 Preface to English synonyms and antonyms. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, visit LibriVox.org. Reading by Dennis Sayers. English Synonyms and Antonyms by James C. Fernald. Preface. The English language is peculiarly rich in synonyms, as, with such a history, it could not fail to be. From the time of Julius Caesar, Britons, Romans, Northmen, Saxons, Danes and Normans, fighting, fortifying and settling upon the soil of England, with Scotch and Irish contending for mastery or existence across the mountain border and the channel, and all fenced in together by the sea, could not but influence each other's speech. English merchants, sailors, soldiers and travelers, trading, worrying and exploring in every climb of necessity, brought back new terms of sea and shore, of shop and camp and battlefield. English scholars have studied Greek and Latin for a thousand years, and the languages of the continent and of the Orient in more recent times. English churchmen have introduced words from Hebrew, Greek and Latin through Bible and prayer book, sermon and tract. From all this it results that there is scarcely a language ever spoken among men that has not some representative in English speech. The spirit of the Anglo-Saxon race, masterful in language as in war and commerce, has subjugated all these various elements to one idiom, making not a patchwork but a composite language. Anglo-Saxon thrift, finding often several words that originally express the same idea, has detailed them to different parts of the common territory or to different service, so that we have an almost unexampled variety of words, kindred in meaning but distinct in usage for expressing almost every shade of human thought. Scarcely any two such words, commonly known as synonyms, are identical at once in signification and in use. They have certain common ground within which they are interchangeable, but outside of that each has its own province within which any other word comes as an intruder. From these two qualities arises the great value of synonyms as contributing to beauty and defectiveness of expression. As interchangeable they make possible that freedom and variety by which the diction of an accomplished writer or speaker differs from the wooden uniformity of a legal document. As distinct and specific they enable a master of style to choose in every instance the one term that is the most perfect mirror of his thought. To write or speak to the best purpose one should know in the first place all the words from which he may choose, and then the exact reason why in any case any particular word should be chosen. To give such knowledge in these two directions is the office of a book of synonyms. Of Milton's diction Macaulay writes, quote, his poetry acts like an incantation. Its merit lies less in its obvious meaning than in its occult power. There would seem, at first sight, to be no more in his words than in other words, but they are words of enchantment. No sooner are they pronounced than the past is present and the distant nearer. New forms of beauty start at once into existence and all the burial places of the memory give up their dead. Chains the structure of the sentence substitute one synonym for another and the whole effect is destroyed. The spell loses its power and he who should then hope to conjure with it would find himself as much mistaken as Kasim in the Arabian tale when he stood crying, open wheat, open barley to the door which obeyed no sound but open sesame. The miserable failure of Dryden in his attempt to translate into his own diction some parts of the Paradise Lost is a remarkable instance of this. Macaulay's own writings abound in examples of that exquisite precision in the choice of words which never seems to be precise but has all the aspect of absolute freedom. Through his language his thought bursts upon the mind as a landscape is seen instantly, perfectly and beautifully from a mountain height. A little vagueness of thought, a slight infelicity in the choice of words would be like a cloud upon the mountain obscuring the scene with a damp and chilling mist. Let anyone try the experiment with the poem like Grey's Elegy or Goldsmith's Traveler or Deserted Village of substituting other words for those the poet has chosen and he will readily perceive how much of the charm of the lines depends upon their fine exactitude of expression. In our own day, when so many are eager to write, and confident that they can write, and when the press is sending forth by the ton that which is called literature, but which somehow lacks the imprint of immortality, it is of the first importance to revive the study of synonyms as a distinct branch of rhetorical culture. Prevalent errors need at times to be noted and corrected, but the teaching of pure English speech is the best defense against all that is inferior, unsuitable or repulsive. The most effective condemnation of an objectionable word or phrase is that it is not found in scholarly works and a student who has once learned the rich stores of vigorous, beautiful, exact and expressive words that make up our noble language is by that very fact put beyond the reach of all temptation to linguistic corruption. Special instruction in the use of synonyms is necessary for the reason that few students possess the analytical power and habit of mind required to hold a succession of separate definitions and thought at once, compare them with each other, and determine just where and how they part company, and the persons least able to do this are the very ones most in need of the information. The distinctions between words, similar in meaning, are often so fine and elusive as to tax the ingenuity of the accomplished scholar. Yet when clearly apprehended, they are as important for the purposes of language as the minute differences between similar substances are for the purposes of chemistry. Often definition itself is best secured by the comparison of Kendrick terms and the pointing out where each differs from the other. We perceive more clearly and remember better what each word is by perceiving where each divides from another of Kendrick meaning. Just as we see and remember better the situation and contour of adjacent countries by considering them as boundaries of each other rather than by an exact statement of the latitude and longitude of each as a separate portion of the earth's surface. The great mass of untrained speakers and writers need to be reminded in the first place that there are synonyms, a suggestion which they would not gain from any precision of separate definitions in a dictionary. The deplorable repetition with which many slightly educated persons use such words as elegant, splendid, clever, awful, horrid, etc. to indicate for they cannot be said to express almost any shade of certain approved or objectionable qualities shows a limited vocabulary, a poverty of language which it is of the first importance to correct. Many who are not given to such gross misuse would yet be surprised to learn how often they employ a very limited number of words in the attempt to give utterance to thoughts and feelings so unlike that what is the right word on one occasion must of necessity be the wrong word at many other times. Such persons are simply unconscious of the fact that there are other words of Kendrick meaning from which they might choose. As the United States surveyors of Alaska found, quote, the shuttering tenet of the frigid zone, close quote, wrapping himself in furs and cowering over a fire of sticks with untouched coal mines beneath his feet. Such poverty of language is always accompanied with poverty of thought. One who is content to use the same word for widely different ideas has either never observed or soon comes to forget that there is any difference between the ideas or perhaps he retains a vague notion of a difference which he never attempts to define to himself and dimly hints to others by adding to his inadequate word some phrase as you see or you know in the helpless attempt to inject into another mind by suggestion what adequate words would enable him simply and distinctly to say. Such a mind resembles the old maps of Africa in which the interior was filled with cloudy spaces where modern discovery has revealed great lakes, fertile plains, and mighty rivers. One main office of a book of synonyms is to reveal to such persons the unsuspected riches of their own language and when a series of words is given them, from which they may choose, then with intelligent choice of words there comes of necessity a clearer perception of the difference of the ideas that are to be expressed by those different words. Thus copiousness and clearness of language tend directly to affluence and precision of thought. Hence there is an important use for mere lists of classified synonyms like rogés, thesaurus, and the works of soul and phallos. Not one in a thousand of average students would ever discover by independent study of the dictionary that there are 15 synonyms for beautiful, 21 for beginning, 15 for benevolence, 20 for friendly, and 37 for pure. The mere mention of such numbers opens vistas of possible fullness, freedom, and variety of utterance which will have for many persons the effect of a revelation. But it is equally important to teach that synonyms are not identical and to explain why and how they differ. A person of extensive reading and study with a fine natural sense of language will often find all that he wants in the mere list, which recalls to his memory the appropriate word. But for the vast majority there is needed some work that compares or contrasts synonymous words, explains their differences of meaning or usage, and shows in what connections one or the other may be most fitly used. This is the purpose of the present work, to be a guide to selection from the varied treasures of English speech. This work treats within 375 pages more than 7,500 synonyms. It has been the study of the author to give every definition or distinction in the fewest possible words consistent with clearness of statement and this not merely for economy of space, but because such condensed statements are most easily apprehended and remembered. The method followed has been to select from every group of synonyms one word or two contrasted words, the meaning of which may be settled by clear definitive statement, thus securing some fixed point or points to which all the other words of the group may be referred. The great source of vagueness, error, and perplexity in many discussions of synonyms is that the writer merely associates stray ideas loosely connected with the different words, sliding from synonym to synonym with no definite point of departure or return, so that a smooth and at first sight pleasing statement really gives the mind no definite resting place and no sure conclusion. A true discussion of synonyms is definition by comparison and for this there must be something definite with which to compare. When the standard is settled, approximation or differentiation can be determined with clearness and certainty. It is not enough to tell something about each word. The thing to tell is how each word is related to others of that particular group. When a word has more than one prominent meaning, the synonyms for one signification are treated in one group and a reference is made to some other group in which the synonyms for another signification are treated, as may be seen by noting the synonyms given under apparent and following the reference to evident. It has been impossible within the limits of this volume to treat in full all the words of each group of synonyms. Sometimes it has been necessary to restrict the statement to a mere suggestion of the correct use. In some cases only the chief words of a group could be considered giving the key to the discussion and leaving the student to follow out the principle in the case of other words by reference to the definitive statements of the dictionary. It is to be hoped that at some time a dictionary of synonyms may be prepared, giving as full a list as that of Roger or of Soule, with discriminating remarks upon every word. Such a work would be of the greatest value, but obviously beyond the scope of a textbook for the classroom. The author has here incorporated by permission of the publishers of the standard dictionary much of the synonym matter prepared by him for that work. All has been thoroughly revised or reconstructed, and much wholly new matter has been added. The book contains also more than 3,700 antonyms. These are valuable as supplying definition by contrast or by negation, one of the most effective methods of defining being in many cases to tell what a thing is not. To speakers and writers antonyms are useful as furnishing oftentimes effective antithesis. Young writers will find much help from the indication of the correct use of prepositions, the misuse of which is one of the most common of errors, and one of the most difficult to avoid, while their right use gives to style, cohesion, firmness, and compactness, and is an important aid to perspicuity. To the text of the synonyms is appended a set of questions and examples to adapt the work for use as a textbook. Aside from the purposes of the classroom, this portion will be found of value to the individual student. Accepting those who have made a thorough study of language, most persons will discover with surprise how difficult it is to answer any set of the questions, or to fill the blanks in the examples, without referring to the synonym treatment in part one, or to a dictionary, and how rarely they can give any intelligent reason for preference, even among familiar words. There are few who can study such a work without finding occasion to correct some errors into which they have unconsciously fallen, and without coming to a new delight in the use of language from a fuller knowledge of its resources and a clearer sense of its various capabilities. West New Brighton, New York, September 4th, 1896. End of the Preface. Read by Dennis Sayers in Modesto, California for LibriVox. Section 1 of English Synonyms and Antonyms. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, visit LibriVox.org. English Synonyms and Antonyms. By James Champlain Fernald. Abandon to Abridgement. Abandon. Synonyms. Abdicate. Abjure. Cast off. Seize. Seed. Depart from. Dessert. Discontinue. Forgo. Forsake. Forswear. Give up. Leave. Quit. Recant. Relinquish. Renounce. Repudiate. Resign. Retire from. Retract. Surrender. Vacate. Withdraw from. Abandon is a word of wide signification, applying to persons or things of any kind. Abdicate and resign apply to office, authority, or power. Seed to territorial possessions. Surrender especially to military force, and more generally to any demand, claim, passion, etc. Quit carries an idea of suddenness or abruptness not necessarily implied in abandon, and may not have the same suggestion of finality. The king abdicates his throne, seeds his territory, deserts his followers, renounces his religion, relinquishes his titles, abandons his designs. A cowardly officer deserts his ship. The helpless passengers abandon it. We quit business, give up property, resign office, abandon a habit or a trust. Relinquish commonly implies reluctance. The fainting hand relinquishes its grasp. The creditor relinquishes his claim. Abandon implies previous association with responsibility for or control of. Forsake implies previous association with inclination or attachment, real or assumed. A man may abandon or forsake house or friends. He abandons an enterprise, forsakes God. Abandon is applied to both good and evil action. A thief abandons his designs, a man his principles. Forsake, like abandon, may be used either in the favorable or unfavorable sense. Dessert is always unfavorable, involving a breach of duty, except when used of mere localities as the deserted village. While a monarch abdicates a president or other elected or appointed officer, resigns. It was held that James II abdicated his throne by deserting it. Antonyms adopt, advocate, assert, cherish, claim, court, defend, favor, hunt, hold, keep, maintain, occupy, prosecute, protect, pursue, retain, seek, support, undertake, uphold, vindicate, abase, synonyms bring low, cast down, debase, degrade, depress, discredit, disgrace, dishonor, humble, humiliate, lower, reduce, sink. Abase refers only to outward conditions. Quote, exalt him that is low and debase him that is high. Ezekiel 21, 26. Close, quote. Debase applies to the quality or character. The coinage is debased by excess of alloy, the man by vice. Humble, in present use, refers chiefly to feeling of heart. Humiliate to outward conditions. Even when one is said to be humble himself, he either has or affects to have humility of heart. To disgrace may be to bring or inflict odium upon others. But the word is chiefly and increasingly applied to such moral odium as one by his own acts brings upon himself. The noun disgrace retains more of the passive sense than the verb. He disgraced himself by his conduct. He brought disgrace upon his family. To dishonor a person is to deprive him of honor that should or might be given. To discredit one is to injure his reputation as for veracity or salvency. A sense of unworthiness humbles. A shameful insult humiliates. Imprisonment for crime disgraces. Degrade may refer to either station or character. An officer is degraded by being reduced to the ranks, disgraced by cowardice. Vile practices degrade. Drunkenness is a degrading vice. Misfortune or injustice may abase the good. Nothing but their own ill-doing can debase or disgrace them. Antonyms advance aggrandize, dignify, elevate, exalt, honor, promote, raise, uplift, abash. Synonyms bewilder, chagrin, confound, confuse, daunt, discompose, disconcert, dishearten, embarrass, humble, humiliate, mortify, overall, shame. Any sense of inferiority abashes with or without the sense of wrong. The poor are abashed at the splendor of wealth, the ignorant at the learning of the wise. Quote, I might have been abashed by their authority. Close quote. Gladstone, Homeric Synchron, page 72. Harper and Brothers 76. To confuse is to bring into a state of mental bewilderment. To confound is to overwhelm the mental faculties. To daunt is to subject to a certain degree of fear. Embarrass is a strong word, signifying primarily hamper, hinder, impede. A solitary thinker may be confused by some difficulty in a subject or some mental defect. One is embarrassed in the presence of others and because of their presence. Confusion is of the intellect, embarrassment of the feelings. A witness may be embarrassed by annoying personalities so as to become confused in statements. To mortify a person is to bring upon him a painful sense of humiliation, whether because of his own or another's fault or failure. A pupil is confused by a perplexing question, a general confounded by overwhelming defeat. A hostess is discomposed by the tardiness of guests. A speaker disconcerted by a failure of memory. The criminal, who is not abashed at detection, may be daunted by the officer's weapon. Sudden joy may bewilder, but will not abash. The true worshipper is humbled rather than abashed before God. The parent is mortified by the child's rudeness. The child abashed at the parent's reproof. The embarrassed speaker finds it difficult to proceed. The mob is overawed by the military, the hypocrite shamed by exposure. A man whom no denial, no scorn could abash. Close quote. Fielding, Amelia, Book 3, Chapter 9, Page 300, Bell and Sons, 71. Compare Shagren and Hinder. Antonyms, animate, boy, cheer, embolden, encourage, in spirit, rally, uphold, abate. Synonyms, decline, decrease, diminish, ebb, lessen, lower, mitigate, moderate, reduce, subside. The storm, the fever, the pain, abates. Interest declines. Misfortunes may be mitigated. Desires moderated. Intense anger abated. Population decreased. Taxes reduced. We abate a nuisance, terminate a controversy, suppress a rebellion, see alleviate. Antonyms, aggravate, amplify, continue, develop, enhance, enlarge, extend, foment, increase, magnify, rage, raise, revive. Prepositions, abate in fury, abated by law. Abbreviation, synonyms, abridgment, contraction. An abbreviation is a shortening by any method. A contraction is a reduction of size by drawing together of the parts. A contraction of a word is made by omitting certain letters or syllables and bringing together the first and last letters or elements. An abbreviation may be made either by omitting certain portions from the interior or by cutting off a part. A contraction is an abbreviation, but an abbreviation is not necessarily a contraction. REC, apostrophe T for receipt, M-D-S-E period for merchandise, and DR period for debtor, are contractions. They are also abbreviations. AM period for American is an abbreviation, but not a contraction. Abbreviation and contraction are used of words and phrases, abridgment of books, paragraphs, sentences, etc. Compare, abridgment, abet, synonyms, advocate, aid, assist, countenance, embolden, encourage, incite, instigate, promote, sanction, support, uphold. Abet and instigate are now used almost without exception in a bad sense. One may incite either to good or evil. One incites or instigates to the doing of something not yet done, or to increased activity or further advance in the doing of it. One abets by giving sympathy, countenance, or substantial aid to the doing of that which is already projected or in process of commission. Abet and instigate apply either to persons or actions, incite to persons only. One incites a person to an action. A clergyman will advocate the claims of justice, aid the poor, encourage the despondent, support the weak, uphold the constituted authorities, but he will not incite to a quarrel, instigate a riot, or abet a crime. The originator of a crime often instigates or incites others to abet him in it, or one may instigate or incite others to a crime in the commission of which he himself takes no active part. Compare, help. Antonyms, baffle, confound, counteract, denounce, deter, disapprove, disconsert, discourage, dissuade, expose, frustrate, hinder, impede, obstruct, abhor, synonyms, abominate, despise, detest, dislike, hate, loathe, nauseate, scorn, shun. Abhor is stronger than despise, implying a shuddering recoil, especially a moral recoil. Quote, how many shun evil as inconvenient who do not abhor it as hateful. Close, quote, trench, sermon in Westminster Abbey, 26297, Murray's New English Dictionary. Detest expresses indignation with something of contempt. Loathe implies disgust, physical or moral. We abhor a traitor, despise a coward. Detest a liar. We dislike an uncivil person. We abhor cruelty, hate tyranny. We loathe a reptile or a flatterer. We abhor Milton's heroic Satan, but we cannot despise him. Antonyms, admire, approve, covet, crave, desire, enjoy, esteem, like, love, relish, abide. Synonyms, anticipate, await, bear, bide, confront, continue, dwell, endure, expect, inhabit, live, lodge, remain, reside, rest, sojourn, stay, stop, tarry, tolerate, wait, watch. To abide is to remain continuously within limit of time, unless expressed by the context. Quote, today I must abide at thy house. Close, quote, Luke 19.5. Quote, a settled place for thee to abide in forever. Close, quote, First Kings 8.13. Quote, abide with me. Fast falls the even tide. Close, quote, light hymnal. Lodge, sojourn, stay, tarry, and wait. Always imply a limited time. Lodge, to pass the night. Sojourn, to remain temporarily. Live, dwell, reside, to have a permanent home. Stop, in the sense of stay or sojourn, is colloquial and not in approved use. Compare, endure, rest. Antonyms, abandon, avoid. Depart, forfeit, forfend. Journey, migrate, move, proceed, reject, resist, shun. Prepositions, abide in a place, for a time, with a person, by a statement. Abolish. Synonyms, abate, abrogate, annihilate, annul, destroy, end, eradicate, exterminate, extirpate, nullify, obliterate, overthrow, prohibit, remove, repeal, reverse, revoke, set aside, stamp out, subvert, supplant, suppress, terminate. Abolish, to do away with, bring absolutely to an end, especially as something hostile, hindering, or harmful, was formerly used of persons and material objects, a usage now obsolete except in poetry or highly figurative speech. Abolish is now used of institutions, customs, and conditions, especially those widespread and long existing, as, to abolish slavery, ignorance, intemperance, poverty. A building that is burned to the ground is said to be destroyed by fire. Annihilate, as a philosophical term, signifies to put absolutely out of existence. As far as our knowledge goes, matter is never annihilated, but only changes its form. Some believe that the wicked will be annihilated. Abolish is not said of laws. There we use repeal, abrogate, nullify, etc. Repeal by the enacting body, nullify by revolutionary proceedings, a later statute abrogates, without formally repealing, any earlier law with which it conflicts. An appellate court may reverse or set aside the decision of an inferior court. Overthrow may be used in either a good or a bad sense. Suppress is commonly in a good. Subvert, always in a bad sense, as to subvert our liberties, to suppress a rebellion. The law prohibits what may never have existed. It abolishes an existing evil. We abate a nuisance, terminate a controversy. Compare, cancel, demolish, exterminate. Antonyms, authorize, cherish, confirm, continue, enact, establish, institute, introduce, legalize, promote, reinstate, renew, repair, restore, revive, set up, support, sustain. Abomination, synonyms, abhorrence, abuse, annoyance, aversion, crime, curse, detestation, disgust, evil, execration, hatred, horror, iniquity, nuisance, offense, plague, shame, villainy, wickedness. Abomination from the Latin, ebb omen, a thing of ill omen, was originally applied to anything held in religious or ceremonial aversion, or abhorrence. As, quote, the things which are highly esteemed among men are abomination in the sight of God, close, quote, Luke 16, 15. The word is oftener applied to the object of such aversion or abhorrence than to the state of mind that so regards it. In common use, abomination signifies something very much disliked or loathed or that deserves to be. Choice food may be an object of aversion and disgust to a sick person. Vile food would be an abomination. A toad is too many an object of disgust. A foul sewer is an abomination. As applied to crimes, abomination is used of such as are especially brutal, shameful, or revolting. Theft is an offense. Infanticide is an abomination. Antonins, affection, appreciation, approval, benefit, blessing, delight, desire, enjoyment, esteem, gratification, joy, satisfaction, treat, abridgment, synonyms, abbreviation, abstract, analysis, compend, compendium, digest, epitome, outline, summary, synopsis. An abridgment gives the most important portions of a work substantially as they stand. An outline or synopsis is a kind of sketch closely following the plan. An abstract or digest is an independent statement of what the book contains. An analysis draws out the chief thoughts or arguments, whether expressed or implied. A summary is the most condensed statement of results or conclusions. An epitome, compend or compendium, is a condensed view of a subject, whether derived from a previous publication or not. We may have an abridgment of a dictionary, but not an analysis, abstract, digest, or summary. We may have an epitome of religion, a compendium of English literature, but not an abridgment. Compare abbreviation. End of section one, read by Dennis Sayers in Modesto, California for LibriVox. Section two of English synonyms and antonyms. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, visit LibriVox.org. Read by Dennis Sayers. English synonyms and antonyms. By James Champlin-Fernald. Absolute to accessory. Absolute. Synonyms. Arbitrary. Arrogant. Authoritative. Autocratic. Coercive. Commanding. Compulsive. Compulsory. Controlling. Despotic. Dictatorial. Dogmatic. Domineering. Exacting. Hotty. Imperative. Imperious. Irresponsible. Lordly. Overbearing. Preemptory. Positive. Supreme. Terranical. Unconditional. Unequivocal. In the strict sense, absolute, free from all limitation or control, and supreme, superior to all, cannot properly be said of any being except the divine. Both words are used, however, in a modified sense of human authorities. Absolute, then, signifying free from limitation by other authority, and supreme, exalted over all other, as an absolute monarch, the supreme court. Absolute in this use does not necessarily carry any unfavorable sense, but as absolute power in human hands is always abused, the unfavorable meaning predominates. Autocratic power knows no limits outside the ruler's self. Arbitrary power, none outside the ruler's will or judgment. Arbitrary carrying the implication of wilfulness and capriciousness. Despotic is commonly applied to a masterful or severe use of power, which is expressed more decidedly by tyrannical. Arbitrary may be used in a good sense, as the pronunciation of proper names is arbitrary, but the bad sense is the prevailing one, as in arbitrary preceding. Irresponsible power is not necessarily bad, but imminently dangerous. An executor or trustee should not be irresponsible, and irresponsible ruler is likely to be tyrannical. A perfect ruler might be irresponsible and not tyrannical. Authoritative is used always in a good sense, implying the right to claim authority. Imperative, preemptory, and positive are used ordinarily in the good sense, as an authoritative definition. An imperative demand. A preemptory command. Positive instructions. Imperious signifies assuming and determined to command, rigorously requiring obedience. And imperious demand or requirement may have in it nothing offensive. It is simply one that resolutely insists upon compliance, and will not brook refusal. An arrogant demand is offensive by its tone of superiority. An arbitrary demand by its unreasonableness. An imperious disposition is liable to become arbitrary and arrogant. A person of an independent spirit is inclined to resent an imperious manner in anyone, especially in one whose superiority is not clearly recognized. Commanding is always used in a good sense, as a commanding appearance, a commanding eminence. Compare dogmatic, infinite, perfect. Antonins. Accountable. Complacent. Compliant. Conditional. Constitutional. Contingent. Dossel. Ductile. Gentle. Humble. Lienient. Limited. Lowly. Meek. Mild. Responsible. Submissive. Yielding. Absolve. Synonyms. Equit. Clear. Discharge. Exculpate. Exempt. Exonerate. Forgive. Free. Liberate. Pardon. Release. Set free. To absolve, in the strict sense, is to set free from any bond. One may be absolved from a promise by a breach of faith on the part of one to whom the promise was made. To absolve from sins is formally to remit their condemnation and penalty, regarded as a bond upon the soul. Almighty God, pardoneth and absolveth all those who truly repent and unfainedly believe his holy gospel. Close quote. Book of Common Prayer. Declaration of absolvement. To acquit of sin or crime is to free from the accusation of it. Pronouncing one guiltless. The innocent are rightfully acquitted. The guilty may be mercifully absolved. Compare pardon. Antonyms. Accused. Bind. Charge. Compel. Condemn. Convict. Impeach. Inculpate. Obligate. Oblige. Preposition. One is absolved from, rarely of, a promise, a sin, etc. Absorb. Synonyms. Consume. Drink in. Drink up. Engross. Exhaust. Embibe. Suck up. Swallow. Swallow up. Take in. Take up. A fluid that is absorbed is taken up into the mass of the absorbing body, with which it may or may not permanently combine. Wood expands when it absorbs moisture. Iron when it absorbs heat. The substance remaining, perhaps otherwise substantially unchanged. Quick lime when it absorbs water, becomes a new substance with different qualities. Hydrated or slaked lime. A substance is consumed, which is destructively appropriated by some other substance, being or agency, so that it ceases to exist or to be recognized as existing in its original condition. Fuel is consumed in the fire. Food in the body. Consume is also applied to whatever is removed from the market for individual use, as silk and woollen goods are consumed. A great talker engrosses the conversation. A credulous person swallows the most preposterous statement. A busy student imbibes or drinks in knowledge. He is absorbed in a subject that takes his whole attention. Quote, I only postponed it because I happened to get absorbed in a book. Close quote. Kane, Grennell Expedition, Chapter 43, Page 403, H, 54. Antonyms. Cast out. Disgorge. Disperse. Disrepate. Distract. Eject. Emit. Exude. Give up. Put forth. Radiate. Send out. Shoot forth. Throw off. Vomit. Prepositions. Plants absorb moisture from the air. The student is absorbed in thought. Nutriment may be absorbed into the system through the skin. Abstinence. Synonyms. Abstimeousness. Continence. Fasting. Frugality. Moderation. Self-control. Self-denial. Self-restraint. Subriety. Temperance. Abstinence from food commonly signifies going without. Abstimeousness partaking moderately. Abstinence may be for a single occasion. Abstimeousness is habitual moderation. Self-denial is giving up what one wishes. Abstinence may be refraining from what one does not desire. Fasting is abstinence from food for a limited time, and generally for religious reasons. Sobriety and temperance signify maintaining a quiet, even temper by moderate indulgence in some things. Complete abstinence from others. We speak of temperance in eating, but of abstinence from vice. Total abstinence has come to signify the entire abstaining from intoxicating liquors. Antonyms. Drunkenness. Excess. Gluttony. Greed. Intemperance. Intoxication. Revelling. Revelry. Self-indulgence. Sensuality. Wantonness. The preposition. The negative side of virtue is abstinence from vice. Abstract. Verb. Synonyms. Appropriate. Detach. Discriminate. Distinguish. Distract. Divert. Eliminate. Perloin. Remove. Separate. Steal. Take away. Withdraw. The central idea of withdrawing makes abstract, in common speech, a euphemism for appropriate, unlawfully. Perloin. Steal. In mental processes, we discriminate between objects by distinguishing their differences. We separate some one element from all that does not necessarily belong to it. Abstract it and view it alone. We may separate two ideas and hold both in mind, in comparison or contrast. But when we abstract one of them, we drop the other out of thought. The mind is abstracted when it is withdrawn from all other objects and concentrated upon one. Diverted when it is drawn away from what it would or should attend to by some other interest. Distracted when the attention is divided among different subjects so that it cannot be given properly to any. The trouble with the distracted person is that he is not abstracted. Compare discern. Antonyms. Add. Combine. Complete. Conjoin. Fill up. Increase. Restore. Strengthen. Unite. Prepositions. The purse may be abstracted from the pocket. The substance from the accidents. A book into a compend. Abstracted. Synonyms. Absent. Absent-minded. Absorbed. Heedless. Inattentive. Indifferent. Listless. Negligent. Oblivious. Preoccupied. Thoughtless. As regards mental action, absorbed, abstracted, and preoccupied refer to the cause. Absent or absent-minded to the effect. The man absorbed in one thing will appear absent in others. A preoccupied person may seem listless and thoughtless, but the really listless and thoughtless have not mental energy to be preoccupied. The absent-minded man is oblivious of ordinary matters because his thoughts are elsewhere. One who is preoccupied is intensively busy in thought. One may be absent-minded either through intense concentration or simply through inattention with fitful and aimless wondering of thought. Compare. Abstract. Antonyms. Alert. Attentive. On hand. Prumped. Ready. Thoughtful. Wide awake. Absurd. Synonyms. Anomalous. Chimerical. Arroneous. False. Foolish. Ill-advised. Ill-considered. Ill-judged. Inconclusive. Incorrect. Infatuated. Irrational. Ludicrous. Mistaken. Monstrous. Nonsensical. Paradoxical. Preposterous. Ridiculous. Senseless. Stupid. Unreasonable. Wild. That is absurd, which is contrary to the first principles of reasoning, as that a part should be greater than the whole is absurd. A paradoxical statement appears at first thought contradictory or absurd, while it may be really true. Anything is irrational, when clearly contrary to sound reason. Foolish when contrary to practical good sense. Silly when petty and contemptible in its folly. Erroneous when containing error that vitiates the result. Unreasonable when there seems a perverse bias or an intent to go wrong. Monstrous and preposterous refer to what is overwhelmingly absurd as, quote, O monstrous eleven buckram men grown out of two, close quote, Shakespeare, one King Henry IV, Act II, Scene IV. The ridiculous or the nonsensical is worthy only to be laughed at. The lunatics claim to be a king is ridiculous. The mother goose rhymes are nonsensical. Compare in Congress. Antonyms. Certain, consistent, demonstrable, demonstrated, established, incontestable, incontrovertible, indisputable, indubitable, infallible, logical, rational, reasonable, sagacious, sensible, sound, substantial, true, undeniable, unquestionable, wise, abuse, synonyms, aggrieve, damage, defame, defile, disparage, harm, ill treat, ill use, impose on or upon, injure, malign, maltreat, misemploy, misuse, molest, oppress, persecute, pervert, prostitute, railat, ravish, reproach, revile, ruin, slander, victimize, vilify, violate, vituperate, wrong. Abuse covers all unreasonable or improper use or treatment by word or act. A tenet does not abuse rented property by reasonable wear, though they may damage the property and injure its sale. He may abuse it by needless defacement or neglect. It is possible to abuse a man without harming him, as when the criminal vituperates the judge, or to harm a man without abusing him, as when the witness tells the truth about the criminal. Defame, malign, railat, revile, slander, vilify, and vituperate are used always in a bad sense. One may be justly reproached. To impose on or to victimize one is to injure him by abusing his confidence. To persecute one is to ill treat him for opinion's sake, commonly for religious belief. To oppress is generally for political or pecuniary motives. Quote, thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy. Deuteronomy 2414. Misemploy, misuse, and pervert are commonly applied to objects rather than to persons. A dissolute youth misemploys his time, misuses his money and opportunities, harms his associates, perverts his talents, wrongs his parents, ruins himself, abuses every good gift of God. Antonyms, applaud, benefit, care for, cherish, conserve, consider, eulogize, extol, favor, laud, panagerize, praise, protect, regard, respect, shield, sustain, tend, uphold, vindicate, accessory, synonyms, a better or a betterer, accomplice, ally, assistant, associate, attendant, co-editor, colleague, companion, confederate, follower, helper, henchman, participator, partner, retainer. Colleague is used always in a good sense, associate and co-editor generally so, ally, assistant, associate, attendant, companion, helper, either in a good or a bad sense, a better, accessory, accomplice, confederate, almost always in a bad sense. Ally is often as used of national and military matters, or of some other connection regarded as great and important, as allies of despotism. Colleague is applied to civil and ecclesiastical connections. Members of Congress from the same state are colleagues, even though they may be bitter opponents politically and personally. An associate justice of the Supreme Court is near and rank to the Chief Justice. A surgeon's assistant is a physician or medical student who shares in the treatment and care of patients. A surgeon's attendant is one who rolls bandages and the like. Follower, henchman, retainer, are persons especially devoted to a chief, and generally bound to him by necessity, fee, or reward. Partner has come to denote almost exclusively a business connection. In law, an abetor, the general legal spelling, is always present, either actively or constructively, at the commission of the crime. An accessory never. An accomplice is usually a principle. An accessory never. If present, though only to stand outside and keep watch against surprise, one is an abetor, and not an accessory. At common law, an accessory implies a principle and cannot be convicted until after the conviction of the principle. The accomplice, or abetor, can be convicted as a principle. Accomplice and abetor have nearly the same meaning, but the former is the popular, the latter, more distinctly, the legal term. Compare appendage, auxiliary, antonyms, adversary, antagonist, betrayer, chief, commander, enemy, foe, hinderer, instigator, leader, opponent, opposer, principle, rival. Prepositions. An accessory to the crime. Before or after the fact. The accessories of a figure in a painting. End of Section 2, read by Dennis Sayers in Modesto, California, for Librabox. Section 3 of English Synonyms and Antonyms. This is a Librabox recording. All Librabox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Librabox.org. Recording by Morgan Scorpion. English Synonyms and Antonyms by James Champlin-Fernald. Accident to Address. Noun. Accident. Synonyms. Adventure. Calamity. Casualty. Chance. Contingency. Disaster. Fortunity. Hap. Happening. Hazard. Incident. Misadventure. Misfortune. Mishap. Possibility. An accident is that which happens without any one's direct intention, a chance that which happens without any known cause. If the direct cause of a railroad accident is known, we cannot call it a chance. To the theist there is, in strictness, no chance, all things being by divine causation and control, but chance is spoken of where no special cause is manifest. By chance there came down a certain priest that way, Luke 10.31. We can speak of a game of chance, but not of a game of accident. An incident is viewed as occurring in the regular course of things, but subordinate to the main purpose, or aside from the main design. Fortune is the result of inscrutable controlling forces. Fortune and chance are nearly equivalent, but chance can be used of human effort and endeavour as fortune cannot be. We say he has a chance of success, or there is one chance in a thousand, where we could not substitute fortune. As personified, fortune is regarded as having a fitful purpose, chance as purposeless. We speak of fickle fortune, blind chance. Fortune favours the brave. The slaughter of men is an incident of battle, unexpected defeat, the fortune of war. Since the unintended is often the undesirable, accident tends to signify some calamity or disaster, unless the contrary is expressed, as when we say a fortunate or happy accident. An adventure is that which may turn out ill, a misadventure that which does turn out ill. A slight disturbing accident is a mishap. Compare event hazard. Antonyms, appointment, calculation, certainty, decree, fate, foreordination, intention, law, necessity, ordainment, ordinance, plan, preparation, provision, purpose. Prepositions, the accident of birth, an accident to the machinery. Acquaintance, synonyms, association, companionship, experience, familiarity, fellowship, friendship, intimacy, knowledge. Acquaintance between persons supposes that each knows the other. We may know a public man by his writings or speeches, and by sight, but cannot claim acquaintance unless he personally knows us. There may be pleasant acquaintance with little companionship, and conversely, much companionship with little acquaintance, as between busy clerks at adjoining desks. So there may be association in business without intimacy or friendship. Acquaintance admits of many degrees, from a slight or passing to a familiar or intimate acquaintance, but acquaintance unmodified commonly signifies less than familiarity or intimacy. As regards persons, familiarity is becoming restricted to the undesirable sense, as in the proverb, familiarity breeds contempt. Hence, in personal relations, the word intimacy, which refers to mutual knowledge of thought and feeling, is now uniformly preferred. Friendship includes acquaintance with some degree of intimacy, and ordinarily companionship, though in a wider sense friendship may exist between those who have never met, but know each other only by word and deed. Acquaintance does not involve friendship, for one may be well acquainted with an enemy. Fellowship involves not merely acquaintance and companionship, but sympathy as well. There may be much friendship without much fellowship, as between those whose homes or pursuits are far apart. There may be pleasant fellowship, which does not reach the fullness of friendship. Compare attachment, friendship, love. As regards studies, pursuits, etc., acquaintance is less than familiarity, which supposes minute knowledge of particulars, arising often from long experience or association. Antonyms, ignorance, ignoring, inexperience, unfamiliarity. Prepositions, acquaintance with the subject of one person with another, between persons. Acrimony, synonyms, acerbity, asperity, bitterness, causticity, harshness, malignity, moroseness, severity, sharpness, sourness, tartness, unkindness, virulence. Acerbity is a sharpness with the touch of bitterness, which may arise from momentary annoyance or habitual impatience. Asperity is keener and more pronounced, denoting distinct irritation or vexation. In speech asperity is often manifested by the tone of voice rather than by the words that are spoken. Acrimony, in speech or temper, is like a corrosive acid. It springs from a settled character or deeply rooted feeling of aversion or unkindness. One might speak with momentary asperity to his child, but not with acrimony, unless estrangement has begun. Malignity is the extreme of settled ill intent. Virulence is an envenomed hostility. Virulence of speech is a quality in language that makes the language seem as if exuding poison. Virulence is outspoken. Malignity may be covered with smooth and courteous phrase. We say intense virulence, deep malignity. Severity is always painful, and may be terrible, but carries ordinarily the implication true or false of justice. Compare anger, bitter, enmity. Antonyms, immubility, courtesy, gentleness, good nature, kindness, mildness, smoothness, sweetness. Act, noun. Synonyms, accomplishment, achievement, action, consummation, deed, doing, effect, execution, exercise, exertion, exploit, feet, motion, movement, operation, performance, proceeding, transaction, work. An act is strictly and originally something accomplished by an exercise of power, in which sense it is synonymous with deed or effect. Action is a doing. Act is therefore single, individual, momentary. Action a complex of acts, or a process, state, or habit of exerting power. We say a virtuous act, but rather a virtuous course of action. We speak of the action of an acid upon a metal, not of its act. Act is used also for the simple exertion of power as an act of will. In this sense, an act does not necessarily imply an external effect, while an action does. Morally, the act of murder is in the determination to kill. Legally, the act is not complete without the striking of the fatal blow. Act and deed are both used for the thing done, but act refers to the power put forth, deed to the result accomplished, as a voluntary act, a bad deed. In connection with other words, act is more usually qualified by the use of another noun, action, by an adjective proceeding. We may say a kind act, though oftener an act of kindness, but only a kind action, not an action of kindness. As between act and deed, deed is commonly used of great notable and impressive acts, as our achievement, exploit and feat. Festus, we live in deeds not years, in thoughts not breaths, Bailey, Festus a country town, SC7. A feat exhibits strength, skill, personal power, whether mental or physical, especially the latter, as a feat of arms, a feat of memory. An exploit is a conspicuous or glorious deed involving valor or heroism, usually combined with strength, skill, loftiness of thought, and readiness of resource. An achievement is the doing of something great and noteworthy. An exploit is brilliant, but its effect may be transient. An achievement is solid, and its effect enduring. Act and action are both in contrast to all that is merely passive and receptive. The intensest action is easier than passive endurance. Antonyms, cessation, deliberation, endurance, immobility, inaction, inactivity, inertia, passion, a, in a philosophic sense, quiescence, quiet, repose, rest, suffering, suspension. Active. Synonyms, agile, alert, brisk, bustling, busy, diligent, energetic, expeditious, industrious, lively, mobile, nimble, officious, prompt, quick, ready, restless, sprightly, spry, supple, vigorous, wide awake. Active refers to both quickness and constancy of action. In the former sense it is allied with agile, alert, brisk, etc., in the latter with busy, diligent, industrious. The active love employment, the busy are actually employed. The diligent and the industrious are habitually busy. The restless are active from inability to keep quiet. Their activity may be without purpose, or out of all proportion to the purpose contemplated. The officious are undesirably active in the affairs of others. Compare alert, alive, meddlesome. Antonyms, dull, heavy, idle, inactive, indolent, inert, lazy, quiescent, quiet, slow, sluggish, stupid. Prepositions, active in work, in a cause, for an object, as for justice, with persons or instrumentalities, about something, as about other people's business. Acumen, synonyms, acuteness, cleverness, discernment, insight, keenness, penetration, perspicacity, sagacity, sharpness, shrewdness. Sharpness, acuteness, and insight, however keen, and penetration, however deep, fall short of the meaning of acumen, which implies also ability to use these qualities to advantage. There are persons of keen insight and great penetration to whom these powers are practically useless. Acumen is sharpness to some purpose, and belongs to a mind that is comprehensive as well as keen. Cleveness is a practical aptitude for study or learning. Insight and discernment are applied oftenest to the judgment of character, penetration and perspicacity to other subjects of knowledge. Sagacity is an uncultured skill in using quick perceptions for a desired end, generally in practical affairs. Acumen may increase with study and applies to the most erudite matters. Shrewdness is keenness or sagacity, often with a somewhat evil bias, as ready to take advantage of duller instincts. Perspicacity is the power to see clearly through that which is difficult or involved. We speak of the acuteness of an observer or a reasoner, the insight and discernment of a student, a clergyman or a merchant, the sagacity of a hand, the keenness of a debater, the shrewdness of a usurer, the penetration, perspicacity, and acumen of a philosopher. Antonyms, bluntness, dullness, obtuseness, stupidity. Add, synonyms, a join, a fix, amplify, annex, append, attach, augment, cast up, enlarge, extend, increase, join on, make up, sub-join, sum up. To add is to increase by adjoining or uniting, in distinction from multiply, which is to increase by repeating. To augment a thing is to increase it by any means, but this word is seldom used directly of material objects. We do not augment a house, a farm, a nation, etc. We may enlarge a house, a farm, or an empire, extend influence or dominion, augment riches, power or influence, attach or annex a building to one that it adjoins or papers to the document they refer to. Annex a clause or a codicil, a fix, a seal or a signature, annex a territory, attach a condition to a promise. A speaker may amplify a discourse by a fuller treatment throughout than was originally planned, or he may append or sub-join certain remarks without change of what has gone before. We cast up or sum up an account, though add up and make up are now more usual expressions. Antonyms abstract, deduct, diminish, deceiver, lesson, reduce, remove, subtract, withdraw. Preposition. Other items are to be added to the account. Addicted. Synonyms. Abandoned, accustomed, attached. Devoted, disposed, given. Given over, given up, habituated, inclined, prone, wedded. One is addicted to that which he has allowed to gain a strong, habitual and enduring hold upon action, inclination or involuntary tendency as to a habit or indulgence. A man may be accustomed to labour, attached to his profession, devoted to his religion, given up to study or to gluttony in the bad sense given over or given up is a stronger and more hopeless expression, as is abandoned. One inclined to luxury may become habituated to poverty. One is wedded to that which has become a second nature, as one is wedded to science or to art. Prone is used only in a bad sense and generally of natural tendencies, as our hearts are prone to evil. Abandoned tells of the acquired viciousness of one who has given himself up to wickedness. Addicted may be used in a good but more frequently a bad sense, as addicted to study, addicted to drink. Devoted is used chiefly in the good sense, as a mother's devoted affection. Antonyms. Averse, disinclined, indisposed, unaccustomed. Preposition. Addicted to vice. Address, verb, synonyms, accost, apostrophize, appeal, approach, court, greet, hail, salute, speak to, woo. To accost is to speak first, to friend or stranger, generally with a view to opening conversation. Greet is not so distinctly limited, since one may return another's greeting. Greet and hail may imply but a passing word. Greeting may be altogether silent. To hail is to greet in a loud voice and commonly hearty and joyous way, as appears in the expression, hail fellow well met. To salute is to greet with special token of respect, as a soldier his commander. To apostrophize is to solemnly address some person or personified attribute apart from the audience to whom one is speaking, as a preacher may apostrophize virtue, the saint's evolved, or even the deity. To appeal is strictly to call for some form of help or support. Address is slightly more formal than a cost or greet, though it may often be interchanged with them. One may address another at considerable length or in writing. He accosts orally and briefly. Antonyms. Avoid, cut, elude, ignore, overlook, pass, pass by, shun. Prepositions. Address the memorial to the legislature. The president addressed the people in an eloquent speech. He addressed an intruder with indignation. Address noun. Synonyms. Adrightness, courtesy, dexterity, discretion, ingenuity, manners, politeness, readiness, tact. Address is that indefinable something which enables a man to gain his object without seeming exertion or contest, and generally with the favour and approval of those with whom he deals. It is a general power to direct to the matter in hand whatever qualities are most needed for it at the moment. It includes a draughtness and discretion to know what to do or say and what to avoid, ingenuity to devise, readiness to speak or act, the dexterity that comes of practice, and tact, which is the power of fine touch as applied to human character and feeling. Courtesy and politeness are indispensable elements of good address. Compare speech. Antonyms. Awkwardness, boorishness, clownishness, clumsiness, faturity, folly, ill-breeding, ill-manners, rudeness, stupidity, unmaniliness, unwisdom. Prepositions. Address in dealing with opponents. The address of an accomplished intrigue. An address to the audience. End of Section 3. Section 4 of English synonyms and antonyms. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org, recording by Anita Fleming. English synonyms and antonyms by James Champlin-Fernalds. Read first entry to last entry as in adequate to area. Adequate. Synonyms. Able. Adapted. Capable. Commensurate. Competent. Equal. Fit. Fitted. Fitting. Qualified. Satisfactory. Sufficient. Suitable. Adequate, commensurate, and sufficient signify equal to some given occasion or work, as a sum sufficient to meet expenses, an adequate remedy for the disease. Commensurate is the more precise and learned word, signifying that which exactly measures the matter in question. Adapted, fit, suitable, and qualified refer to the qualities which match or suit the occasion. A clergyman may have strength adequate to the work of a porter, but that would not be a fit or suitable occupation for him. Work is satisfactory if it satisfies those for whom it is done, though it may be very poor work judged by some higher standard. Qualified refers to acquired abilities. Competent to both natural and acquired. A qualified teacher may be no longer competent by reason of ill health. Able and capable suggest general ability and reserved power. Able being the higher word of the two. An able man will do something well in any position. A capable man will come up to any ordinary demand. We say an able orator, a capable accountant. Antonyms. Disqualified, inadequate, incompetent, inferior, insufficient, poor, unequal, unfit, unqualified, unsatisfactory, unsuitable, useless, worthless. Prepositions. Adequate to the demand for the purpose. Adherent. Synonyms. Aid, aider, ally, backer, disciple, follower, partisan, supporter. An adherent is one who is devoted or attached to a person, party, principle, cause, creed, or the like. One may be an aider and supporter of a party or church, while not an adherent to all its doctrines or claims. An ally is more independent still, as he may differ on every point except the specific ground of union. The allies, who overthrew Napoleon were united only against him. Allies are regarded as equals. Adherents and disciples are followers. The adherent depends more on his individual judgment. The disciple is more subject to command and instruction. Thus we save the disciples rather than the adherents of Christ. Partisan has the narrow and odious sense of adhesion to a party, right or wrong. One may be an adherent or supporter of a party and not a partisan. Backer is a sporting and theatrical word, personal in its application, and not in the best usage. Compare accessory. Antonyms. Adversary, antagonist, betrayer, deserter, enemy, hater, opponent, renegade, traitor. Prepositions. Adherents to principle. Adherents of Luther. Adhesive. Synonyms. Cohesive. Glutenous. Gummy. Sticking. Sticky. Viscid. Viscous. Adhesive is the scientific sticking or sticky the popular word. That which is adhesive tends to join itself to the surface of any other body with which it is placed in contact. Cohesive expresses the tendency of particles of the same substance to hold together. Polished plate glass is not adhesive, but such plates packed together are intensely cohesive. An adhesive plaster is in popular language a sticking plaster. Sticky expresses a more limited and generally annoying degree of the same quality. Glutenous, gummy, viscid, and viscous are applied to fluid or semi-fluid substances as pitch or tar. Antonyms. Free, inadhesive, loose, separable. Preposition. The stiff wet clay adhesive to the foot. Imputed progress. Adjacent. Synonyms. Abutting. Adjoining. Attached. Beside. Bordering. Close. Conterminous. Contiguous. Coterminous. Near. Neighboring. Next. Nigh. Adjacent farms may not be connected if adjoining they meet at the boundary line. Conterminous would imply that their dimensions were exactly equal on the side where they adjoined. Contiguous may be used for either adjacent or adjoining. Abutting refers rather to the end of one building or a state than to the neighborhood of another. Buildings may be adjacent or adjoining that are not attached. Near is a relative word, places being called near upon the railroad which would elsewhere be deemed remote. Neighboring always implies such proximity that the inhabitants may be neighbors. Next views some object as the nearest of several or many. Next neighbor implies a neighborhood. Antonyms. Detached. Disconnected. Disjoined. Distant. Remote. Separate. Preposition. The farm was adjacent to the village. Admire. Synonyms. Adore. Applaud. Approve. Delight in. Enjoy. Esteem. Extole. Honor. Love. Respect. Revere. Venerate. Wonder. In the old sense of wonder, admire is practically obsolete. The word now expresses a delight and approval in which the element of wonder unconsciously mingles. We admire beauty in nature and art. Delight in the innocent happiness of children. Enjoy books or society. A walk or a dinner. We approve what is excellent. Applaud heroic deeds. Esteem the good. Love our friends. We honor and respect noble character whoever found. We revere and venerate it in the aged. We extol the goodness and adore the majesty and power of God. Antonyms. Abhor. Abominate. Contend. Despise. Detest. Dislike. Execrate. Hate. Ridicule. Scorn. Preposition. Admire at may still very rarely be found in the old sense of wonder at. Adorn. Synonyms. Beautify. Bedeck. Deck. Decorate. Embellish. Garnish. Guild. Illustrate. Ornament. To embellish is to brighten and enliven by adding something that is not necessarily or very closely connected with that to which it is added. To illustrate is to add something so far like in kind as to cast a side light upon the principal matter. An author embellishes his narrative with fine descriptions. The artist illustrates it with beautiful engravings. The binder guilds and decorates the volume. Garnish is on a lower plane as the feast was garnished with flour. Deck and Bedeck are commonly said of apparel as a mother Bedeck's her daughter with silk and jewels. To adorn and to ornaments alike signify to add that which makes anything beautiful and attractive. But ornament is more exclusively on the material plane as the gateway was ornamented with delicate carving. Adorn is more lofty and spiritual referring to a beauty which is not material and cannot be put on by ornaments or decorations but seems in perfect harmony and unity with that to which it adds a grace. If we say the gateway was adorned with beautiful carving we imply a unity and loftiness of design such as ornamented cannot express. We say of some admirable scholar or statesman he touched nothing that he did not adorn. At church with meek and unaffected grace his looks adorned the venerable place. Goldsmith deserted village 1 178. Antonims deface, deform, disfigure, mar, spoil, preposition. Adorn his temples with a coronet, affront, synonyms, aggravate, annoy, displease, exasperate, insult, irritate, offend, provoke, tease, vex, wound. One may be annoyed by the well-meaning awkwardness of a servant irritated by a tight shoe or thoughtless remark, vex that some careless neglect or needlessness fortune wounded by the ingratitude of child or friend. To tease is to give some slight and perhaps playful annoyance. Aggravate in the sense of offend is colloquial. To provoke, literally to call out or challenge is to begin a contest. One provokes another to violence. To affront is to offer some defiant offence or indignity, as it were to one's face. It is somewhat less than to insult. Compare peak. Antonims conciliate, content, gratify, honor, please. Agent, synonyms, actor, doer, factor, instrument, means, mover, operator, performer, promoter. In strict philosophical usage, the prime mover or doer of an act is the agent. Thus we speak of man as a voluntary agent, a free agent. But in common usage, especially in business, an agent is not the prime actor, but only an instrument or factor acting under orders or instructions. Compare cause. Antonims, chief, inventor, originator, principal, prepositions, an agent of the company for selling, etc. Agree. Synonyms, a seed, accept, accord, acquiesce, admit, approve, assent, coincide, combine, comply, concur, consent, harmonize. Agree is the most general term of this group, signifying to have like qualities, proportions, views, or inclinations, so as to be free from jar, conflict, or contradiction in a given relation. To concur is to agree in general. To coincide is to agree in every particular. Whether an application to persons or things concur tends to expression in action, more than coincide. We may either concur or coincide in our opinion, but concur is a decision. Views coincide, causes concur. One accepts another's terms, complies with his wishes, admits his statement, approves his plan, conforms to his views of doctrine or duty, asseeds or consents to his proposal. A seed expresses the more formal agreement, consent the more complete. To assent is an act of the understanding, to consent of the will. We may concur or agree with others, either in opinion or decision. One may silently acquiesce in that which does not meet his views, but which he does not care to contest. He admits the charge brought, or the statement made, by another. Admit, always carrying a suggestion of reluctance. Assent is sometimes used for a mild form of consent, as if agreement in the opinion assured approval of the decision. Antonyms contend, contradict, decline, demure, deny, differ, disagree, dispute, dissent, oppose, protest, refuse. Prepositions. I agree in opinion with the speaker. To the terms proposed, persons agree on, or upon a statement of principles, rules, etc. We must agree among ourselves. Agriculture. Synonyms, cultivation, culture, farming, flora culture, gardening, horticulture, husbandry, kitchen gardening, market gardening, tillage. Agriculture is the generic term, including at once the science, the art, and the process of supplying human wants by raising the products of the soil and by the associated industries. Farming is the practice of agriculture as a business. There may be theoretical agriculture, but not theoretical farming. We speak of the science of agriculture, the business of farming. Scientific agriculture may be wholly in books. Scientific farming is practiced upon the land. We say an agricultural college rather than a college of farming. Farming refers to the cultivation of considerable portions of land and the raising of the coarser crops. Gardening is the close cultivation of a small area for small fruits, flowers, vegetables, etc. And while it may be done upon a farm is yet a distinct industry. Gardening in general, kitchen gardening, the cultivation of vegetables, etc. for the household, market gardening, the raising of the same for sale, flora culture, the culture of flowers, and horticulture, the culture of fruits, flowers, or vegetables, are all departments of agriculture, but not strictly nor ordinarily of farming. Farming is itself one department of agriculture. Husbandry is a general word for any form of practical agriculture, but is now chiefly poetical. Tillage refers directly to the work bestowed upon the land as plowing, maneuvering, etc. Cultivation refers especially to the processes that bring forward the crop. We speak of the tillage of the soil, the cultivation of corn. We also speak of land as in a state of cultivation under cultivation, etc. Culture is now applied to the careful development of any product to a state of perfection, especially by care through successive generations. The choice varieties of the strawberry have been produced by wise and patient culture. A good crop in a year is the result of good cultivation. Aim, synonyms, aspiration, design, determination, end, endeavor, goal, inclination, intent, intention, mark, object, purpose, tendency. The aim is the direction in which one shoots, or sometimes that which is aimed at. The mark is that at which one shoots, the goal that toward which one runs. All alike indicate the direction of endeavor. The end is the point at which one expects or hopes to close his labors, the object that which he would grasp as the reward of his labors. Aspiration, design, endeavor, purpose, referring to the mental acts by which the aim is attained, are often used as interchangeable with aim. Aspiration applies to what are viewed as noble aims, endeavor, design, intention, purpose, indifferently to the best or worst. Aspiration has less of a decision than the other terms. One may aspire to an object and yet lack the fixedness of purpose by which alone it can be attained. Purpose is stronger than intention. Design especially denotes the adaptation of means to an end. Endeavor refers to the exertions by which it is to be attained. One whose aims are worthy, whose aspirations are high, whose designs are wise, and whose purposes are steadfast may hope to reach the goal of his ambition and will surely win some object worthy of life's endeavor. Compare ambition, design, Antonims, aimlessness, avoidance, carelessness, heedlessness, neglect, negligence, oversight, purposelessness, thoughtlessness, air, synonyms, appearance, bearing, behavior, carriage, demeanor, expression, fashion, look, manner, mienne, port, sort, style, way. Air is that combination of qualities which makes the entire impression we receive in a person's presence as we say he has the air of a scholar or the air of a villain. Appearance refers more to the dress and other externals. We might say of a travel soiled pedestrian he has the appearance of a tramp but the air of a gentleman. Expression and look especially refer to the face. Expression is often as applied to that which is habitual as he has a pleasant expression of countenance. Look may be momentary as a look of this may pass over his face. We may however speak of the look or looks as indicating all that we look at as he had the look of an adventure. I do not like his looks. Bearing is rather lofty word as he has a noble bearing. Port is practically identical in meaning with bearing but it is more exclusively a literary word. Carriage too is generally used in a good sense as that lady has a good carriage. Mien is closely synonymous with air but less often used in a bad sense. We say a rakish air rather than a rakish mien. Mien may be used to express some prevailing feeling as an indignant mien. Demener goes beyond appearance including conduct behavior as a modest demeanor. Manor and style are in large part at least acquired. Compare behavior. Airy, synonymous, aerial, animated, ethereal, fairy-like, frolic-some, gay, joyous, light, lively, sprightly. Aerial and airy both signify of or belonging to the air but airy also describes that which seems as if made of air. We speak of airy shapes, airy nothings where we could not well say aerial. Ethereal describes its object as belonging to the upper air, the pure ether and so often heavenly. Sprightly, spirit-like, refers to light-free, cheerful activity of mind and body. That which is lively or animated may be agreeable or the reverse as an animated discussion a lively company. Antonyms, clumsy, dull, heavy, inert, ponderous, slow, sluggish, stony, wooden. End of section 4