Chapter XI: Part I: Synonyms, Antonyms and Prepositions (9)

A _hunt_ may be either the act of pursuing or the act of seeking, or a combination of the two. A _chase_ or _pursuit_ is after that which is fleeing or departing; a _search_ is for that which is hidden; a _hunt_ may be for that which is either hidden or fleeing; a _search_ is a minute and careful seeking, and is especially applied to a locality; we make a _search_ of or through a house, for an object, in which connection it would be colloquial to say a _hunt_. _Hunt_ never quite loses its association with field-sports, where it includes both _search_ and _chase_; the _search_ till the game is hunted out, and the _chase_ till it is hunted down. Figuratively, we speak of literary _pursuits_, or of the _pursuit_ of knowledge; a _search_ for reasons; the _chase_ of fame or honor; _hunt_, in figurative use, inclines to the unfavorable sense of _inquisition_, but with more of dash and aggressiveness; as, a _hunt_ for heresy.

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HYPOCRISY.

Synonyms:

affectation, formalism, pretense, sanctimony, cant, pharisaism, sanctimoniousness, sham. dissimulation, pietism,

_Pretense_ (L. _prætendo_) primarily signifies the holding something forward as having certain rights or claims, whether truly or falsely; in the good sense, it is now rarely used except with a negative; as, there can be no _pretense_ that this is due; a false _pretense_ implies the possibility of a true _pretense_; but, alone and unlimited, _pretense_ commonly signifies the offering of something for what it is not. _Hypocrisy_ is the false _pretense_ of moral excellence, either as a cover for actual wrong, or for the sake of the credit and advantage attaching to virtue. _Cant_ (L. _cantus_, a song), primarily the singsong iteration of the language of any party, school, or sect, denotes the mechanical and pretentious use of religious phraseology, without corresponding feeling or character; _sanctimoniousness_ is the assumption of a saintly manner without a saintly character. As _cant_ is _hypocrisy_ in utterance, so _sanctimoniousness_ is _hypocrisy_ in appearance, as in looks, tones, etc. _Pietism_, originally a word of good import, is now chiefly used for an unregulated emotionalism; _formalism_ is an exaggerated devotion to forms, rites, and ceremonies, without corresponding earnestness of heart; _sham_ (identical in origin with _shame_) is a trick or device that puts one to shame, or that shamefully disappoints expectation or falsifies appearance. _Affectation_ is in matters of intellect, taste, etc., much what _hypocrisy_ is in morals and religion; _affectation_ might be termed petty _hypocrisy_. Compare DECEPTION.

Antonyms:

candor, genuineness, ingenuousness, sincerity, truth, frankness, honesty, openness, transparency, truthfulness.

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HYPOCRITE.

Synonyms:

cheat, deceiver, dissembler, impostor, pretender.

A _hypocrite_ (Gr. _hypokrites_, one who answers on the stage, an actor, especially a mimic actor) is one who acts a false part, or assumes a character other than the real. _Deceiver_ is the most comprehensive term, including all the other words of the group. The _deceiver_ seeks to give false impressions of any matter where he has an end to gain; the _dissembler_ or _hypocrite_ seeks to give false impressions in regard to himself. The _dissembler_ is content if he can keep some base conduct or evil purpose from being discovered; the _hypocrite_ seeks not merely to cover his vices, but to gain credit for virtue. The _cheat_ and _impostor_ endeavor to make something out of those they may deceive. The _cheat_ is the inferior and more mercenary, as the thimble-rig gambler; the _impostor_ may aspire to a fortune or a throne. Compare HYPOCRISY.

Antonyms:

The antonyms of _hypocrite_ are to be found only in phrases embodying the adjectives candid, honest, ingenuous, sincere, true, etc.

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HYPOTHESIS.

Synonyms:

conjecture, scheme, supposition, system, guess, speculation, surmise, theory.

A _hypothesis_ is a statement of what is deemed possibly true, assumed and reasoned upon as if certainly true, with a view of reaching truth not yet surely known; especially, in the sciences, a _hypothesis_ is a comprehensive tentative explanation of certain phenomena, which is meant to include all other facts of the same class, and which is assumed as true till there has been opportunity to bring all related facts into comparison; if the _hypothesis_ explains all the facts, it is regarded as verified; till then it is regarded as a working _hypothesis_, that is, one that may answer for present practical purposes. A _hypothesis_ may be termed a comprehensive _guess_. A _guess_ is a swift conclusion from data directly at hand, and held as probable or tentative, while one confessedly lacks material for absolute certainty. A _conjecture_ is more methodical than a _guess_, while a _supposition_ is still slower and more settled; a _conjecture_, like a _guess_, is preliminary and tentative; a _supposition_ is more nearly final; a _surmise_ is more floating and visionary, and often sinister; as, a _surmise_ that a stranger may be a pickpocket. _Theory_ is used of the mental coordination of facts and principles, that may or may not prove correct; a machine may be perfect in _theory_, but useless in fact. _Scheme_ may be used as nearly equivalent to _theory_, but is more frequently applied to proposed action, and in the sense of a somewhat visionary plan. A _speculation_ may be wholly of the brain, resting upon no facts worthy of consideration; _system_ is the highest of these terms, having most of assurance and fixity; a _system_ unites many facts, phenomena, or doctrines into an orderly and consistent whole; we speak of a _system_ of theology, of the Copernican _system_ of the universe. Compare SYSTEM.

Antonyms:

certainty, demonstration, discovery, evidence, fact, proof.

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IDEA.

Synonyms:

apprehension, design, impression, plan, archetype, fancy, judgment, purpose, belief, fantasy, model, sentiment, conceit, ideal, notion, supposition, concept, image, opinion, theory, conception, imagination, pattern, thought.

_Idea_ is in Greek a _form_ or an _image_. The word signified in early philosophical use the _archetype_ or primal _image_ which the Platonic philosophy supposed to be the _model_ or _pattern_ that existing objects imperfectly embody. This high sense has nearly disappeared from the word _idea_, and has been largely appropriated by _ideal_, tho something of the original meaning still appears when in theological or philosophical language we speak of the _ideas_ of God. The present popular use of _idea_ makes it to signify any product of mental _apprehension_ or activity, considered as an object of knowledge or thought; this coincides with the primitive sense at but a single point--that an _idea_ is mental as opposed to anything substantial or physical; thus, almost any mental product, as a _belief_, _conception_, _design_, _opinion_, etc., may now be called an _idea_. Compare FANCY; IDEAL.

Antonyms:

actuality, fact, reality, substance.

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IDEAL.

Synonyms:

archetype, model, pattern, prototype, standard. idea, original,

An _ideal_ is that which is conceived or taken as the highest type of excellence or ultimate object of attainment. The _archetype_ is the primal form, actual or imaginary, according to which any existing thing is constructed; the _prototype_ has or has had actual existence; in the derived sense, as in metrology, a _prototype_ may not be the original form, but one having equal authority with that as a _standard_. An _ideal_ may be primal, or may be slowly developed even from failures and by negations; an _ideal_ is meant to be perfect, not merely the thing that has been attained or is to be attained, but the best conceivable thing that could by possibility be attained. The artist's _ideal_ is his own mental image, of which his finished work is but an imperfect expression. The _original_ is the first specimen, good or bad; the _original_ of a master is superior to all copies. The _standard_ may be below the _ideal_. The _ideal_ is imaginary, and ordinarily unattainable; the _standard_ is concrete, and ordinarily attainable, being a measure to which all else of its kind must conform; as, the _standard_ of weights and measures, of corn, or of cotton. The _idea_ of virtue is the mental concept or image of virtue in general; the _ideal_ of virtue is the mental concept or image of virtue in its highest conceivable perfection. Compare EXAMPLE; IDEA.

Antonyms:

accomplishment, action, doing, fact, practise, achievement, attainment, embodiment, incarnation, reality, act, development, execution, performance, realization.

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IDIOCY.

Synonyms:

fatuity, foolishness, incapacity, stupidity. folly, imbecility, senselessness,

_Idiocy_ is a state of mental unsoundness amounting almost or quite to total absence of understanding. _Imbecility_ is a condition of mental weakness, which may or may not be as complete as that of _idiocy_, but is at least such as to incapacitate for the serious duties of life. _Incapacity_, or lack of legal qualification for certain acts, necessarily results from _imbecility_, but may also result from other causes, as from insanity or from age, sex, etc.; as, the _incapacity_ of a minor to make a contract. _Idiocy_ or _imbecility_ is weakness of mind, while insanity is disorder or abnormal action of mind. _Folly_ and _foolishness_ denote a want of mental and often of moral balance. _Fatuity_ is sometimes used as equivalent to _idiocy_, but more frequently signifies conceited and excessive _foolishness_ or _folly_. _Stupidity_ is dulness and slowness of mental action which may range all the way from lack of normal readiness to absolute _imbecility_. Compare INSANITY.

Antonyms:

acuteness, brilliancy, common sense, sagacity, soundness, astuteness, capacity, intelligence, sense, wisdom.

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IDLE.

Synonyms:

inactive, inert, slothful, trifling, unoccupied, indolent, lazy, sluggish, unemployed, vacant.

_Idle_ in all uses rests upon its root meaning, as derived from the Anglo-Saxon _idel_, which signifies vain, empty, useless. _Idle_ thus denotes not primarily the absence of action, but vain action--the absence of useful, effective action; the _idle_ schoolboy may be very actively whittling his desk or tormenting his neighbors. Doing nothing whatever is the secondary meaning of _idle_. One may be temporarily _idle_ of necessity; if he is habitually _idle_, it is his own fault. _Lazy_ signifies indisposed to exertion, averse to labor; idleness is in fact; laziness is in disposition or inclination. A _lazy_ person may chance to be employed in useful work, but he acts without energy or impetus. We speak figuratively of a _lazy_ stream. The _inert_ person seems like dead matter (characterized by inertia), powerless to move; the _sluggish_ moves heavily and toilsomely; the most active person may sometimes find the bodily or mental powers _sluggish_. _Slothful_ belongs in the moral realm, denoting a self-indulgent aversion to exertion. "The _slothful_ hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth," _Prov._ xxvi, 15. _Indolent_ is a milder term for the same quality; the _slothful_ man hates action; the _indolent_ man loves inaction. Compare VAIN.

Antonyms:

active, busy, diligent, employed, industrious, occupied, working.

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IGNORANT.

Synonyms:

ill-informed, unenlightened, unlearned, untaught, illiterate, uninformed, unlettered, untutored. uneducated, uninstructed, unskilled,

_Ignorant_ signifies destitute of education or knowledge, or lacking knowledge or information; it is thus a relative term. The most learned man is still _ignorant_ of many things; persons are spoken of as _ignorant_ who have not the knowledge that has become generally diffused in the world; the _ignorant_ savage may be well instructed in matters of the field and the chase, and is thus more properly _untutored_ than _ignorant_. _Illiterate_ is without letters and the knowledge that comes through reading. _Unlettered_ is similar in meaning to _illiterate_, but less absolute; the _unlettered_ man may have acquired the art of reading and writing and some elementary knowledge; the _uneducated_ man has never taken any systematic course of mental training. _Ignorance_ is relative; _illiteracy_ is absolute; we have statistics of _illiteracy_; no statistics of _ignorance_ are possible.

Antonyms:

educated, learned, sage, skilled, trained, well-informed, wise. instructed,

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IMAGINATION.

Synonyms:

fancy, fantasy, phantasy.

The old psychology treated of the _Reproductive Imagination_, which simply reproduces the images that the mind has in any way acquired, and the _Productive Imagination_ which modifies and combines mental images so as to produce what is virtually new. To this _Reproductive Imagination_ President Noah Porter and others have given the name of _phantasy_ or _fantasy_ (many psychologists preferring the former spelling). _Phantasy_ or _fantasy_, so understood, presents numerous and varied images, often combining them into new forms with exceeding vividness, yet without any true constructive power, but with the mind adrift, blindly and passively following the laws of association, and with reason and will in torpor; the mental images being perhaps as varied and as vivid, but also as purposeless and unsystematized as the visual images in a kaleidoscope; such _fantasy_ (often loosely called _imagination_) appears in dreaming, reverie, somnambulism, and intoxication. _Fantasy_ in ordinary usage simply denotes capricious or erratic _fancy_, as appears in the adjective _fantastic_. _Imagination_ and _fancy_ differ from _fantasy_ in bringing the images and their combinations under the control of the will; _imagination_ is the broader and higher term, including _fancy_; _imagination_ is the act or power of imaging or of reimaging objects of perception or thought, of combining the products of knowledge in modified, new, or ideal forms--the creative or constructive power of the mind; while _fancy_ is the act or power of forming pleasing, graceful, whimsical, or odd mental images, or of combining them with little regard to rational processes of construction; _imagination_ in its lower form. Both _fancy_ and _imagination_ recombine and modify mental images; either may work with the other's materials; _imagination_ may glorify the tiniest flower; _fancy_ may play around a mountain or a star; the one great distinction between them is that _fancy_ is superficial, while _imagination_ is deep, essential, spiritual. Wordsworth, who was the first clearly to draw the distinction between the _fancy_ and the _imagination_, states it as follows:

To aggregate and to associate, to evoke and to combine, belong as
well to the _imagination_ as to the _fancy_; but either the
materials evoked and combined are different; or they are brought
together under a different law, and for a different purpose. _Fancy_
does not require that the materials which she makes use of should be
susceptible of changes in their constitution from her touch; and
where they admit of modification, it is enough for her purpose if it
be slight, limited, and evanescent. Directly the reverse of these
are the desires and demands of the _imagination_. She recoils from
everything but the plastic, the pliant, and the indefinite. She
leaves it to _fancy_ to describe Queen Mab as coming:

'In shape no bigger than an agate stone
On the forefinger of an alderman.'

Having to speak of stature, she does not tell you that her gigantic
angel was as tall as Pompey's Pillar; much less that he was twelve
cubits or twelve hundred cubits high; or that his dimensions
equalled those of Teneriffe or Atlas; because these, and if they
were a million times as high, it would be the same, are bounded. The
expression is, 'His stature reached the sky!' the illimitable
firmament!--When the _imagination_ frames a comparison, ... a sense
of the truth of the likeness from the moment that it is perceived
grows--and continues to grow--upon the mind; the resemblance
depending less upon outline of form and feature than upon expression
and effect, less upon casual and outstanding than upon inherent and
internal properties.[B]

_Poetical Works, Pref. to Ed. of 1815_, p. 646, app. [T. & H. '51.]

So far as actual images are concerned, both _fancy_ and _imagination_ are limited to the materials furnished by the external world; it is remarkable that among all the representations of gods or demigods, fiends and demons, griffins and chimæras, the human mind has never invented one organ or attribute that is not presented in human or animal life; the lion may have a human head and an eagle's wings and claws, but in the various features, individually, there is absolutely nothing new. But _imagination_ can transcend the work of _fancy_, and compare an image drawn from the external world with some spiritual truth born in the mind itself, or infuse a series of images with such a spiritual truth, molding them as needed for its more vivid expression.

The _imagination_ modifies images, and gives unity to variety; it
sees all things in one.... There is the epic _imagination_, the
perfection of which is in Milton; and the dramatic, of which
Shakspeare is the absolute master.

COLERIDGE _Table Talk_ June 23, '34.

_Fancy_ keeps the material image prominent and clear, and works not only with it, but for it; _imagination_ always uses the material object as the minister of something greater than itself, and often almost loses the object in the spiritual idea with which she has associated it, and for which alone she values it. _Fancy_ flits about the surface, and is airy and playful, sometimes petty and sometimes false; _imagination_ goes to the heart of things, and is deep, earnest, serious, and seeks always and everywhere for essential truth. _Fancy_ sets off, variegates, and decorates; _imagination_ transforms and exalts. _Fancy_ delights and entertains; _imagination_ moves and thrills. _Imagination_ is not only poetic or literary, but scientific, philosophical, and practical. By _imagination_ the architect sees the unity of a building not yet begun, and the inventor sees the unity and varied interactions of a machine never yet constructed, even a unity that no human eye ever can see, since when the machine is in actual motion, one part may hide the connecting parts, and yet all keep the unity of the inventor's thought. By _imagination_ a Newton sweeps sun, planets, and stars into unity with the earth and the apple that is drawn irresistibly to its surface, and sees them all within the circle of one grand law. Science, philosophy, and mechanical invention have little use for _fancy_, but the creative, penetrative power of _imagination_ is to them the breath of life, and the condition of all advance and success. See also FANCY; IDEA.

[B] The whole discussion from which the quotation is taken is worthy of, and will well repay, careful study.

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IMMEDIATELY.

Synonyms:

at once, instanter, presently, straightway, directly, instantly, right away, this instant, forthwith, now, right off, without delay.

The strong and general human tendency to procrastination is shown in the progressive weakening of the various words in this group. _Immediately_ primarily signifies without the intervention of anything as a medium, hence without the intervention of any, even the briefest, interval or lapse of time. _By and by_, which was once a synonym, has become an antonym of _immediately_, meaning at some (perhaps remote) future time. _Directly_, which once meant with no intervening time, now means after some little while; _presently_ no longer means in this very present, but before very long. Even _immediately_ is sliding from its instantaneousness, so that we are fain to substitute _at once_, _instantly_, etc., when we would make promptness emphatic. _Right away_ and _right off_ are vigorous conversational expressions in the United States.

Antonyms:

after a while, by and by, hereafter, in the future, some time.

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IMMERSE.

Synonyms:

bury, dip, douse, duck, immerge, plunge, sink, submerge.

_Dip_ is Saxon, while _immerse_ is Latin for the same initial act; _dip_ is accordingly the more popular and commonplace, _immerse_ the more elegant and dignified expression in many cases. To speak of baptism by immersion as _dipping_ now seems rude; tho entirely proper and usual in early English. Baptists now universally use the word _immerse_. To _dip_ and to _immerse_ alike signify to _bury_ or _submerge_ some object in a liquid; but _dip_ implies that the object _dipped_ is at once removed from the liquid, while _immerse_ is wholly silent as to the removal. _Immerse_ also suggests more absolute completeness of the action; one may _dip_ his sleeve or _dip_ a sponge in a liquid, if he but touches the edge; if he _immerses_ it, he completely _sinks_ it under, and covers it with the liquid. _Submerge_ implies that the object can not readily be removed, if at all; as, a _submerged_ wreck. To _plunge_ is to _immerse_ suddenly and violently, for which _douse_ and _duck_ are colloquial terms. _Dip_ is used, also, unlike the other words, to denote the putting of a hollow vessel into a liquid in order to remove a portion of it; in this sense we say _dip up_, _dip out_. Compare synonyms for BURY.

Preposition:

The object is immersed _in_ water.

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IMMINENT.

Synonyms:

impending, threatening.

_Imminent_, from the Latin, with the sense of projecting over, signifies liable to happen at once, as some calamity, dangerous and close at hand. _Impending_, also from the Latin, with the sense of hanging over, is closely akin to _imminent_, but somewhat less emphatic. _Imminent_ is more immediate, _impending_ more remote, _threatening_ more contingent. An _impending_ evil is almost sure to happen at some uncertain time, perhaps very near; an _imminent_ peril is one liable to befall very speedily; a _threatening_ peril may be near or remote, but always with hope that it may be averted.

Antonyms:

chimerical, doubtful, problematical, unexpected, unlikely. contingent, improbable,

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IMPEDIMENT.

Synonyms:

bar, clog, encumbrance, obstacle, barrier, difficulty, hindrance, obstruction.

_Difficulty_ makes an undertaking otherwise than easy. That which rests upon one as a burden is an _encumbrance_. An _impediment_ is primarily something that checks the foot or in any way makes advance slow or difficult; an _obstacle_ is something that stands across the way, an _obstruction_ something that is built or placed across the way. An _obstruction_ is always an _obstacle_, but an _obstacle_ may not always be properly termed an _obstruction_; boxes and bales placed on the sidewalk are _obstructions_ to travel; an ice-floe is an _obstacle_ to navigation, and may become an _obstruction_ if it closes an inlet or channel. A _hindrance_ (kindred with _hind_, _behind_) is anything that makes one come behind or short of his purpose. An _impediment_ may be either what one finds in his way or what he carries with him; _impedimenta_ was the Latin name for the baggage of a soldier or of an army. The tendency is to view an _impediment_ as something constant or, at least for a time, continuous; as, an _impediment_ in one's speech. A _difficulty_ or a _hindrance_ may be either within one or without; a speaker may find _difficulty_ in expressing himself, or _difficulty_ in holding the attention of restless children. An _encumbrance_ is always what one carries with him; an _obstacle_ or an _obstruction_ is always without. To a marching soldier the steepness of a mountain path is a _difficulty_, loose stones are _impediments_, a fence is an _obstruction_, a cliff or a boulder across the way is an _obstacle_; a knapsack is an _encumbrance_.

Antonyms:

advantage, aid, assistance, benefit, help, relief, succor.

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IMPUDENCE.

Synonyms:

assurance, impertinence, intrusiveness, presumption, boldness, incivility, officiousness, rudeness, effrontery, insolence, pertness, sauciness. forwardness,

_Impertinence_ primarily denotes what does not pertain or belong to the occasion or the person, and hence comes to signify interference by word or act not consistent with the age, position, or relation of the person interfered with or of the one who interferes; especially, forward, presumptuous, or meddlesome speech. _Impudence_ is shameless _impertinence_. What would be arrogance in a superior becomes _impertinence_ or _impudence_ in an inferior. _Impertinence_ has less of intent and determination than _impudence_. We speak of thoughtless _impertinence_, shameless _impudence_. _Insolence_ is literally that which is against custom, _i. e._, the violation of customary respect and courtesy. _Officiousness_ is thrusting upon others unasked and undesired service, and is often as well-meant as it is annoying. _Rudeness_ is the behavior that might be expected from a thoroughly uncultured person, and may be either deliberate and insulting or unintentional and even unconscious. Compare ARROGANCE; ASSURANCE; EFFRONTERY; PERTNESS.

Antonyms:

bashfulness, diffidence, lowliness, modesty, coyness, humility, meekness, submissiveness.

Prepositions:

The impudence _of_, or impudence _from_, a subordinate _to_ a superior.

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INCONGRUOUS.

Synonyms:

absurd, ill-matched, inharmonious, conflicting, inapposite, irreconcilable, contradictory, inappropriate, mismatched, contrary, incommensurable, mismated, discordant, incompatible, repugnant, discrepant, inconsistent, unsuitable.

Two or more things that do not fit well together, or are not adapted to each other, are said to be _incongruous_; a thing is said to be _incongruous_ that is not adapted to the time, place, or occasion; the term is also applied to a thing made up of ill-assorted parts or _inharmonious_ elements. _Discordant_ is applied to all things that jar in association like musical notes that are not in accord; _inharmonious_ has the same original sense, but is a milder term. _Incompatible_ primarily signifies unable to sympathize or feel alike; _inconsistent_ means unable to stand together. Things are _incompatible_ which can not exist together in harmonious relations, and whose action when associated tends to ultimate extinction of one by the other. _Inconsistent_ applies to things that can not be made to agree in thought with each other, or with some standard of truth or right; slavery and freedom are _inconsistent_ with each other in theory, and _incompatible_ in fact. _Incongruous_ applies to relations, _unsuitable_ to purpose or use; two colors are _incongruous_ which can not be agreeably associated; either may be _unsuitable_ for a person, a room, or an occasion. _Incommensurable_ is a mathematical term, applying to two or more quantities that have no common measure or aliquot part.

Antonyms:

accordant, agreeing, compatible, consistent, harmonious, suitable.

Preposition:

The illustrations were incongruous _with_ the theme.

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INDUCTION.

Synonyms:

deduction, inference.

_Deduction_ is reasoning from the general to the particular; _induction_ is reasoning from the particular to the general. _Deduction_ proceeds from a general principle through an admitted instance to a conclusion. _Induction_, on the other hand, proceeds from a number of collated instances, through some attribute common to them all, to a general principle. The proof of an _induction_ is by using its conclusion as the premise of a new _deduction_. Thus what is ordinarily known as scientific _induction_ is a constant interchange of _induction_ and _deduction_. In _deduction_, if the general rule is true, and the special case falls under the rule, the conclusion is certain; _induction_ can ordinarily give no more than a probable conclusion, because we can never be sure that we have collated all instances. An _induction_ is of the nature of an _inference_, but while an _inference_ may be partial and hasty, an _induction_ is careful, and aims to be complete. Compare DEMONSTRATION; HYPOTHESIS.

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INDUSTRIOUS.

Synonyms:

active, busy, employed, occupied, assiduous, diligent, engaged, sedulous.

_Industrious_ signifies zealously or habitually applying oneself to any work or business. _Busy_ applies to an activity which may be temporary, _industrious_ to a habit of life. We say a man is _busy_ just now; that is, _occupied_ at the moment with something that takes his full attention. It would be ridiculous or satirical to say, he is _industrious_ just now. But _busy_ can be used in the sense of _industrious_, as when we say he is a _busy_ man. _Diligent_ indicates also a disposition, which is ordinarily habitual, and suggests more of heartiness and volition than _industrious_. We say one is a _diligent_, rather than an _industrious_, reader of the Bible. In the use of the nouns, we speak of plodding _industry_, but not of plodding _diligence_. Compare ACTIVE; INDUSTRY.

Antonyms:

See synonyms for IDLE.

* * * * *

INDUSTRY.

Synonyms:

application, diligence, labor, persistence, assiduity, effort, pains, sedulousness. attention, exertion, patience, constancy, intentness, perseverance,

_Industry_ is the quality, action, or habit of earnest, steady, and continued attention or devotion to any useful or productive work or task, manual or mental. _Assiduity_ (L. _ad_, to, and _sedeo_, sit), as the etymology suggests, sits down to a task until it is done. _Diligence_ (L. _diligo_, love, choose) invests more effort and exertion, with love of the work or deep interest in its accomplishment; _application_ (L. _ad_, to, and _plico_, fold) bends to its work and concentrates all one's powers upon it with utmost intensity; hence, _application_ can hardly be as unremitting as _assiduity_. _Constancy_ is a steady devotion of heart and principle. _Patience_ works on in spite of annoyances; _perseverance_ overcomes hindrances and difficulties; _persistence_ strives relentlessly against opposition; _persistence_ has very frequently an unfavorable meaning, implying that one persists in spite of considerations that should induce him to desist. _Industry_ is _diligence_ applied to some avocation, business, or profession. _Labor_ and _pains_ refer to the _exertions_ of the worker and the tax upon him, while _assiduity_, _perseverance_, etc., refer to his continuance in the work.

Antonyms:

changeableness, idleness, inconstancy, neglect, remissness, fickleness, inattention, indolence, negligence, sloth.

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INFINITE.

Synonyms:

absolute, illimitable, limitless, unconditioned, boundless, immeasurable, measureless, unfathomable, countless, innumerable, numberless, unlimited, eternal, interminable, unbounded, unmeasured.

_Infinite_ (L. _in_, not, and _finis_, limit) signifies without bounds or limits in any way, and may be applied to space, time, quantity, or number. _Countless_, _innumerable_, and _numberless_, which should be the same as _infinite_, are in common usage vaguely employed to denote what it is difficult or practically impossible to count or number, tho perhaps falling far short of _infinite_; as, _countless_ leaves, the _countless_ sands on the seashore, _numberless_ battles, _innumerable_ delays. So, too, _boundless_, _illimitable_, _limitless_, _measureless_, and _unlimited_ are loosely used in reference to what has no apparent or readily determinable limits in space or time; as, we speak of the _boundless_ ocean. _Infinite_ space is without bounds, not only in fact, but in thought; _infinite_ time is truly _eternal_. Compare synonyms for ETERNAL.

Antonyms:

bounded, finite, measurable, restricted, small, brief, limited, moderate, shallow, transient, circumscribed, little, narrow, short, transitory. evanescent,

* * * * *

INFLUENCE.

Synonyms:

actuate, draw, impel, induce, move, stir, compel, drive, incite, instigate, persuade, sway, dispose, excite, incline, lead, prompt, urge.

To _influence_ (L. _in_, in or into, and _fluo_, flow) is to affect, modify, or act upon by physical, mental, or moral power, especially in some gentle, subtle, and gradual way; as, vegetation is _influenced_ by light; every one is _influenced_ to some extent by public opinion; _influence_ is chiefly used of power acting from without, tho it may be used of motives regarded as forces acting upon the will. _Actuate_ refers solely to mental or moral power _impelling_ one from within. One may _influence_, but can not directly _actuate_ another; but one may be _actuated_ to cruelty by hatred which another's misrepresentation has aroused. _Prompt_ and _stir_ are words of mere suggestion toward some course of action; _dispose_, _draw_, _incline_, _influence_, and _lead_ refer to the use of mild means to awaken in another a purpose or disposition to act. To _excite_ is to arouse one from lethargy or indifference to action. _Incite_ and _instigate_, to spur or goad one to action, differ in the fact that _incite_ may be to good, while _instigate_ is always to evil (compare ABET). To _urge_ and _impel_ signify to produce strong excitation toward some act. We are _urged_ from without, _impelled_ from within. _Drive_ and _compel_ imply irresistible influence accomplishing its object. One may be _driven_ either by his own passions or by external force or urgency; one is _compelled_ only by some external power; as, the owner was _compelled_ by his misfortunes to sell his estate. Compare COMPEL; DRIVE.

Antonyms:

deter, dissuade, impede, prevent, restrain, retard. discourage, hinder, inhibit,

Prepositions:

Actuated _to_ crime _by_ revenge.

* * * * *

INHERENT.

Synonyms:

congenital, indispensable, innate, native, essential, indwelling, inseparable, natural, immanent, infixed, internal, subjective. inborn, ingrained, intrinsic, inbred, inhering, inwrought,

_Inherent_ signifies permanently united as an element or original quality, naturally existent or incorporated in something so as to have become an integral part. _Immanent_ is a philosophic word, to denote that which dwells in or pervades any substance or spirit without necessarily being a part of it, and without reference to any working out (compare SUBJECTIVE). That which is _inherent_ is an _inseparable_ part of that in which it inheres, and is usually thought of with reference to some outworking or effect; as, an _inherent_ difficulty. God is said to be _immanent_ (not _inherent_) in the universe. Frequently _intrinsic_ and _inherent_ can be interchanged, but _inherent_ applies to qualities, while _intrinsic_ applies to essence, so that to speak of _intrinsic_ excellence conveys higher praise than if we say _inherent_ excellence. _Inherent_ and _intrinsic_ may be said of persons or things; _congenital_, _inborn_, _inbred_, _innate_, apply to living beings. _Congenital_ is frequent in medical and legal use with special application to defects; as, _congenital_ idiocy. _Innate_ and _inborn_ are almost identical, but _innate_ is preferred in philosophic use, as when we speak of _innate_ ideas; that which is _inborn_, _congenital_, or _innate_ may be original with the individual, but that which is _inbred_ is inherited. _Ingrained_ signifies dyed in the grain, and denotes that which is deeply wrought into substance or character.

Antonyms:

accidental, extrinsic, outward, superficial, supplemental, casual, fortuitous, subsidiary, superfluous, transient, external, incidental, superadded, superimposed, unconnected.

* * * * *

INJURY.

Synonyms:

blemish, disadvantage, hurt, loss, prejudice, damage, evil, impairment, mischief, wrong. detriment, harm, injustice, outrage,

_Injury_ (L. _in_, not, and _jus, juris_, right, law) signifies primarily something done contrary to law or right; hence, something contrary to some standard of right or good; whatever reduces the value, utility, beauty, or desirableness of anything is an _injury_ to that thing; of persons, whatever is so done as to operate adversely to one in his person, rights, property, or reputation is an _injury_; the word is especially used of whatever mars the integrity of the body or causes pain; as, when rescued from the wreck his _injuries_ were found to be very slight. _Injury_ is the general term including all the rest. _Damage_ (L. _damnum_, loss) is that which occasions _loss_ to the possessor; hence, any impairment of value, often with the suggestion of fault on the part of the one causing it; _damage_ reduces value, utility, or beauty; _detriment_ (L. _deterere_, to rub or wear away) is similar in meaning, but far milder. _Detriment_ may affect value only; _damage_ always affects real worth or utility; as a rule, the slightest use of an article by a purchaser operates to its _detriment_ if again offered for sale, tho the article may have received not the slightest _damage_. _Damage_ is partial; _loss_ is properly absolute as far as it is predicated at all; the _loss_ of a ship implies that it is gone beyond recovery; the _loss_ of the rudder is a _damage_ to the ship; but since the _loss_ of a part still leaves a part, we may speak of a partial or a total _loss_. _Evil_ commonly suggests suffering or sin, or both; as, the _evils_ of poverty, the social _evil_. _Harm_ is closely synonymous with _injury_; it may apply to body, mind, or estate, but always affects real worth, while _injury_ may concern only estimated value. A _hurt_ is an _injury_ that causes pain, physical or mental; a slight _hurt_ may be no real _harm_. _Mischief_ is disarrangement, trouble, or _harm_ usually caused by some voluntary agent, with or without injurious intent; a child's thoughtless sport may do great _mischief_; _wrong_ is _harm_ done with _evil_ intent. An _outrage_ combines insult and _injury_. Compare synonyms for BLEMISH; CRIMINAL; INJUSTICE.

Antonyms:

advantage, benefit, boon, improvement, service, amelioration, blessing, help, remedy, utility.

Prepositions:

The injury _of_ the cause; an injury _to_ the structure; injury _by_ fire; _by_ or _from_ collision, interference, etc.

* * * * *

INJUSTICE.

Synonyms:

grievance, injury, unfairness, unrighteousness, wrong. iniquity,

_Injustice_ is a violation or denial of justice, an act or omission that is contrary to equity or justice; as, the _injustice_ of unequal taxes. In legal usage a _wrong_ involves _injury_ to person, property, or reputation, as the result of evil intent; _injustice_ applies to civil damage or loss, not necessarily involving _injury_ to person or property, as by misrepresentation of goods which does not amount to a legal warranty. In popular usage, _injustice_ may involve no direct _injury_ to person, property, interest, or character, and no harmful intent, while _wrong_ always involves both; one who attributes another's truly generous act to a selfish motive does him an _injustice_. _Iniquity_, in the original sense, is a want of or a deviation from equity; but it is now applied in the widest sense to any form of ill-doing. Compare synonyms for CRIMINAL; SIN.

Antonyms:

equity, faithfulness, impartiality, lawfulness, righteousness, fairness, honesty, integrity, rectitude, uprightness. fair play, honor, justice, right,

* * * * *

INNOCENT.

Synonyms:

blameless, guiltless, inoffensive, spotless, clean, harmless, pure, stainless, clear, immaculate, right, upright, faultless, innocuous, righteous, virtuous. guileless, innoxious, sinless,

_Innocent_, in the full sense, signifies not tainted with sin; not having done wrong or violated legal or moral precept or duty; as, an _innocent_ babe. _Innocent_ is a negative word, expressing less than _righteous_, _upright_, or _virtuous_, which imply knowledge of good and evil, with free choice of the good. A little child or a lamb is _innocent_; a tried and faithful man is _righteous_, _upright_, _virtuous_. _Immaculate_, _pure_, and _sinless_ may be used either of one who has never known the possibility of evil or of one who has perfectly and triumphantly resisted it. _Innocent_ is used of inanimate substances in the sense of _harmless_; as, an _innocent_ remedy, that is, one not dangerous, even if not helpful. _Innocent_, in a specific case, signifies free from the guilt of a particular act, even tho the total character may be very evil; as, the thief was found to be _innocent_ of the murder. See CANDID; PURE.

Antonyms:

Compare synonyms for CRIMINAL.

* * * * *

INQUISITIVE.

Synonyms:

curious, meddlesome, peeping, scrutinizing, inquiring, meddling, prying, searching. intrusive,

An _inquisitive_ person is one who is bent on finding out all that can be found out by inquiry, especially of little and personal matters, and hence is generally _meddlesome_ and _prying_. _Inquisitive_ may be used in a good sense, tho in such connection _inquiring_ is to be preferred; as, an _inquiring_ mind. As applied to a state of mind, _curious_ denotes a keen and rather pleasurable desire to know fully something to which one's attention has been called, but without the active tendency that _inquisitive_ implies; a well-bred person may be _curious_ to know, but will not be _inquisitive_ in trying to ascertain, what is of interest in the affairs of another.

Antonyms:

apathetic, heedless, indifferent, unconcerned, uninterested. careless, inattentive,

Prepositions:

Inquisitive _about_, _concerning_, _in regard to_, _regarding_ trifles.

* * * * *

INSANITY.

Synonyms:

aberration, delirium, frenzy, madness, alienation, dementia, hallucination, mania, craziness, derangement, lunacy, monomania.

Of these terms _insanity_ is the most exact and comprehensive, including in its widest sense all morbid conditions of mind due to diseased action of the brain or nervous system, but in its more frequent restricted use applied to those forms in which the mental disorder is persistent, as distinguished from those in which it is temporary or transient. _Craziness_ is a vague popular term for any sort of disordered mental action, or for conduct suggesting it. _Lunacy_ originally denoted intermittent _insanity_, supposed to be dependent on the changes of the moon (L. _luna_): the term is now applied in general and legal use to any form of mental unsoundness except idiocy. _Madness_ is the old popular term, now less common, for _insanity_ in its widest sense, but with suggestion of excitement, akin to _mania_. In the derived sense, _lunacy_ denotes what is insanely foolish, _madness_ what is insanely desperate. _Derangement_ is a common euphemism for _insanity_. _Delirium_ is always temporary, and is specifically the _insanity_ of disease, as in acute fevers. _Dementia_ is a general weakening of the mental powers: the word is specifically applied to senile _insanity_, dotage. _Aberration_ is eccentricity of mental action due to an abnormal state of the perceptive faculties, and is manifested by error in perceptions and rambling thought. _Hallucination_ is the apparent perception of that which does not exist or is not present to the senses, as the seeing of specters or of reptiles in delirium tremens. _Monomania_ is mental _derangement_ as to one subject or object. _Frenzy_ and _mania_ are forms of raving and furious _insanity_. Compare synonyms for DELUSION; IDIOCY.

Antonyms:

clearness, good sense, lucidity, rationality, sanity.

* * * * *

INTERPOSE.

Synonyms:

arbitrate, intercept, intermeddle, meddle, intercede, interfere, interrupt, mediate.

To _interpose_ is to place or come between other things or persons, usually as a means of obstruction or prevention of some effect or result that would otherwise occur, or be expected to take place. _Intercede_ and _interpose_ are used in a good sense; _intermeddle_ always in a bad sense, and _interfere_ frequently so. To _intercede_ is to come between persons who are at variance, and plead with the stronger in behalf of the weaker. One may _interpose_ with authority; he _intercedes_ by petition. To _intermeddle_ is to thrust oneself into the concerns of others with a petty officiousness; _meddling_ commonly arises from idle curiosity; "every fool will be _meddling_," _Prov._ xx, 3; to _interfere_ is to intrude into others' affairs with more serious purpose, with or without acknowledged right or propriety. _Intercept_ is applied to an object that may be seized or stopped while in transit; as, to _intercept_ a letter or a messenger; _interrupt_ is applied to an action which might or should be continuous, but is broken in upon (L. _rumpere_, to break) by some disturbing power; as, the conversation was _interrupted_. One who _arbitrates_ or _mediates_ must do so by the request or at least with the consent of the contending parties; the other words of the group imply that he steps in of his own accord.

Antonyms:

avoid, keep aloof, keep out, retire, stand back, hold aloof, keep away, let alone, stand aside, stand off, hold off, keep clear, let be, stand away, withdraw.

Prepositions:

Interpose _between_ the combatants; _in_ the matter.

* * * * *

INVOLVE.

Synonyms:

complicate, embroil, implicate, include, embarrass, entangle, imply, overwhelm.

To _involve_ (L. _in_, in, and _volvo_, roll) is to roll or wind up with or in so as to combine inextricably or inseparably, or nearly so; as, the nation is _involved_ in war; the bookkeeper's accounts, or the writer's sentences are _involved_. _Involve_ is a stronger word than _implicate_, denoting more complete entanglement. As applied to persons, _implicate_ is always used in an unfavorable sense, and _involve_ ordinarily so; but _implicate_ applies only to that which is wrong, while _involve_ is more commonly used of that which is unfortunate; one is _implicated_ in a crime, _involved_ in embarrassments, misfortunes, or perplexities. As regards logical connection that which is _included_ is usually expressly stated; that which is _implied_ is not stated, but is naturally to be inferred; that which is _involved_ is necessarily to be inferred; as, a slate roof is _included_ in the contract; that the roof shall be water-tight is _implied_; the contrary supposition _involves_ an absurdity. See COMPLEX.

Antonyms:

disconnect, distinguish, explicate, extricate, remove, separate. disentangle,

* * * * *

JOURNEY.

Synonyms:

excursion, pilgrimage, transit, trip, expedition, tour, travel, voyage.

A _journey_ (F. _journée_, from L. _diurnus_, daily) was primarily a day's work; hence, a movement from place to place within one day, which we now describe as "a day's _journey_;" in its extended modern use a _journey_ is a direct going from a starting-point to a destination, ordinarily over a considerable distance; we speak of a day's _journey_, or the _journey_ of life. _Travel_ is a passing from place to place, not necessarily in a direct line or with fixed destination; a _journey_ through Europe would be a passage to some destination beyond or at the farther boundary; _travel_ in Europe may be in no direct course, but may include many _journeys_ in different directions. A _voyage_, which was formerly a _journey_ of any kind, is now a going to a considerable distance by water, especially by sea; as, a _voyage_ to India. A _trip_ is a short and direct _journey_. A _tour_ is a _journey_ that returns to the starting-point, generally over a considerable distance; as, a bridal _tour_, or business _tour_. An _excursion_ is a brief _tour_ or _journey_, taken for pleasure, often by many persons at once; as, an _excursion_ to Chautauqua. _Passage_ is a general word for a _journey_ by any conveyance, especially by water; as, a rough _passage_ across the Atlantic; _transit_, literally the act of passing over or through, is used specifically of the conveyance of passengers or merchandise; rapid _transit_ is demanded for suburban residents or perishable goods. _Pilgrimage_, once always of a sacred character, retains in derived uses something of that sense; as, a _pilgrimage_ to Stratford-on-Avon.

Prepositions:

A journey _from_ Naples _to_ Rome; _through_ Mexico; _across_ the continent; _over_ the sea; a journey _into_ Asia; _among_ savages; _by_ land, _by_ rail, _for_ health, _on_ foot, _on_ the cars, etc.

* * * * *

JUDGE.

Synonyms:

arbiter, arbitrator, justice, referee, umpire.

A _judge_, in the legal sense, is a judicial officer appointed or elected to preside in courts of law, and to decide legal questions duly brought before him; the name is sometimes given to other legally constituted officers; as, the _judges_ of election; in other relations, any person duly appointed to pass upon the merits of contestants or of competing articles may be called a _judge_; as, the _judges_ at an agricultural fair, or at a race-track; in the widest sense, any person who has good capacity for judging is called a _judge_; as, a person is said to be a _judge_ of pictures, or a good _judge_ of a horse, etc. In most games the _judge_ is called an _umpire_; as, the _umpire_ of a game of ball or cricket. A _referee_ is appointed by a court to decide disputed matters between litigants; an _arbitrator_ is chosen by the contending parties to decide matters in dispute without action by a court. In certain cases an _umpire_ is appointed by a court to decide where _arbitrators_ disagree. _Arbiter_, with its suggestion of final and absolute decision, has come to be used only in a high or sacred sense; as, war must now be the _arbiter_; the Supreme _Arbiter_ of our destinies. The _judges_ of certain courts, as the United States Supreme Court, are technically known as _justices_.

* * * * *

JUSTICE.

Synonyms:

equity, impartiality, legality, rightfulness, fairness, integrity, rectitude, truth, fair play, justness, right, uprightness, faithfulness, law, righteousness, virtue. honor, lawfulness,

In its governmental relations, human or divine, _justice_ is the giving to every person exactly what he deserves, not necessarily involving any consideration of what any other may deserve; _equity_ (the quality of being equal) is giving every one as much advantage, privilege, or consideration as is given to any other; it is that which is equally right or just to all concerned; _equity_ is equal _justice_ and is thus a close synonym for _fairness_ and _impartiality_, but it has a philosophical and legal precision that those words have not. In legal proceedings cases arise for which the _law_ has not adequately provided, or in which general provisions, just in the main, would work individual hardship. The system of _equity_, devised to supply the insufficiencies of _law_, deals with cases "to which the _law_ by reason of its universality can not apply." "_Equity_, then, ... is the soul and spirit of all _law_; positive _law_ is construed and rational _law_ is made by it." BLACKSTONE bk. iii, ch. 27, p. 429. In personal and social relations _justice_ is the rendering to every one what is due or merited, whether in act, word, or thought; in matters of reasoning, or literary work of any kind, _justice_ is close, faithful, unprejudiced, and unbiased adherence to essential truth or fact; we speak of the _justice_ of a statement, or of doing _justice_ to a subject. _Integrity_, _rectitude_, _right_, _righteousness_ and _virtue_ denote conformity of personal conduct to the moral law, and thus necessarily include _justice_, which is giving others that which is their due. _Lawfulness_ is an ambiguous word, meaning in its narrower sense mere _legality_, which may be very far from _justice_, but in its higher sense signifying accordance with the supreme _law_ of _right_, and thus including perfect _justice_. _Justness_ refers rather to logical relations than to practical matters; as, we speak of the _justness_ of a statement or of a criticism. See JUDGE, _n._

Antonyms:

dishonesty, inequity, partiality, unlawfulness, untruth, favoritism, injustice, unfairness, unreasonableness, wrong.

Prepositions:

The justice _of_ the king; _to_ or _for_ the oppressed.

* * * * *

KEEP.

Synonyms:

carry, defend, hold, preserve, retain, carry on, detain, maintain, protect, support, celebrate, fulfil, obey, refrain, sustain, conduct, guard, observe, restrain, withhold.

_Keep_, signifying generally to have and retain in possession, is the terse, strong Saxon term for many acts which are more exactly discriminated by other words. We _keep_, _observe_, or _celebrate_ a festival; we _keep_ or _hold_ a prisoner in custody; we _keep_ or _preserve_ silence, _keep_ the peace, _preserve_ order--_preserve_ being the more formal word; we _keep_ or _maintain_ a horse, a servant, etc.; a man _supports_ his family; we _keep_ or _obey_ a commandment; _keep_ or _fulfil_ a promise. In the expressions to _keep_ a secret, _keep_ one's own counsel, _keep_ faith, or _keep_ the faith, such words as _preserve_ or _maintain_ could not be substituted without loss. A person _keeps_ a shop or store, _conducts_ or _carries on_ a business; he _keeps_ or _carries_ a certain line of goods; we may _keep_ or _restrain_ one from folly, crime, or violence; we _keep_ from or _refrain_ from evil, ourselves. _Keep_ in the sense of _guard_ or _defend_ implies that the defense is effectual. Compare CELEBRATE; RESTRAIN.

Prepositions:

Keep _in_ hand, _in_ mind, _in_ or _within_ the house; _from_ evil; _out of_ mischief; keep _to_ the subject; keep _for_ a person, an occasion, etc.

* * * * *

KILL.

Synonyms:

assassinate, despatch, massacre, put to death, slay. butcher, execute, murder, slaughter,

To _kill_ is simply to deprive of life, human, animal, or vegetable, with no suggestion of how or why. _Assassinate_, _execute_, _murder_, apply only to the taking of human life; to _murder_ is to _kill_ with premeditation and malicious intent; to _execute_ is to _kill_ in fulfilment of a legal sentence; to _assassinate_ is to _kill_ by assault; this word is chiefly applied to the _killing_ of public or eminent persons through alleged political motives, whether secretly or openly. To _slay_ is to _kill_ by a blow, or by a weapon. _Butcher_ and _slaughter_ apply primarily to the _killing_ of cattle; _massacre_ is applied primarily and almost exclusively to human beings, signifying to _kill_ them indiscriminately in large numbers; to _massacre_ is said when there is no chance of successful resistance; to _butcher_ when the _killing_ is especially brutal; soldiers mown down in a hopeless charge are said to be _slaughtered_ when no brutality on the enemy's part is implied. To _despatch_ is to _kill_ swiftly and in general quietly, always with intention, with or without right.

Prepositions:

To kill _with_ or _by_ sword, famine, pestilence, care, grief, etc.; killed _for_ his money, _by_ a robber, _with_ a dagger.

* * * * *

KIN.

Synonyms:

affinity, blood, descent, kind, race, alliance, consanguinity, family, kindred, relationship. birth,

_Kind_ is broader than _kin_, denoting the most general _relationship_, as of the whole human species in man_kind_, human_kind_, etc.; _kin_ and _kindred_ denote direct _relationship_ that can be traced through either blood or marriage, preferably the former; either of these words may signify collectively all persons of the same blood or members of the same family, relatives or relations. _Affinity_ is _relationship_ by marriage, _consanguinity_ is _relationship_ by blood. There are no true antonyms of _kin_ or _kindred_, except those made by negatives, since strangers, aliens, foreigners, and foes may still be _kin_ or _kindred_.

* * * * *

KNOWLEDGE.

Synonyms:

acquaintance, erudition, learning, recognition, apprehension, experience, light, scholarship, cognition, information, lore, science, cognizance, intelligence, perception, wisdom. comprehension, intuition,

_Knowledge_ is all that the mind knows, from whatever source derived or obtained, or by whatever process; the aggregate of facts, truths, or principles acquired or retained by the mind, including alike the _intuitions_ native to the mind and all that has been learned respecting phenomena, causes, laws, principles, literature, etc. There is a tendency to regard _knowledge_ as accurate and systematic, and to a certain degree complete. _Information_ is _knowledge_ of fact, real or supposed, derived from persons, books, or observation, and is regarded as casual and haphazard. We say of a studious man that he has a great store of _knowledge_, or of an intelligent man of the world, that he has a fund of varied _information_. _Lore_ is used only in poetic or elevated style, for accumulated _knowledge_, as of a people or age, or in a more limited sense for _learning_ or _erudition_. We speak of _perception_ of external objects, _apprehension_ of intellectual truth. Simple _perception_ gives a limited _knowledge_ of external objects, merely as such; the _cognition_ of the same objects is a _knowledge_ of them in some relation; _cognizance_ is the formal or official _recognition_ of something as an object of _knowledge_; we take _cognizance_ of it. _Intuition_ is primary _knowledge_ antecedent to all teaching or reasoning, _experience_ is _knowledge_ that has entered directly into one's own life; as, a child's _experience_ that fire will burn. _Learning_ is much higher than _information_, being preeminently wide and systematic _knowledge_, the result of long, assiduous study; _erudition_ is recondite _learning_ secured only by extraordinary industry, opportunity, and ability. Compare ACQUAINTANCE; EDUCATION; SCIENCE; WISDOM.

Antonyms:

ignorance, inexperience, misconception, rudeness, illiteracy, misapprehension, misunderstanding, unfamiliarity.

* * * * *

LANGUAGE.

Synonyms:

barbarism, expression, patois, vernacular, dialect, idiom, speech, vocabulary. diction, mother tongue, tongue,