Chapter XVI: Part I: Synonyms, Antonyms and Prepositions (14)

_Sensibility_ in the philosophical sense, denotes the capacity of emotion or feeling, as distinguished from the intellect and the will. (Compare synonyms for SENSATION.) In popular use _sensibility_ denotes sometimes capacity of feeling of any kind; as, _sensibility_ to heat or cold; sometimes, a peculiar readiness to be the subject of feeling, especially of the higher feelings; as, the _sensibility_ of the artist or the poet; a person of great or fine _sensibility_. _Sensitiveness_ denotes an especial delicacy of _sensibility_, ready to be excited by the slightest cause, as displayed, for instance, in the "sensitive-plant." _Susceptibility_ is rather a capacity to take up, receive, and, as it were, to contain feeling, so that a person of great _susceptibility_ is capable of being not only readily but deeply moved; _sensitiveness_ is more superficial, _susceptibility_ more pervading. Thus, in physics, the _sensitiveness_ of a magnetic needle is the ease with which it may be deflected, as by another magnet; its _susceptibility_ is the degree to which it can be magnetized by a given magnetic force or the amount of magnetism it will hold. So a person of great _sensitiveness_ is quickly and keenly affected by any external influence, as by music, pathos, or ridicule, while a person of great _susceptibility_ is not only touched, but moved to his inmost soul.

Antonyms:

coldness, hardness, insensibility, numbness, unconsciousness. deadness,

Prepositions:

The sensibility _of_ the organism _to_ atmospheric changes.

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SEVERE.

Synonyms:

austere, inflexible, rigorous, uncompromising, hard, morose, stern, unmitigated, harsh, relentless, stiff, unrelenting, inexorable, rigid, strict, unyielding.

That is _severe_ which is devoid of all softness, mildness, tenderness, indulgence or levity, or (in literature and art) devoid of unnecessary ornament, amplification, or embellishment of any kind; as, a _severe_ style; as said of anything painful, _severe_ signifies such as heavily taxes endurance or resisting power; as, a _severe_ pain, fever, or winter. _Rigid_ signifies primarily _stiff_, resisting any effort to change its shape; a corpse is said to be _rigid_ in death; hence, in metaphorical sense, a _rigid_ person or character is one that resists all efforts to change the will or course of conduct; a _rigid_ rule or statement is one that admits of no deviation. _Rigorous_ is nearly akin to _rigid_, but is a stronger word, having reference to action or active qualities, as _rigid_ does to state or character; a _rigid_ rule may be _rigorously_ enforced. _Strict_ (L. _stringo_, bind) signifies bound or stretched tight, tense, strenuously exact. _Stern_ unites harshness and authority with strictness or severity; _stern_, as said even of inanimate objects, suggests something authoritative or forbidding. _Austere_ signifies severely simple or temperate, _strict_ in self-restraint or discipline, and similarly _unrelenting_ toward others. We speak of _austere_ morality, _rigid_ rules, _rigorous_ discipline, _stern_ commands, _severe_ punishment, _harsh_ speech or a _harsh_ voice, _hard_ requirements, _strict_ injunctions, and _strict_ obedience. _Strict_ discipline holds one exactly and unflinchingly to the rule; _rigorous_ discipline punishes severely any infraction of it. The _austere_ character is seldom lovely, but it is always strong and may be grand, commanding, and estimable.

Antonyms:

affable, easy, gentle, lenient, pliable, sweet, tractable, bland, genial, indulgent, mild, soft, tender, yielding.

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SHAKE.

Synonyms:

agitate, jar, quake, shiver, totter, brandish, joggle, quaver, shudder, tremble, flap, jolt, quiver, sway, vibrate, fluctuate, jounce, reel, swing, wave, flutter, oscillate, rock, thrill, waver.

A thing is _shaken_ which is subjected to short and abruptly checked movements, as forward and backward, up and down, from side to side, etc. A tree is "_shaken_ with a mighty wind;" a man slowly _shakes_ his head. A thing _rocks_ that is sustained from below; it _swings_ if suspended from above, as a pendulum, or pivoted at the side, as a crane or a bridge-draw; to _oscillate_ is to _swing_ with a smooth and regular returning motion; a _vibrating_ motion may be tremulous or _jarring_. The pendulum of a clock may be said to _swing_, _vibrate_, or _oscillate_; a steel bridge _vibrates_ under the passage of a heavy train; the term _vibrate_ is also applied to molecular movements. _Jolting_ is a lifting from and letting down suddenly upon an unyielding surface; as, a carriage _jolts_ over a rough road. A _jarring_ motion is abruptly and very rapidly repeated through an exceedingly limited space; the _jolting_ of the carriage _jars_ the windows. _Rattling_ refers directly to the sound produced by _shaking_. To _joggle_ is to _shake_ slightly; as, a passing touch _joggles_ the desk on which one is writing. A thing _trembles_ that _shakes_ perceptibly and with an appearance of uncertainty and instability, as a person under the influence of fear; a thing _shivers_ when all its particles are stirred with a slight but pervading tremulous motion, as a human body under the influence of cold; _shuddering_ is a more pronounced movement of a similar kind, in human beings often the effect of emotional or moral recoil; hence, the word is applied by extension to such feelings even when they have no such outward manifestation; as, one says, "I _shudder_ at the thought." To _quiver_ is to have slight and often spasmodic contractile motions, as the flesh under the surgeon's knife. _Thrill_ is applied to a pervasive movement felt rather than seen; as, the nerves _thrill_ with delight; _quiver_ is similarly used, but suggests somewhat more of outward manifestation. To _agitate_ in its literal use is nearly the same as to _shake_, tho we speak of the sea as _agitated_ when we could not say it is _shaken_; the Latin _agitate_ is preferred in scientific or technical use to the Saxon _shake_, and especially as applied to the action of mechanical contrivances; in the metaphorical use _agitate_ is more transitory and superficial, _shake_ more fundamental and enduring; a person's feelings are _agitated_ by distressing news; his courage, his faith, his credit, or his testimony is _shaken_. _Sway_ applies to the movement of a body suspended from above or not firmly sustained from below, and the motion of which is less pronounced than _swinging_, smoother than _vibrating_, and not necessarily constant as _oscillating_; as, the _swaying_ of a reed in the wind. _Sway_ used transitively especially applies to motions of grace or dignity; _brandish_ denotes a threatening or hostile motion; a monarch _sways_ the scepter; the ruffian _brandishes_ a club. To _reel_ or _totter_ always implies liability to fall; _reeling_ is more violent than _swaying_, _tottering_ more irregular; a drunken man _reels_; we speak of the _tottering_ step of age or infancy. An extended mass which seems to lack solidity or cohesion is said to _quake_; as, a _quaking_ bog. _Quaver_ is applied almost exclusively to tremulous sounds of the human voice. _Flap_, _flutter_, and _fluctuate_ refer to wave-like movements, _flap_ generally to such as produce a sharp sound; a cock _flaps_ his wings; _flutter_ applies to a less pronounced and more irregular motion; a captive bird or a feeble pulse _flutters_. Compare FLUCTUATE.

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SHELTER.

Synonyms:

cover, guard, protect, shield, defend, harbor, screen, ward.

Anything is _covered_ over which something is completely extended; a vessel is _covered_ with a lid; the head is _covered_ with a hat. That which _covers_ may also _defend_ or _protect_; thus, troops interposed between some portion of their own army and the enemy are often called a _covering_ party. To _shelter_ is to _cover_ so as to _protect_ from injury or annoyance; as, the roof _shelters_ from the storm; woods _shelter_ from the heat. To _defend_ (L. _defendere_, to strike away) implies the actual, _protect_ (L. _protegere_, to cover before) implies the possible use of force or resisting power; _guard_ implies sustained vigilance with readiness for conflict; we _defend_ a person or thing against actual attack; we _guard_ or _protect_ against possible assault or injury. A powerful person may _protect_ one who is weak by simply declaring himself his friend; he _defends_ him by some form of active championship. An inanimate object may _protect_, as a garment from cold; _defend_ is used but rarely, and by somewhat violent metaphor, in such connection. _Protect_ is more complete than _guard_ or _defend_; an object may be faithfully _guarded_ or bravely _defended_ in vain, but that which is _protected_ is secure. To _shield_ is to interpose something over or before that which is assailed, so as to save from harm, and has a comparatively passive sense; one may _guard_ another by standing armed at his side, _defend_ him by fighting for him, or _shield_ him from a missile or a blow by interposing his own person. _Harbor_ is generally used in an unfavorable sense; confederates or sympathizers _harbor_ a criminal; a person _harbors_ evil thoughts or designs. See CHERISH. Compare synonyms for HIDE; DEFENSE.

Antonyms:

betray, expel, expose, give up, refuse, reject, surrender. cast out,

Prepositions:

Shelter _under_ a roof _from_ the storm; _in_ the fortress, _behind_ or _within_ the walls, _from_ attack.

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SIGN.

Synonyms:

emblem, mark, presage, symbol, token, indication, note, prognostic, symptom, type. manifestation, omen, signal,

A _sign_ (L. _signum_) is any distinctive _mark_ by which a thing may be recognized or its presence known, and may be intentional or accidental, natural or artificial, suggestive, descriptive, or wholly arbitrary; thus, a blush may be a _sign_ of shame; the footprint of an animal is a _sign_ that it has passed; the _sign_ of a business house now usually declares what is done or kept within, but formerly might be an object having no connection with the business, as "the _sign_ of the trout;" the letters of the alphabet are _signs_ of certain sounds. While a _sign_ may be involuntary, and even unconscious, a _signal_ is always voluntary, and is usually concerted; a ship may show _signs_ of distress to the casual observer, but _signals_ of distress are a distinct appeal for aid. A _symptom_ is a vital phenomenon resulting from a diseased condition; in medical language a _sign_ is an _indication_ of any physical condition, whether morbid or healthy; thus, a hot skin and rapid pulse are _symptoms_ of pneumonia; dulness of some portion of the lungs under percussion is one of the physical _signs_. Compare AUGUR; CHARACTERISTIC; EMBLEM.

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SIN.

Synonyms:

crime, fault, misdeed, vice, criminality, guilt, offense, viciousness, delinquency, ill-doing, transgression, wickedness, depravity, immorality, ungodliness, wrong, evil, iniquity, unrighteousness, wrong-doing.

_Sin_ is any lack of holiness, any defect of moral purity and truth, whether in heart or life, whether of commission or omission. "All _unrighteousness_ is _sin_," _1 John_ v, 17. _Transgression_, as its etymology indicates, is the stepping over a specific enactment, whether of God or man, ordinarily by overt act, but in the broadest sense, in volition or desire. _Sin_ may be either act or state; _transgression_ is always an act, mental or physical. _Crime_ is often used for a flagrant violation of right, but in the technical sense denotes specific violation of human law. _Guilt_ is desert of and exposure to punishment because of _sin_. _Depravity_ denotes not any action, but a perverted moral condition from which any act of _sin_ may proceed. _Sin_ in the generic sense, as denoting a state of heart, is synonymous with _depravity_; in the specific sense, as in the expression a _sin_, the term may be synonymous with _transgression_, _crime_, _offense_, _misdeed_, etc., or may denote some moral activity that could not be characterized by terms so positive. _Immorality_ denotes outward violation of the moral law. _Sin_ is thus the broadest word, and _immorality_ next in scope; all _crimes_, properly so called, and all _immoralities_, are _sins_; but there may be _sin_, as ingratitude, which is neither _crime_, _transgression_, nor _immorality_; and there may be _immorality_ which is not _crime_, as falsehood. Compare CRIMINAL.

Antonyms:

blamelessness, goodness, integrity, rectitude, sinlessness, excellence, holiness, morality, right, uprightness, godliness, innocence, purity, righteousness, virtue.

Compare synonyms for VIRTUE.

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SING.

Synonyms:

carol, chant, chirp, chirrup, hum, warble.

To _sing_ is primarily and ordinarily to utter a succession of articulate musical sounds with the human voice. The word has come to include any succession of musical sounds; we say the bird or the rivulet _sings_; we speak of "the _singing_ quality" of an instrument, and by still wider extension of meaning we say the teakettle or the cricket _sings_. To _chant_ is to _sing_ in solemn and somewhat uniform cadence; _chant_ is ordinarily applied to non-metrical religious compositions. To _carol_ is to _sing_ joyously, and to _warble_ (kindred with _whirl_) is to _sing_ with trills or quavers, usually also with the idea of joy. _Carol_ and _warble_ are especially applied to the _singing_ of birds. To _chirp_ is to utter a brief musical sound, perhaps often repeated in the same key, as by certain small birds, insects, etc. To _chirrup_ is to utter a somewhat similar sound; the word is often used of a brief, sharp sound uttered as a signal to animate or rouse a horse or other animal. To _hum_ is to utter murmuring sounds with somewhat monotonous musical cadence, usually with closed lips; we speak also of the _hum_ of machinery, etc.

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SKEPTIC.

Synonyms:

agnostic, deist, doubter, infidel, unbeliever. atheist, disbeliever, freethinker,

The _skeptic_ doubts divine revelation; the _disbeliever_ and the _unbeliever_ reject it, the _disbeliever_ with more of intellectual dissent, the _unbeliever_ (in the common acceptation) with indifference or with opposition of heart as well as of intellect. _Infidel_ is an opprobrious term that might once almost have been said to be geographical in its range. The Crusaders called all Mohammedans _infidels_, and were so called by them in return; the word is commonly applied to any decided opponent of an accepted religion. The _atheist_ denies that there is a God; the _deist_ admits the existence of God, but denies that the Christian Scriptures are a revelation from him; the _agnostic_ denies either that we do know or that we can know whether there is a God.

Antonyms:

believer, Christian.

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SKETCH.

Synonyms:

brief, draft, outline, plan, design, drawing, picture, skeleton.

A _sketch_ is a rough, suggestive presentation of anything, whether graphic or literary, commonly intended to be preliminary to a more complete or extended treatment. An _outline_ gives only the bounding or determining lines of a figure or a scene; a _sketch_ may give not only lines, but shading and color, but is hasty and incomplete. The lines of a _sketch_ are seldom so full and continuous as those of an _outline_, being, like the shading or color, little more than indications or suggestions according to which a finished _picture_ may be made; the artist's first representation of a sunset, the hues of which change so rapidly, must of necessity be a _sketch_. _Draft_ and _plan_ apply especially to mechanical drawing, of which _outline_, _sketch_, and _drawing_ are also used; a _plan_ is strictly a view from above, as of a building or machine, giving the lines of a horizontal section, originally at the level of the ground, now in a wider sense at any height; as, a _plan_ of the cellar; a _plan_ of the attic. A mechanical _drawing_ is always understood to be in full detail; a _draft_ is an incomplete or unfinished _drawing_; a _design_ is such a preliminary _sketch_ as indicates the object to be accomplished or the result to be attained, and is understood to be original. One may make a _drawing_ of any well-known mechanism, or a _drawing_ from another man's _design_; but if he says, "The _design_ is mine," he claims it as his own invention or composition. In written composition an _outline_ gives simply the main divisions, and in the case of a sermon is often called a _skeleton_; a somewhat fuller suggestion of illustration, treatment, and style is given in a _sketch_. A lawyer's _brief_ is a succinct statement of the main facts involved in a case, and of the main heads of his argument on points of law, with reference to authorities cited; the _brief_ has none of the vagueness of a _sketch_, being sufficiently exact and complete to form, on occasion, the basis for the decision of the court without oral argument, when the case is said to be "submitted on _brief_." Compare DESIGN.

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SKILFUL.

Synonyms:

accomplished, apt, dexterous, happy, proficient, adept, clever, expert, ingenious, skilled, adroit, deft, handy, practised, trained.

_Skilful_ signifies possessing and using readily practical knowledge and ability, having alert and well-trained faculties with reference to a given work. One is _adept_ in that for which he has a natural gift improved by practise; he is _expert_ in that of which training, experience, and study have given him a thorough mastery; he is _dexterous_ in that which he can do effectively, with or without training, especially in work of the hand or bodily activities. In the case of the noun, "an expert" denotes one who is "experienced" in the fullest sense, a master of his branch of knowledge. A _skilled_ workman is one who has thoroughly learned his trade, though he may be naturally quite dull; a _skilful_ workman has some natural brightness, ability, and power of adaptation, in addition to his acquired knowledge and dexterity. Compare CLEVER; DEXTERITY; POWER.

Antonyms:

awkward, clumsy, inexpert, shiftless, unskilled, untrained. bungling, helpless, maladroit, unhandy, untaught,

Prepositions:

Skilful _at_ or _in_ a work, _with_ a pen or tool of any kind.

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SLANDER.

Synonyms:

asperse, decry, disparage, revile, backbite, defame, libel, traduce, calumniate, depreciate, malign, vilify.

To _slander_ a person is to utter a false and injurious report concerning him; to _defame_ is specifically and directly to attack one's reputation; to _defame_ by spoken words is to _slander_, by written words, to _libel_. To _asperse_ is, as it were, to bespatter with injurious charges; to _malign_ is to circulate studied and malicious attacks upon character; to _traduce_ is to exhibit one's real or assumed traits in an odious light; to _revile_ or _vilify_ is to attack with vile abuse. To _disparage_ is to represent one's admitted good traits or acts as less praiseworthy than they would naturally be thought to be, as for instance, by ascribing a man's benevolence to a desire for popularity or display. To _libel_ or _slander_ is to make an assault upon character and repute that comes within the scope of law; the _slander_ is uttered, the _libel_ written, printed, or pictured. To _backbite_ is to speak something secretly to one's injury; to _calumniate_ is to invent as well as utter the injurious charge. One may "abuse," "assail," or _vilify_ another to his face; he _asperses_, _calumniates_, _slanders_, or _traduces_ him behind his back.

Antonyms:

defend, eulogize, extol, laud, praise, vindicate.

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SLANG.

Synonyms:

cant, colloquialism, vulgarism, vulgarity.

A _colloquialism_ is an expression not coarse or low, and perhaps not incorrect, but below the literary grade; educated persons are apt to allow themselves some _colloquialisms_ in familiar conversation, which they would avoid in writing or public speaking. _Slang_, in the primary sense, denotes expressions that are either coarse and rude in themselves or chiefly current among the coarser and ruder part of the community; there are also many expressions current in special senses in certain communities that may be characterized as _slang_; as, college _slang_; club _slang_; racing _slang_. In the evolution of language many words originally _slang_ are adopted by good writers and speakers, and ultimately take their place as accepted English. A _vulgarism_ is an expression decidedly incorrect, and the use of which is a mark of ignorance or low breeding. _Cant_, as used in this connection, denotes the barbarous jargon used as a secret language by thieves, tramps, etc. Compare DICTION; LANGUAGE.

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SLOW.

Synonyms:

dawdling, dilatory, gradual, lingering, slack, delaying, drowsy, inactive, moderate, sluggish, deliberate, dull, inert, procrastinating, tardy.

_Slow_ signifies moving through a relatively short distance, or with a relatively small number of motions in a given time; _slow_ also applies to that which is a relatively long while in beginning or accomplishing something; a watch or a clock is said to be _slow_ when its indications are behind those of the standard time. _Tardy_ is applied to that which is behind the proper or desired time, especially in doing a work or arriving at a place. _Deliberate_ and _dilatory_ are used of persons, tho the latter may be used also of things, as of a stream; a person is _deliberate_ who takes a noticeably long time to consider and decide before acting or who acts or speaks as if he were deliberating at every point; a person is _dilatory_ who lays aside, or puts off as long as possible, necessary or required action; both words may be applied either to undertaking or to doing. _Gradual_ (L. _gradus_, a step) signifies advancing by steps, and refers to _slow_ but regular and sure progression. _Slack_ refers to action that seems to indicate a lack of tension, as of muscle or of will, _sluggish_ to action that seems as if reluctant to advance.

Antonyms:

See synonyms for NIMBLE.

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SNEER.

Synonyms:

fling, gibe, jeer, mock, scoff, taunt.

A _sneer_ may be simply a contemptuous facial contortion, or it may be some brief satirical utterance that throws a contemptuous side-light on what it attacks without attempting to prove or disprove; a depreciatory implication may be given in a _sneer_ such as could only be answered by elaborate argument or proof, which would seem to give the attack undue importance:

Who can refute a _sneer_?

PALEY _Moral Philosophy_ bk. v, ch. ix.

A _fling_ is careless and commonly pettish; a _taunt_ is intentionally insulting and provoking; the _sneer_ is supercilious; the _taunt_ is defiant. The _jeer_ and _gibe_ are uttered; the _gibe_ is bitter, and often sly or covert; the _jeer_ is rude and open. A _scoff_ may be in act or word, and is commonly directed against that which claims honor, reverence, or worship. Compare BANTER.

Preposition:

Only an essentially vicious mind is capable of a sneer _at_ virtue.

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SOCIALISM.

Synonyms:

collectivism, communism, fabianism.

_Socialism_, as defined by its advocates, is a theory of civil polity that aims to secure the reconstruction of society, increase of wealth, and a more equal distribution of the products of labor through the public collective ownership of land and capital (as distinguished from property), and the public collective management of all industries. Its aim is extended industrial cooperation; _socialism_ is a purely economic term, applying to landownership and productive capital. Many socialists call themselves _collectivists_, and their system _collectivism_. _Communism_ would divide all things, including the profits of individual labor, among members of the community; many of its advocates would abolish marriage and the family relation. _Anarchism_ is properly an antonym of _socialism_, as it would destroy, by violence if necessary, all existing government and social order, leaving the future to determine what, if anything, should be raised upon their ruins.

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SOUND.

Synonyms:

noise, note, tone.

_Sound_ is the sensation produced through the organs of hearing or the physical cause of this sensation. _Sound_ is the most comprehensive word of this group, applying to anything that is audible. _Tone_ is _sound_ considered as having some musical quality or as expressive of some feeling; _noise_ is _sound_ considered without reference to musical quality or as distinctly unmusical or discordant. Thus, in the most general sense _noise_ and _sound_ scarcely differ, and we say almost indifferently, "I heard a _sound_," or "I heard a _noise_." We speak of a fine, musical, or pleasing _sound_, but never thus of a _noise_. In music, _tone_ may denote either a musical _sound_ or the interval between two such _sounds_, but in the most careful usage the latter is now distinguished as the "interval," leaving _tone_ to stand only for the _sound_. _Note_ in music strictly denotes the character representing a _sound_, but in loose popular usage it denotes the _sound_ also, and becomes practically equivalent to _tone_. Aside from its musical use, _tone_ is chiefly applied to that quality of the human voice by which feeling is expressed; as, he spoke in a cheery _tone_; the word is similarly applied to the voices of birds and other animals, and sometimes to inanimate objects. As used of a musical instrument, _tone_ denotes the general quality of its sounds collectively considered.

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SPEAK.

Synonyms:

announce, converse, discourse, say, articulate, declaim, enunciate, talk, chat, declare, express, tell, chatter, deliver, pronounce, utter.

To _utter_ is to give forth as an audible sound, articulate or not. To _talk_ is to _utter_ a succession of connected words, ordinarily with the expectation of being listened to. To _speak_ is to give articulate utterance even to a single word; the officer _speaks_ the word of command, but does not _talk_ it. To _speak_ is also to _utter_ words with the ordinary intonation, as distinguished from singing. To _chat_ is ordinarily to _utter_ in a familiar, conversational way; to _chatter_ is to _talk_ in an empty, ceaseless way like a magpie.

Prepositions:

Speak _to_ (address) a person; speak _with_ a person (converse with him); speak _of_ or _about_ a thing (make it the subject of remark); speak _on_ or _upon_ a subject; in parliamentary language, speak _to_ the question.

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SPEECH.

Synonyms:

address, dissertation, oration, speaking, discourse, harangue, oratory, talk, disquisition, language, sermon, utterance.

_Speech_ is the general word for _utterance_ of thought in _language_. A _speech_ may be the delivering of one's sentiments in the simplest way; an _oration_ is an elaborate and prepared _speech_; a _harangue_ is a vehement appeal to passion, or a _speech_ that has something disputatious and combative in it. A _discourse_ is a set _speech_ on a definite subject, intended to convey instruction. Compare CONVERSATION; DICTION; LANGUAGE.

Antonyms:

hush, silence, speechlessness, stillness, taciturnity.

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SPONTANEOUS.

Synonyms:

automatic, impulsive, involuntary, voluntary, free, instinctive, unbidden, willing.

That is _spontaneous_ which is freely done, with no external compulsion and, in human actions, without special premeditation or distinct determination of the will; that is _voluntary_ which is freely done with distinct act of will; that is _involuntary_ which is independent of the will, and perhaps in opposition to it; a _willing_ act is not only in accordance with will, but with desire. Thus _voluntary_ and _involuntary_, which are antonyms of each other, are both partial synonyms of _spontaneous_. We speak of _spontaneous_ generation, _spontaneous_ combustion, _spontaneous_ sympathy, an _involuntary_ start, an _unbidden_ tear, _voluntary_ agreement, _willing_ submission. A babe's smile in answer to that of its mother is _spontaneous_; the smile of a pouting child wheedled into good humor is _involuntary_. In physiology the action of the heart and lungs is called _involuntary_; the growth of the hair and nails is _spontaneous_; the action of swallowing is _voluntary_ up to a certain point, beyond which it becomes _involuntary_ or _automatic_. In the fullest sense of that which is not only without the will but distinctly in opposition to it, or compulsory, _involuntary_ becomes an antonym, not only of _voluntary_ but of _spontaneous_; as, _involuntary_ servitude. A _spontaneous_ outburst of applause is of necessity an act of volition, but so completely dependent on sympathetic impulse that it would seem frigid to call it _voluntary_, while to call it _involuntary_ would imply some previous purpose or inclination not to applaud.

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SPY.

Synonyms:

detective, emissary, scout.

The _scout_ and the _spy_ are both employed to obtain information of the numbers, movements, etc., of an enemy. The _scout_ lurks on the outskirts of the hostile army with such concealment as the case admits of, but without disguise; a _spy_ enters in disguise within the enemy's lines. A _scout_, if captured, has the rights of a prisoner of war; a _spy_ is held to have forfeited all rights, and is liable, in case of capture, to capital punishment. An _emissary_ is rather political than military; sent rather to secretly influence opponents than to bring information concerning them; so far as he does the latter, he is not only an _emissary_, but a _spy_.

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STAIN.

Synonyms:

blot, discolor, dishonor, soil, sully, tinge, color, disgrace, dye, spot, tarnish, tint.

To _color_ is to impart a color desired or undesired, temporary or permanent, or, in the intransitive use, to assume a color in any way; as, he _colored_ with shame and vexation. To _dye_ is to impart a color intentionally and with a view to permanence, and especially so as to pervade the substance or fiber of that to which it is applied. To _stain_ is primarily to _discolor_, to impart a color undesired and perhaps unintended, and which may or may not be permanent. Thus, a character "_dyed_ in the wool" is one that has received some early, permanent, and pervading influence; a character _stained_ with crime or guilt is debased and perverted. _Stain_ is, however, used of giving an intended and perhaps pleasing color to wood, glass, etc., by an application of coloring-matter which enters the substance a little below the surface, in distinction from painting, in which coloring-matter is spread upon the surface; _dyeing_ is generally said of wool, yarn, cloth, or similar materials which are dipped into the _coloring_ liquid. Figuratively, a standard or a garment may be _dyed_ with blood in honorable warfare; an assassin's weapon is _stained_ with the blood of his victim. To _tinge_ is to _color_ slightly, and may also be used of giving a slight flavor, or a slight admixture of one ingredient or quality with another that is more pronounced.

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STATE.

Synonyms:

affirm, aver, declare, predicate, set forth, allege, avouch, depose, pronounce, specify, assert, avow, express, propound, swear, asseverate, certify, inform, protest, tell, assure, claim, maintain, say, testify.

To _state_ (L. _sto_, stand) is to _set forth_ explicitly, formally, or particularly in speech or writing. _Assert_ (L. _ad_, to, and _sero_, bind) is strongly personal, signifying to _state_ boldly and positively what the one making the statement has not attempted and may not attempt to prove. _Affirm_ has less of egotism than _assert_ (as seen in the word _self-assertion_), coming nearer to _aver_. It has more solemnity than _declare_, and more composure and dignity than _asseverate_, which is to _assert_ excitedly. In legal usage, _affirm_ has a general agreement with _depose_ and _testify_; it differs from _swear_ in not invoking the name of God. To _assure_ is to _state_ with such authority and confidence as the speaker feels ought to make the hearer sure. _Certify_ is more formal, and applies rather to written documents or legal processes. _Assure_, _certify_, _inform_, apply to the person; _affirm_, etc., to the thing. _Assert_ is combative; _assure_ is conciliatory. I _assert_ my right to cross the river; I _assure_ my friend it is perfectly safe. To _aver_ is to _state_ positively what is within one's own knowledge or matter of deep conviction. One may _assert_ himself, or _assert_ his right to what he is willing to contend for; or he may _assert_ in discussion what he is ready to maintain by argument or evidence. To _assert_ without proof is always to lay oneself open to the suspicion of having no proof to offer, and seems to arrogate too much to one's personal authority, and hence in such cases both the verb _assert_ and its noun _assertion_ have an unfavorable sense; we say a mere _assertion_, a bare _assertion_, his unsupported _assertion_; he _asserted_ his innocence has less force than he _affirmed_ or _maintained_ his innocence. _Affirm_, _state_, and _tell_ have not the controversial sense of _assert_, but are simply declarative. To _vindicate_ is to defend successfully what is assailed. Almost every criminal will _assert_ his innocence; the honest man will seldom lack means to _vindicate_ his integrity.

Antonyms:

contradict, controvert, disprove, gainsay, refute, retract, contravene, deny, dispute, oppose, repudiate, waive.

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STEEP.

Synonyms:

abrupt, high, precipitous, sharp, sheer.

_High_ is used of simple elevation; _steep_ is said only of an incline where the vertical measurement is sufficiently great in proportion to the horizontal to make it difficult of ascent. _Steep_ is relative; an ascent of 100 feet to the mile on a railway is a _steep_ grade; a rise of 500 feet to the mile makes a _steep_ wagon-road; a roof is _steep_ when it makes with the horizontal line an angle of more than 45°. A _high_ mountain may be climbed by a winding road nowhere _steep_, while a little hill may be accessible only by a _steep_ path. A _sharp_ ascent or descent is one that makes a sudden, decided angle with the plane from which it starts; a _sheer_ ascent or descent is perpendicular, or nearly so; _precipitous_ applies to that which is of the nature of a precipice, and is used especially of a descent; _abrupt_ is as if broken sharply off, and applies to either acclivity or declivity. Compare HIGH.

Antonyms:

easy, flat, gentle, gradual, horizontal, level, low, slight.

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STORM.

Synonyms:

agitation, disturbance, tempest.

A _storm_ is properly a _disturbance_ of the atmosphere, with or without rain, snow, hail, or thunder and lightning. Thus we have rain-_storm_, snow-_storm_, etc., and by extension, magnetic _storm_. A _tempest_ is a _storm_ of extreme violence, always attended with some precipitation, as of rain, from the atmosphere. In the moral and figurative use, _storm_ and _tempest_ are not closely discriminated, except that _tempest_ commonly implies greater intensity. We speak of _agitation_ of feeling, _disturbance_ of mind, a _storm_ of passion, a _tempest_ of rage.

Antonyms:

calm, fair weather, hush, peace, serenity, stillness, tranquillity.

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STORY.

Synonyms:

account, legend, narrative, recital, relation, anecdote, myth, novel, record, tale. incident, narration,

A _story_ is the telling of some series of connected incidents or events, whether real or fictitious, in prose or verse, orally or in writing; or the series of incidents or events thus related may be termed a _story_. In children's talk, a _story_ is a common euphemism for a falsehood. _Tale_ is nearly synonymous with _story_, but is somewhat archaic; it is used for an imaginative, legendary, or fictitious _recital_, especially if of ancient date; as, a fairy _tale_; also, for an idle or malicious report; as, do not tell _tales_; "where there is no _tale_-bearer, the strife ceaseth." _Prov._ xxvi, 20. An _anecdote_ tells briefly some _incident_, assumed to be fact. If it passes close limits of brevity, it ceases to be an _anecdote_, and becomes a _narrative_ or _narration_. A traditional or mythical _story_ of ancient times is a _legend_. A history is often somewhat poetically called a _story_; as, the _story_ of the American civil war. Compare ALLEGORY; FICTION; HISTORY.

Antonyms:

annals, biography, chronicle, history, memoir.

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STUPIDITY.

Synonyms:

apathy, insensibility, slowness, stupefaction, dulness, obtuseness, sluggishness, stupor.

_Stupidity_ is sometimes loosely used for temporary _dulness_ or partial _stupor_, but chiefly for innate and chronic _dulness_ and _sluggishness_ of mental action, _obtuseness_ of apprehension, etc. _Apathy_ may be temporary, and be dispelled by appeal to the feelings or by the presentation of an adequate motive, but _stupidity_ is inveterate and commonly incurable. Compare APATHY; IDIOCY; STUPOR.

Antonyms:

acuteness, brilliancy, keenness, sagacity, alertness, cleverness, quickness, sense, animation, intelligence, readiness, sensibility.

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STUPOR.

Synonyms:

apathy, fainting, stupefaction, syncope, asphyxia, insensibility, swoon, torpor, coma, lethargy, swooning, unconsciousness.

_Stupor_ is a condition of the body in which the action of the senses and faculties is suspended or greatly dulled--weakness or loss of sensibility. The _apathy_ of disease is a mental affection, a state of morbid indifference; _lethargy_ is a morbid tendency to heavy and continued sleep, from which the patient may perhaps be momentarily aroused. _Coma_ is a deep, abnormal sleep, from which the patient can not be aroused, or is aroused only with difficulty, a state of profound _insensibility_, perhaps with full pulse and deep, stertorous breathing, and is due to brain-oppression. _Syncope_ or _swooning_ is a sudden loss of sensation and of power of motion, with suspension of pulse and of respiration, and is due to failure of heart-action, as from sudden nervous shock or intense mental emotion. _Insensibility_ is a general term denoting loss of feeling from any cause, as from cold, intoxication, or injury. _Stupor_ is especially profound and confirmed _insensibility_, properly comatose. _Asphyxia_ is a special form of _syncope_ resulting from partial or total suspension of respiration, as in strangulation, drowning, or inhalation of noxious gases.

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SUBJECTIVE.

Synonym:

objective.

_Subjective_ and _objective_ are synonyms in but one point of view, being, for the most part, strictly antonyms. _Subjective_ signifies relating to the subject of mental states, that is, to the person who experiences them; _objective_ signifies relating to the object of mental states, that is, to something outside the perceiving mind; in brief phrase it may be said that _subjective_ relates to something within the mind, _objective_ to something without. A mountain, as a mass of a certain size, contour, color, etc., is an _objective_ fact; the impression our mind receives, the mental picture it forms of the mountain, is _subjective_. But this _subjective_ impression may become itself the object of thought (called "subject-object"), as when we compare our mental picture of the mountain with our idea of a plain or river. The direct experiences of the soul, as joy, grief, hope, fear, are purely _subjective_; the outward causes of these experiences, as prosperity, bereavement, disappointment, are _objective_. That which has independent existence or authority apart from our experience or thought is said to have _objective_ existence or authority; thus we speak of the _objective_ authority of the moral law. Different individuals may receive different _subjective_ impressions from the same _objective_ fact, that which to one is a cause of hope being to another a cause of fear, etc. The style of a writer is called _objective_ when it derives its materials mainly from or reaches out toward external objects; it is called _subjective_ when it derives its materials mainly from or constantly tends to revert to the personal experience of the author. Compare INHERENT.

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SUBSIDY.

Synonyms:

aid, bounty, indemnity, reward, support, allowance, gift, pension, subvention, tribute. bonus, grant, premium,

A _subsidy_ is pecuniary aid directly granted by government to an individual or commercial enterprise, or money furnished by one nation to another to aid it in carrying on war against a common enemy. A nation grants a _subsidy_ to an ally, pays a _tribute_ to a conqueror. An _indemnity_ is in the nature of things limited and temporary, while a _tribute_ might be exacted indefinitely. A nation may also grant a _subsidy_ to its own citizens as a means of promoting the public welfare; as, a _subsidy_ to a steamship company. The somewhat rare term _subvention_ is especially applied to a _grant_ of governmental aid to a literary or artistic enterprise. Governmental _aid_ to a commercial or industrial enterprise other than a transportation company is more frequently called a _bounty_ than a _subsidy_; as, the sugar _bounty_. The word _bounty_ may be applied to almost any regular or stipulated _allowance_ by a government to a citizen or citizens; as, a _bounty_ for enlisting in the army; a _bounty_ for killing wolves. A _bounty_ is offered for something to be done; a _pension_ is granted for something that has been done.

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SUBVERT.

Synonyms:

destroy, overthrow, ruin, supplant, extinguish, overturn, supersede, suppress.

To _subvert_ is to overthrow from or as from the very foundation; utterly destroy; bring to ruin. The word is now generally figurative, as of moral or political ruin. To _supersede_ implies the putting of something that is wisely or unwisely preferred in the place of that which is removed; to _subvert_ does not imply substitution. To _supplant_ is more often personal, signifying to take the place of another, usually by underhanded means; one is _superseded_ by authority, _supplanted_ by a rival. Compare ABOLISH.

Antonyms:

conserve, keep, perpetuate, preserve, sustain, uphold.

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SUCCEED.

Synonyms:

achieve, attain, flourish, prevail, prosper, thrive, win.

A person _succeeds_ when he accomplishes what he attempts, or _attains_ a desired object or result; an enterprise or undertaking _succeeds_ that has a prosperous result. To _win_ implies that some one loses, but one may _succeed_ where no one fails. A solitary swimmer _succeeds_ in reaching the shore; if we say he _wins_ the shore we contrast him with himself as a possible loser. Many students may _succeed_ in study; a few _win_ the special prizes, for which all compete. Compare FOLLOW.

Antonyms:

be defeated, come short, fail, fall short, lose, miss, miscarry.

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SUGGESTION.

Synonyms:

hint, implication, innuendo, insinuation, intimation.

A _suggestion_ (L. _sub_, under, and _gero_, bring) brings something before the mind less directly than by formal or explicit statement, as by a partial statement, an incidental allusion, an illustration, a question, or the like. _Suggestion_ is often used of an unobtrusive statement of one's views or wishes to another, leaving consideration and any consequent action entirely to his judgment, and is hence, in many cases, the most respectful way in which one can convey his views to a superior or a stranger. A _suggestion_ may be given unintentionally, and even unconsciously, as when we say an author has "a _suggestive_ style." An _intimation_ is a _suggestion_ in brief utterance, or sometimes by significant act, gesture, or token, of one's meaning or wishes; in the latter case it is often the act of a superior; as, God in his providence gives us _intimations_ of his will. A _hint_ is still more limited in expression, and is always covert, but frequently with good intent; as, to give one a _hint_ of danger or of opportunity. _Insinuation_ and _innuendo_ are used in the bad sense; an _insinuation_ is a covert or partly veiled injurious utterance, sometimes to the very person attacked; an _innuendo_ is commonly secret as well as sly, as if pointing one out by a significant nod (L. _in_, in, to, and _nuo_, nod).

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SUPERNATURAL.

Synonyms:

miraculous, preternatural, superhuman.

The _supernatural_ (_super_, above) is above or superior to the recognized powers of nature; the _preternatural_ (_preter_, beyond) is aside from or beyond the recognized results or operations of natural law, often in the sense of inauspicious; as, a _preternatural_ gloom. _Miraculous_ is more emphatic and specific than _supernatural_, as referring to the direct personal intervention of divine power. Some hold that a miracle, as the raising of the dead, is a direct suspension and even violation of natural laws by the fiat of the Creator, and hence is, in the strictest sense, _supernatural_; others hold that the miracle is simply the calling forth of a power residing in the laws of nature, but not within their ordinary operation, and dependent on a distinct act of God, so that the _miraculous_ might be termed "extranatural," rather than _supernatural_. All that is beyond human power is _superhuman_; as, prophecy gives evidence of _superhuman_ knowledge; the word is sometimes applied to remarkable manifestations of human power, surpassing all that is ordinary.

Antonyms:

common, commonplace, everyday, natural, ordinary, usual.

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SUPPORT.

Synonyms:

bear, cherish, keep, maintain, sustain, carry, hold up, keep up, prop, uphold.

_Support_ and _sustain_ alike signify to _hold up_ or _keep up_, to prevent from falling or sinking; but _sustain_ has a special sense of continuous exertion or of great strength continuously exerted, as when we speak of _sustained_ endeavor or a _sustained_ note; a flower is _supported_ by the stem or a temple-roof by arches; the foundations of a great building _sustain_ an enormous pressure; to _sustain_ life implies a greater exigency and need than to _support_ life; to say one is _sustained_ under affliction is to say more both of the severity of the trial and the completeness of the _upholding_ than if we say he is _supported_. To _bear_ is the most general word, denoting all _holding up_ or _keeping up_ of any object, whether in rest or motion; in the derived senses it refers to something that is a tax upon strength or endurance; as, to _bear_ a strain; to _bear_ pain or grief. To _maintain_ is to _keep_ in a state or condition, especially in an excellent and desirable condition; as, to _maintain_ health or reputation; to _maintain_ one's position; to _maintain_ a cause or proposition is to hold it against opposition or difficulty. To _support_ may be partial, to _maintain_ is complete; _maintain_ is a word of more dignity than _support_; a man _supports_ his family; a state _maintains_ an army or navy. To _prop_ is always partial, signifying to add _support_ to something that is insecure. Compare ABET; ENDURE; KEEP.

Antonyms:

abandon, break down, demolish, destroy, let go, throw down, betray, cast down, desert, drop, overthrow, wreck.

Prepositions:

The roof is supported _by_, _on_, or _upon_ pillars; the family was supported _on_ or _upon_ a pittance, or _by_ charity.

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SUPPOSE.

Synonyms:

conjecture, deem, guess, imagine, surmise, think.

To _suppose_ is temporarily to assume a thing as true, either with the expectation of finding it so or for the purpose of ascertaining what would follow if it were so. To _suppose_ is also to think a thing to be true while aware or conceding that the belief does not rest upon any sure ground, and may not accord with fact; or yet again, to _suppose_ is to imply as true or involved as a necessary inference; as, design _supposes_ the existence of a designer. To _conjecture_ is to put together the nearest available materials for a provisional opinion, always with some expectation of finding the facts to be as _conjectured_. To _imagine_ is to form a mental image of something as existing, tho its actual existence may be unknown, or even impossible. To _think_, in this application, is to hold as the result of thought what is admitted not to be matter of exact or certain knowledge; as, I do not know, but I _think_ this to be the fact: a more conclusive statement than would be made by the use of _conjecture_ or _suppose_. Compare DOUBT; HYPOTHESIS.

Antonyms:

ascertain, be sure, conclude, discover, know, prove.

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SURRENDER.

Synonyms:

abandon, cede, give over, relinquish, alienate, give, give up, sacrifice, capitulate, give oneself up, let go, yield.

To _surrender_ is to _give up_ upon compulsion, as to an enemy in war, hence to _give up_ to any person, passion, influence, or power. To _yield_ is to give place or give way under pressure, and hence under compulsion. _Yield_ implies more softness or concession than _surrender_; the most determined men may _surrender_ to overwhelming force; when one _yields_, his spirit is at least somewhat subdued. A monarch or a state _cedes_ territory perhaps for a consideration; _surrenders_ an army, a navy, or a fortified place to a conqueror; a military commander _abandons_ an untenable position or unavailable stores. We _sacrifice_ something precious through error, friendship, or duty, _yield_ to convincing reasons, a stronger will, winsome persuasion, or superior force. Compare ABANDON.

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SYNONYMOUS.

Synonyms:

alike, equivalent, like, similar, correspondent, identical, same, synonymic. corresponding, interchangeable,

_Synonymous_ (Gr. _syn_, together, and _onyma_, name) strictly signifies being _interchangeable_ names for the same thing, or being one of two or more _interchangeable_ names for the same thing; to say that two words are _synonymous_ is strictly to say they are _alike_, _equivalent_, _identical_, or the _same_ in meaning; but the use of _synonymous_ in this strict sense is somewhat rare, and rather with reference to statements than to words.

To say that we are morally developed is _synonymous_ with saying
that we have reaped what some one has suffered for us.

H. W. BEECHER _Royal Truths_ p. 294. [T. & F. '66.]

In the strictest sense, _synonymous_ words scarcely exist; rarely, if ever, are any two words in any language _equivalent_ or _identical_ in meaning; where a difference in meaning can not easily be shown, a difference in usage commonly exists, so that the words are not _interchangeable_. By _synonymous_ words (or _synonyms_) we usually understand words that coincide or nearly coincide in some part of their meaning, and may hence within certain limits be used interchangeably, while outside of those limits they may differ very greatly in meaning and use. It is the office of a work on synonyms to point out these correspondences and differences, that language may have the flexibility that comes from freedom of selection within the common limits, with the perspicuity and precision that result from exact choice of the fittest words to express each shade of meaning outside of the common limits. To consider _synonymous_ words _identical_ is fatal to accuracy; to forget that they are _similar_, to some extent _equivalent_, and sometimes _interchangeable_, is destructive of freedom and variety.

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SYSTEM.

Synonyms:

manner, method, mode, order, regularity, rule.

_Order_ in this connection denotes the fact or result of proper arrangement according to the due relation or sequence of the matters arranged; as, these papers are in _order_; in alphabetical _order_. _Method_ denotes a process, a general or established way of doing or proceeding in anything; _rule_, an authoritative requirement or an established course of things; _system_, not merely a law of action or procedure, but a comprehensive plan in which all the parts are related to each other and to the whole; as, a _system_ of theology; a railroad _system_; the digestive _system_; _manner_ refers to the external qualities of actions, and to those often as settled and characteristic; we speak of a _system_ of taxation, a _method_ of collecting taxes, the _rules_ by which assessments are made; or we say, as a _rule_ the payments are heaviest at a certain time of year; a just tax may be made odious by the _manner_ of its collection. _Regularity_ applies to the even disposition of objects or uniform recurrence of acts in a series. There may be _regularity_ without _order_, as in the recurrence of paroxysms of disease or insanity; there may be _order_ without _regularity_, as in the arrangement of furniture in a room, where the objects are placed at varying distances. _Order_ commonly implies the design of an intelligent agent or the appearance or suggestion of such design; _regularity_ applies to an actual uniform disposition or recurrence with no suggestion of purpose, and as applied to human affairs is less intelligent and more mechanical than _order_. The most perfect _order_ is often secured with least _regularity_, as in a fine essay or oration. The same may be said of _system_. There is a _regularity_ of dividing a treatise into topics, paragraphs, and sentences, that is destructive of true rhetorical _system_. Compare HABIT; HYPOTHESIS.

Antonyms:

chaos, derangement, disarrangement, disorder, irregularity. confusion,

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TACITURN.

Synonyms:

close, mute, reticent, speechless, dumb, reserved, silent, uncommunicative.

_Dumb_, _mute_, _silent_ and _speechless_ refer to fact or state; _taciturn_ refers to habit and disposition. The talkative person may be stricken _dumb_ with surprise or terror; the obstinate may remain _mute_; one may be _silent_ through preoccupation of mind or of set purpose; but the _taciturn_ person is averse to the utterance of thought or feeling and to communication with others, either from natural disposition or for the occasion. One who is _silent_ does not speak at all; one who is _taciturn_ speaks when compelled, but in a grudging way that repels further approach. _Reserved_ suggests more of method and intention than _taciturn_, applying often to some special time or topic; one who is communicative regarding all else may be _reserved_ about his business. _Reserved_ is thus closely equivalent to _uncommunicative_, but is a somewhat stronger word, often suggesting pride or haughtiness, as when we say one is _reserved_ toward inferiors. Compare PRIDE.

Antonyms:

communicative, free, garrulous, loquacious, talkative, unreserved.

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TASTEFUL.

Synonyms:

artistic, delicate, esthetic, fastidious, nice, chaste, delicious, esthetical, fine, tasty. dainty, elegant, exquisite,