us the opportunity to form some opinion not just of the physical circumstances of life in the remote past, but also of how such people might have thought and felt about life.
2Having very little connection with or relationship to: the theory seems rather intellectual and remote from everyday experience...
- Other times, the connection is more remote, or downright nonexistent.
- Any remote relationship to terrorism will get you involved in one of these tribunals.
- The remaining six plaintiffs were excluded as claimants because they were in a more remote relationship - but it seems that on appeal they all lost and for a variety of reasons.
Synonyms
irrelevant to, unrelated to, unconnected to, unconcerned with, not pertinent to, inapposite to, immaterial to, unassociated with, inappropriate to;
foreign to, alien to
rare extrinsic to
2.1Distantly related: a remote cousin...
- Status, rank, and patronage opportunities had rarely been of greater importance and even remote family connections could be of real use.
- He could have made the same point just as well without any discussion of remote genetic relationships.
- On the face of it, the objection of any surviving relative, however remote, bars any transplant.
3(Of a chance or possibility) unlikely to occur: chances of a lasting peace became even more remote...
- It's not hers so there's still that remote chance she's still out there somewhere alive and - we're still clinging to that.
- Five hundred and sixteen other patients who also had surgery there have been warned of the remote possibility of exposure.
- I want you to hear what he said about that albeit remote possibility.
Synonyms
unlikely, improbable, implausible, doubtful, dubious, far-fetched;
faint, slight, slim, small, slender, minimal, marginal, negligible, insignificant, inconsiderable
4Aloof and unfriendly in manner: Maud seemed remote and patronizing...
- While seen as personally remote and aloof, Collins came across as fair and measured in meetings with unions.
- Visibly thrilled over his visit, he says that contrary to apprehension that he would be cold and remote, the Prince came across as a very amenable and caring person.
- She is a cold, remote, autocratic figurehead with monarchical delusions and the instincts of a contract killer.
Synonyms
aloof, distant, detached, impersonal, withdrawn, reserved, uncommunicative, unforthcoming, unapproachable, unresponsive, indifferent, unconcerned, preoccupied, abstracted;
unfriendly, unsociable, stand-offish, cool, chilly, cold, haughty;
introspective, introvert, introverted
5 Computing Denoting a device which can only be accessed by means of a network. Compare with local.The rlogin command gives you easier access to remote machines than telnet....
- Manufacturers can also use RMS to load new profiles or operating systems into remote devices.
- PingAlarm is a tiny application that sits in the system tray, and has a green light that turns red if any remote device is down.
noun
A remote control device: universal remotes which let you operate all your audio/video components from one handset...
- As the user, you can interface with the system via keypads, touch screens, panic buttons, TV screens, computers, telephones, handheld remotes or other devices.
- Some universal remotes can be large and unwieldy with way too many buttons, many of which wind up going unused.
- Thus, we are often called upon to help customers get hard-to-find batteries for their watches and cordless phones and remotes and stuff.
Origin
Late Middle English (in the sense 'far apart'): from Latin remotus 'removed', past participle of removere (see remove).