1. distemper - Noun
2. distemper - Verb
To temper or mix unduly; to make disproportionate; to change the due proportions of.
To derange the functions of, whether bodily, mental, or spiritual; to disorder; to disease.
To deprive of temper or moderation; to disturb; to ruffle; to make disaffected, ill-humored, or malignant.
To mix (colors) in the way of distemper; as, to distemper colors with size.
An undue or unnatural temper, or disproportionate mixture of parts.
Severity of climate; extreme weather, whether hot or cold.
A morbid state of the animal system; indisposition; malady; disorder; -- at present chiefly applied to diseases of brutes; as, a distemper in dogs; the horse distemper; the horn distemper in cattle.
Morbid temper of the mind; undue predominance of a passion or appetite; mental derangement; bad temper; ill humor.
Political disorder; tumult.
A preparation of opaque or body colors, in which the pigments are tempered or diluted with weak glue or size (cf. Tempera) instead of oil, usually for scene painting, or for walls and ceilings of rooms.
A painting done with this preparation.
Source: Webster's dictionaryAlthough canine distemper is lethal in dogs, it has not been recorded to kill wolves, except in Canada and Alaska. Source: Internet
However, on pages 191–192, he states "… I shall consider the cause of the yellowness which is so remarkable in this distemper, as to have given it the name of the Yellow Fever." Source: Internet
The term "yellow fever" appears on p. 186. On p. 188, Mitchell mentions "… the distemper was what is generally called the yellow fever in America." Source: Internet
The best prevention for canine distemper is routine vaccinations and immediate isolation of infected animals. Source: Internet
The city found out Friday that they were dealing with distemper. Source: Internet