Real Dictionary

distemper
uncountable noun: Distemper is a dangerous and infectious disease that can be caught by animals, especially dogs.
uncountable noun: Distemper is a kind of paint sometimes used for painting walls.

distemper in American English 1
a mental or physical derangement or disorder; disease
to make bad-tempered; disturb; ruffle
noun: an infectious disease chiefly of young dogs, caused by an unidentified virus and characterized by lethargy, fever, catarrh, photophobia, and vomiting
transitive verb: to derange physically or mentally

distemper in American English 2
a method of painting using distempered pigment, as for wall decoration
to mix (colors or pigments) with water and glue, size, or some other binding medium
noun: a technique of decorative painting in which glue or gum is used as a binder or medium to achieve a mat surface and rapid drying
transitive verb: to paint in distemper

distemper in British English 1
noun: any of various infectious diseases of animals, esp canine distemper, a highly contagious viral disease of dogs, characterized initially by high fever and a discharge from the nose and eyes
verb: to disturb

distemper in British English 2
noun: a technique of painting in which the pigments are mixed with water, glue, size, etc, used for poster, mural, and scene painting
verb: to mix (pigments) with water and size