She has a 'distant look in her eye'. [=the look on her face shows that she is thinking about something that is not related to what is happening now]
He finished the race a 'distant' second. [=he was the second person to finish the race but he was far behind the winner]
I remember when the restaurant's opening was nothing more than a 'distant' possibility.
(..) memories of Mother. She doted on you, and she ignored me. She had eyes only for you and for Harbard. To me, she was cold and distant. So you feel sorry for yourself? Poor little Sigurd. You're wrong, Ivar. I don't feel sorry for myself. Yeah. Right. No. Of course not. (..)2017 TvShow: Vikings Title: The Great Army Season: 4 Episode 17