Chapter VII: Part I: Synonyms, Antonyms and Prepositions (5)

A _characteristic_ belongs to the nature or _character_ of the person, thing, or class, and serves to identify an object; as, a copper-colored skin, high cheek-bones, and straight, black hair are _characteristics_ of the American Indian. A _sign_ is manifest to an observer; a _mark_ or a _characteristic_ may be more difficult to discover; an insensible person may show _signs_ of life, while sometimes only close examination will disclose _marks_ of violence. Pallor is ordinarily a _mark_ of fear; but in some brave natures it is simply a _characteristic_ of intense earnestness. _Mark_ is sometimes used in a good, but often in a bad sense; we speak of the _characteristic_ of a gentleman, the _mark_ of a villain. Compare ATTRIBUTE; CHARACTER.

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CHARMING.

Synonyms:

bewitching, delightful, enrapturing, fascinating, captivating, enchanting, entrancing, winning.

That is _charming_ or _bewitching_ which is adapted to win others as by a magic spell. _Enchanting_, _enrapturing_, _entrancing_ represent the influence as not only supernatural, but irresistible and _delightful_. That which is _fascinating_ may win without delighting, drawing by some unseen power, as a serpent its prey; we can speak of horrible _fascination_. _Charming_ applies only to what is external to oneself; _delightful_ may apply to personal experiences or emotions as well; we speak of a _charming_ manner, a _charming_ dress, but of _delightful_ anticipations. Compare AMIABLE; BEAUTIFUL.

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CHASTEN.

Synonyms:

afflict, chastise, discipline, punish, refine, subdue, castigate, correct, humble, purify, soften, try.

_Castigate_ and _chastise_ refer strictly to corporal punishment, tho both are somewhat archaic; _correct_ and _punish_ are often used as euphemisms in preference to either. _Punish_ is distinctly retributive in sense; _chastise_, partly retributive, and partly corrective; _chasten_, wholly corrective. _Chasten_ is used exclusively in the spiritual sense, and chiefly of the visitation of God.

Prepositions:

"We are chastened _of_ the Lord," _1 Cor._ xi, 32; "they ... chastened us _after_ their own pleasure, but He _for_ our profit," _Heb._ xii, 10; "chasten _in_ thy hot displeasure," _Ps._ iv, 7; chasten _with_ pain; _by_ trials and sorrows.

* * * * *

CHERISH.

Synonyms:

cheer, encourage, harbor, nurse, shelter, cling to, entertain, hold dear, nurture, treasure, comfort, foster, nourish, protect, value.

To _cherish_ is both to _hold dear_ and to treat as dear. Mere unexpressed esteem would not be _cherishing_. In the marriage vow, "to love, honor, and _cherish_," the word _cherish_ implies all that each can do by love and tenderness for the welfare and happiness of the other, as by support, protection, care in sickness, comfort in sorrow, sympathy, and help of every kind. To _nurse_ is to tend the helpless or feeble, as infants, or the sick or wounded. To _nourish_ is strictly to sustain and build up by food; to _nurture_ includes careful mental and spiritual training, with something of love and tenderness; to _foster_ is simply to maintain and care for, to bring up; a _foster_-child will be _nourished_, but may not be as tenderly _nurtured_ or as lovingly _cherished_ as if one's own. In the figurative sense, the opinion one _cherishes_ he holds, not with mere cold conviction, but with loving devotion.

Antonyms:

See synonyms for ABANDON; CHASTEN.

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CHOOSE.

Synonyms:

cull, elect, pick, pick out, prefer, select.

_Prefer_ indicates a state of desire and approval; _choose_, an act of will. Prudence or generosity may lead one to _choose_ what he does not _prefer_. _Select_ implies a careful consideration of the reasons for preference and choice. Among objects so nearly alike that we have no reason to _prefer_ any one to another we may simply _choose_ the nearest, but we could not be said to _select_ it. Aside from theology, _elect_ is popularly confined to the political sense; as, a free people _elect_ their own rulers. _Cull_, from the Latin _colligere_, commonly means to collect, as well as to _select_. In a garden we _cull_ the choicest flowers.

Antonyms:

cast away, decline, dismiss, refuse, repudiate, cast out, disclaim, leave, reject, throw aside.

Prepositions:

Choose _from_ or _from among_ the number; choose _out of_ the army; choose _between_ (or _betwixt_) two; _among_ many; choose _for_ the purpose.

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CIRCUMLOCUTION.

Synonyms:

diffuseness, prolixity, surplusage, verbiage, periphrasis, redundance, tautology, verbosity, pleonasm, redundancy, tediousness, wordiness.

_Circumlocution_ and _periphrasis_ are roundabout ways of expressing thought; _circumlocution_ is the more common, _periphrasis_ the more technical word. Constant _circumlocution_ produces an affected and heavy style; occasionally, skilful _periphrasis_ conduces both to beauty and to simplicity. Etymologically, _diffuseness_ is a scattering, both of words and thought; _redundancy_ is an overflow. _Prolixity_ goes into endless petty details, without selection or perspective. _Pleonasm_ is the expression of an idea already plainly implied; _tautology_ is the restatement in other words of an idea already stated, or a useless repetition of a word or words. _Pleonasm_ may add emphasis; _tautology_ is always a fault. "I saw it with my eyes" is a _pleonasm_; "all the members agreed unanimously" is _tautology_. _Verbiage_ is the use of mere words without thought. _Verbosity_ and _wordiness_ denote an excess of words in proportion to the thought. _Tediousness_ is the sure result of any of these faults of style.

Antonyms:

brevity, compression, condensation, plainness, succinctness, compactness, conciseness, directness, shortness, terseness.

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CIRCUMSTANCE.

Synonyms:

accompaniment, fact, item, point, concomitant, feature, occurrence, position, detail, incident, particular, situation. event,

A _circumstance_ (L. _circum_, around, and _sto_, stand), is something existing or occurring in connection with or relation to some other fact or event, modifying or throwing light upon the principal matter without affecting its essential character; an _accompaniment_ is something that unites with the principal matter, tho not necessary to it; as, the piano _accompaniment_ to a song; a _concomitant_ goes with a thing in natural connection, but in a subordinate capacity, or perhaps in contrast; as, cheerfulness is a _concomitant_ of virtue. A _circumstance_ is not strictly, nor usually, an occasion, condition, effect, or result. (See these words under CAUSE.) Nor is the _circumstance_ properly an _incident_. (See under ACCIDENT.) We say, "My decision will depend upon _circumstances_"--not "upon _incidents_." That a man wore a blue necktie would not probably be the cause, occasion, condition, or _concomitant_ of his committing murder; but it might be a very important _circumstance_ in identifying him as the murderer. All the _circumstances_ make up the _situation_. A certain disease is the cause of a man's death; his suffering is an _incident_; that he is in his own home, that he has good medical attendance, careful nursing, etc., are consolatory _circumstances_. With the same idea of subordination, we often say, "This is not a _circumstance_ to that." So a person is said to be in easy _circumstances_. Compare EVENT.

Prepositions:

"Mere situation is expressed by '_in_ the circumstances'; action affected is performed '_under_ the circumstances.'" [M.]

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CLASS.

Synonyms:

association, circle, clique, company, grade, rank, caste, clan, club, coterie, order, set.

A _class_ is a number or body of persons or objects having common pursuits, purposes, attributes, or characteristics. A _caste_ is hereditary; a _class_ may be independent of lineage or descent; membership in a _caste_ is supposed to be for life; membership in a _class_ may be very transient; a religious and ceremonial sacredness attaches to the _caste_, as not to the _class_. The rich and the poor form separate _classes_; yet individuals are constantly passing from each to the other; the _classes_ in a college remain the same, but their membership changes every year. We speak of _rank_ among hereditary nobility or military officers; of various _orders_ of the priesthood; by accommodation, we may refer in a general way to the higher _ranks_, the lower _orders_ of any society. _Grade_ implies some regular scale of valuation, and some inherent qualities for which a person or thing is placed higher or lower in the scale; as, the coarser and finer _grades_ of wool; a man of an inferior _grade_. A _coterie_ is a small company of persons of similar tastes, who meet frequently in an informal way, rather for social enjoyment than for any serious purpose. _Clique_ has always an unfavorable meaning. A _clique_ is always fractional, implying some greater gathering of which it is a part; the association breaks up into _cliques_. Persons unite in a _coterie_ through simple liking for one another; they withdraw into a _clique_ largely through aversion to outsiders. A _set_, while exclusive, is more extensive than a _clique_, and chiefly of persons who are united by common social station, etc. _Circle_ is similar in meaning to _set_, but of wider application; we speak of scientific and religious as well as of social _circles_.

Prepositions:

A class _of_ merchants; the senior class _at_ (sometimes _of_) Harvard; the classes _in_ college.

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CLEANSE.

Synonyms:

brush, dust, purify, scour, sponge, wash, clean, lave, rinse, scrub, sweep, wipe. disinfect, mop,

To _clean_ is to make clean by removing dirt, impurities, or soil of any kind. _Cleanse_ implies a worse condition to start from, and more to do, than _clean_. Hercules _cleansed_ the Augean stables. _Cleanse_ is especially applied to purifying processes where liquid is used, as in the flushing of a street, etc. We _brush_ clothing if dusty, _sponge_ it, or _sponge_ it off, if soiled; or _sponge_ off a spot. Furniture, books, etc., are _dusted_; floors are _mopped_ or _scrubbed_; metallic utensils are _scoured_; a room is _swept_; soiled garments are _washed_; foul air or water is _purified_. _Cleanse_ and _purify_ are used extensively in a moral sense; _wash_ in that sense is archaic. Compare AMEND.

Antonyms:

befoul, bespatter, debase, deprave, soil, stain, taint, besmear, contaminate, defile, pollute, spoil, sully, vitiate. besmirch, corrupt,

Prepositions:

Cleanse _of_ or _from_ physical or moral defilement; cleanse _with_ an instrument; _by_ an agent; the room was cleansed _by_ the attendants _with_ soap and water.

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CLEAR.

Synonyms:

apparent, intelligible, pellucid, transparent, diaphanous, limpid, perspicuous, unadorned, distinct, lucid, plain, unambiguous, evident, manifest, straightforward, unequivocal, explicit, obvious, translucent, unmistakable.

_Clear_ (L. _clarus_, bright, brilliant) primarily refers to that which shines, and impresses the mind through the eye with a sense of luster or splendor. A substance is said to be _clear_ that offers no impediment to vision--is not dim, dark, or obscure. _Transparent_ refers to the medium through which a substance is seen, _clear_ to the substance itself, without reference to anything to be seen through it; we speak of a stream as _clear_ when we think of the water itself; we speak of it as _transparent_ with reference to the ease with which we see the pebbles at the bottom. _Clear_ is also said of that which comes to the senses without dimness, dulness, obstruction, or obscurity, so that there is no uncertainty as to its exact form, character, or meaning, with something of the brightness or brilliancy implied in the primary meaning of the word _clear_; as, the outlines of the ship were _clear_ against the sky; a _clear_ view; a _clear_ note; "_clear_ as a bell;" a _clear_, frosty air; a _clear_ sky; a _clear_ statement; hence, the word is used for that which is free from any kind of obstruction; as, a _clear_ field. _Lucid_ and _pellucid_ refer to a shining clearness, as of crystal. A _transparent_ body allows the forms and colors of objects beyond to be seen through it; a _translucent_ body allows light to pass through, but may not permit forms and colors to be distinguished; plate glass is _transparent_, ground glass is _translucent_. _Limpid_ refers to a liquid clearness, or that which suggests it; as, _limpid_ streams. That which is _distinct_ is well defined, especially in outline, each part or object standing or seeming apart from any other, not confused, indefinite, or blurred; _distinct_ enunciation enables the hearer to catch every word or vocal sound without perplexity or confusion; a _distinct_ statement is free from indefiniteness or ambiguity; a _distinct_ apprehension of a thought leaves the mind in no doubt or uncertainty regarding it. That is _plain_, in the sense here considered, which is, as it were, level to the thought, so that one goes straight on without difficulty or hindrance; as, _plain_ language; a _plain_ statement; a _clear_ explanation. _Perspicuous_ is often equivalent to _plain_, but _plain_ never wholly loses the meaning of _unadorned_, so that we can say the style is _perspicuous_ tho highly ornate, when we could not call it at once ornate and _plain_. Compare EVIDENT.

Antonyms:

ambiguous, dim, foggy, mysterious, opaque, unintelligible, cloudy, dubious, indistinct, obscure, turbid, vague.

Prepositions:

Clear _to_ the mind; clear _in_ argument; clear _of_ or _from_ annoyances.

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CLEVER.

Synonyms:

able, capable, happy, keen, sharp, adroit, dexterous, ingenious, knowing, skilful, apt, expert, intellectual, quick, smart, bright, gifted, intelligent, quick-witted, talented.

_Clever_, as used in England, especially implies an aptitude for study or learning, and for excellent tho not preeminent mental achievement. The early New England usage as implying simple and weak good nature has largely affected the use of the word throughout the United States, where it has never been much in favor. _Smart_, indicating dashing ability, is now coming to have a suggestion of unscrupulousness, similar to that of the word _sharp_, which makes its use a doubtful compliment. The discriminating use of such words as _able_, _gifted_, _talented_, etc., is greatly preferable to an excessive use of the word _clever_. Compare ACUMEN; ASTUTE; POWER.

Antonyms:

awkward, clumsy, foolish, ignorant, slow, thick-headed, bungling, dull, idiotic, senseless, stupid, witless.

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COLLISION.

Synonyms:

clash, concussion, contact, impact, opposition, clashing, conflict, encounter, meeting, shock.

_Collision_, the act or fact of striking violently together, is the result of motion or action, and is sudden and momentary; _contact_ may be a condition of rest, and be continuous and permanent; _collision_ is sudden and violent _contact_. _Concussion_ is often by transmitted force rather than by direct _impact_; two railway-trains come into _collision_; an explosion of dynamite shatters neighboring windows by _concussion_. _Impact_ is the blow given by the striking body; as, the _impact_ of the cannon-shot upon the target. An _encounter_ is always violent, and generally hostile. _Meeting_ is neutral, and may be of the dearest friends or of the bitterest foes; of objects, of persons, or of opinions; of two or of a multitude. _Shock_ is the result of _collision_. In the figurative use, we speak of _clashing_ of views, _collision_ of persons. _Opposition_ is used chiefly of persons, more rarely of opinions or interests; _conflict_ is used indifferently of all.

Antonyms:

agreement, coincidence, concord, conformity, unison, amity, concert, concurrence, harmony, unity.

Prepositions:

Collision _of_ one object _with_ another; _of_ or _between_ opposing objects.

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COMFORTABLE.

Synonyms:

agreeable, cheery, genial, snug, at ease, commodious, pleasant, well-off, at rest, contented, satisfactory, well-provided, cheerful, convenient, satisfied, well-to-do.

A person is _comfortable_ in mind when _contented_ and measurably _satisfied_. A little additional brightness makes him _cheerful_. He is _comfortable_ in body when free from pain, quiet, _at ease_, _at rest_. He is _comfortable_ in circumstances, or in _comfortable_ circumstances, when things about him are generally _agreeable_ and _satisfactory_, usually with the suggestion of sufficient means to secure that result.

Antonyms:

cheerless, discontented, distressed, forlorn, uncomfortable, disagreeable, dissatisfied, dreary, miserable, wretched.

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COMMIT.

Synonyms:

assign, confide, consign, entrust, relegate, trust.

_Commit_, in the sense here considered, is to give in charge, put into care or keeping; to _confide_ or _entrust_ is to _commit_ especially to one's fidelity, _confide_ being used chiefly of mental or spiritual, _entrust_ also of material things; we _assign_ a duty, _confide_ a secret, _entrust_ a treasure; we _commit_ thoughts to writing; _commit_ a paper to the flames, a body to the earth; a prisoner is _committed_ to jail. _Consign_ is a formal word in mercantile use; as, to _consign_ goods to an agent. Religiously, we _consign_ the body to the grave, _commit_ the soul to God. Compare DO.

Prepositions:

Commit _to_ a friend _for_ safe-keeping; in law, commit _to_ prison; _for_ trial; _without_ bail; in default _of_ bail; _on_ suspicion.

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COMPANY.

Synonyms:

assemblage, concourse, convocation, host, assembly, conference, crowd, meeting, collection, congregation, gathering, multitude, conclave, convention, group, throng.

_Company_, from the Latin _cum_, with, and _panis_, bread, denotes primarily the association of those who eat at a common table, or the persons so associated, table-companions, messmates, friends, and hence is widely extended to include any association of those united permanently or temporarily, for business, pleasure, festivity, travel, etc., or by sorrow, misfortune, or wrong; _company_ may denote an indefinite number (ordinarily more than two), but less than a _multitude_; in the military sense a _company_ is a limited and definite number of men; _company_ implies more unity of feeling and purpose than _crowd_, and is a less formal and more familiar word than _assemblage_ or _assembly_. An _assemblage_ may be of persons or of objects; an _assembly_ is always of persons. An _assemblage_ is promiscuous and unorganized; an _assembly_ is organized and united in some common purpose. A _conclave_ is a secret _assembly_. A _convocation_ is an _assembly_ called by authority for a special purpose; the term _convention_ suggests less dependence upon any superior authority or summons. A _group_ is small in number and distinct in outline, clearly marked off from all else in space or time. _Collection_, _crowd_, _gathering_, _group_, and _multitude_ have the unorganized and promiscuous character of the _assemblage_; the other terms come under the general idea of _assembly_. _Congregation_ is now almost exclusively religious; _meeting_ is often so used, but is less restricted, as we may speak of a _meeting_ of armed men. _Gathering_ refers to a coming together, commonly of numbers, from far and near; as, the _gathering_ of the Scottish clans.

Antonyms:

dispersion, loneliness, privacy, retirement, seclusion, solitude.

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COMPEL.

Synonyms:

coerce, drive, make, oblige. constrain, force, necessitate,

To _compel_ one to an act is to secure its performance by the use of irresistible physical or moral force. _Force_ implies primarily an actual physical process, absolutely subduing all resistance. _Coerce_ implies the actual or potential use of so much force as may be necessary to secure the surrender of the will; the American secessionists contended that the Federal government had no right to _coerce_ a State. _Constrain_ implies the yielding of judgment and will, and in some cases of inclination or affection, to an overmastering power; as, "the love of Christ _constraineth_ us," _2 Cor._ v, 14. Compare DRIVE; INFLUENCE.

Antonyms:

See synonyms for HINDER.

Prepositions:

The soldiers were compelled _to_ desertion: preferably with the infinitive, compelled _to_ desert.

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COMPLAIN.

Synonyms:

croak, growl, grunt, remonstrate, find fault, grumble, murmur, repine.

To _complain_ is to give utterance to dissatisfaction or objection, express a sense of wrong or ill treatment. One _complains_ of a real or assumed grievance; he may _murmur_ through mere peevishness or ill temper; he _repines_, with vain distress, at the irrevocable or the inevitable. _Complaining_ is by speech or writing; _murmuring_ is commonly said of half-repressed utterance; _repining_ of the mental act alone. One may _complain_ of an offense to the offender or to others; he _remonstrates_ with the offender only. _Complain_ has a formal and legal meaning, which the other words have not, signifying to make a formal accusation, present a specific charge; the same is true of the noun _complaint_.

Antonyms:

applaud, approve, commend, eulogize, laud, praise.

Prepositions:

Complain _of_ a thing _to_ a person; _of_ one person _to_ another, _of_ or _against_ a person _for_ an act; _to_ an officer; _before_ the court; _about_ a thing.

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COMPLEX.

Synonyms:

abstruse, confused, intricate, mixed, complicated, conglomerate, involved, multiform, composite, entangled, manifold, obscure, compound, heterogeneous, mingled, tangled.

That is _complex_ which is made up of several connected parts. That is _compound_ in which the parts are not merely connected, but fused, or otherwise combined into a single substance. In a _composite_ object the different parts have less of unity than in that which is _complex_ or _compound_, but maintain their distinct individuality. In a _heterogeneous_ body unlike parts or particles are intermingled, often without apparent order or plan. _Conglomerate_ (literally, globed together) is said of a _confused_ mingling of masses or lumps of various substances. The New England pudding-stone is a _conglomerate_ rock. In a _complex_ object the arrangement and relation of parts may be perfectly clear; in a _complicated_ mechanism the parts are so numerous, or so combined, that the mind can not readily grasp their mutual relations; in an _intricate_ arrangement the parts are so intertwined that it is difficult to follow their windings; things are _involved_ which are rolled together so as not to be easily separated, either in thought or in fact; things which are _tangled_ or _entangled_ mutually hold and draw upon each other. The conception of a material object is usually _complex_, involving form, color, size, and other elements; a clock is a _complicated_ mechanism; the Gordian knot was _intricate_; the twining serpents of the Laocoon are _involved_. We speak of an _abstruse_ statement, a _complex_ conception, a _confused_ heap, a _heterogeneous_ mass, a _tangled_ skein, an _intricate_ problem; of _composite_ architecture, an _involved_ sentence; of the _complicated_ or _intricate_ accounts of a great business, the _entangled_ accounts of an incompetent or dishonest bookkeeper.

Antonyms:

clear, homogeneous, plain, uncombined, uniform, direct, obvious, simple, uncompounded, unraveled.

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CONDEMN.

Synonyms:

blame, convict, doom, reprove, censure, denounce, reprobate, sentence.

To _condemn_ is to pass judicial sentence or render judgment or decision against. We may _censure_ silently; we _condemn_ ordinarily by open and formal utterance. _Condemn_ is more final than _blame_ or _censure_; a _condemned_ criminal has had his trial; a _condemned_ building can not stand; a _condemned_ ship can not sail. A person is _convicted_ when his guilt is made clearly manifest to others; in somewhat archaic use, a person is said to be _convicted_ when guilt is brought clearly home to his own conscience (_convict_ in this sense being allied with _convince_, which see under PERSUADE); in legal usage one is said to be _convicted_ only by the verdict of a jury. In stating the penalty of an offense, the legal word _sentence_ is now more common than _condemn_; as, he was _sentenced_ to imprisonment; but it is good usage to say, he was _condemned_ to imprisonment. To _denounce_ is to make public or official declaration against, especially in a violent and threatening manner.

From the pulpits in the northern States Burr was _denounced_ as an
assassin.

COFFIN _Building the Nation_ ch. 10, p. 137. [H. '83.]

To _doom_ is to _condemn_ solemnly and consign to evil or destruction or to predetermine to an evil destiny; an inferior race in presence of a superior is _doomed_ to subjugation or extinction. Compare ARRAIGN; REPROVE.

Antonyms:

absolve, applaud, exonerate, pardon, acquit, approve, justify, praise.

Prepositions:

The bandit was condemned _to_ death _for_ his crime.

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CONFESS.

Synonyms:

accept, allow, concede, grant, acknowledge, avow, disclose, own, admit, certify, endorse, recognize.

We _accept_ another's statement; _admit_ any point made against us; _acknowledge_ what we have said or done, good or bad; _avow_ our individual beliefs or feelings; _certify_ to facts within our knowledge; _confess_ our own faults; _endorse_ a friend's note or statement; _grant_ a request; _own_ our faults or obligations; _recognize_ lawful authority; _concede_ a claim. _Confess_ has a high and sacred use in the religious sense; as, to _confess_ Christ before men. It may have also a playful sense (often with _to_); as, one _confesses to_ a weakness for confectionery. The chief present use of the word, however, is in the sense of making known to others one's own wrong-doing; in this sense _confess_ is stronger than _acknowledge_ or _admit_, and more specific than _own_; a person _admits_ a mistake; _acknowledges_ a fault; _confesses_ sin or crime. Compare APOLOGY; AVOW.

Antonyms:

cloak, deny, disown, hide, screen, conceal, disavow, dissemble, mask, secrete, cover, disguise, dissimulate, repudiate, veil.

* * * * *

CONFIRM.

Synonyms:

assure, fix, sanction, substantiate, corroborate, prove, settle, sustain, establish, ratify, strengthen, uphold.

_Confirm_ (L. _con_, together, and _firmus_, firm) is to add firmness or give stability to. Both _confirm_ and _corroborate_ presuppose something already existing to which the confirmation or corroboration is added. Testimony is _corroborated_ by concurrent testimony or by circumstances; _confirmed_ by _established_ facts. That which is thoroughly _proved_ is said to be _established_; so is that which is official and has adequate power behind it; as, the _established_ government; the _established_ church. The continents are _fixed_. A treaty is _ratified_; an appointment _confirmed_. An act is _sanctioned_ by any person or authority that passes upon it approvingly. A statement is _substantiated_; a report _confirmed_; a controversy _settled_; the decision of a lower court _sustained_ by a higher. Just government should be _upheld_. The beneficent results of Christianity _confirm_ our faith in it as a divine revelation.

Antonyms:

abrogate, cancel, overthrow, shatter, upset, annul, destroy, shake, unsettle, weaken.

Prepositions:

Confirm a statement _by_ testimony; confirm a person _in_ a belief.

* * * * *

CONGRATULATE.

Synonym:

felicitate.

To _felicitate_ is to pronounce one happy or wish one joy; to _congratulate_ is to express hearty sympathy in his joys or hopes. _Felicitate_ is cold and formal. We say one _felicitates_ himself; tho to _congratulate_ oneself, which is less natural, is becoming prevalent.

Antonyms:

condole with, console.

Prepositions:

Congratulate one _on_ or _upon_ his success.

* * * * *

CONQUER.

Synonyms:

beat, humble, overthrow, subject, checkmate, master, prevail over, subjugate, crush, overcome, put down, surmount, defeat, overmaster, reduce, vanquish, discomfit, overmatch, rout, win, down, overpower, subdue, worst.

To _defeat_ an enemy is to gain an advantage for the time; to _vanquish_ is to win a signal victory; to _conquer_ is to _overcome_ so effectually that the victory is regarded as final. _Conquer_, in many cases, carries the idea of possession; as, to _conquer_ respect, affection, peace, etc. A country is _conquered_ when its armies are defeated and its territory is occupied by the enemy; it may be _subjected_ to indemnity or to various disabilities; it is _subjugated_ when it is held helplessly and continuously under military control; it is _subdued_ when all resistance has died out. An army is _defeated_ when forcibly driven back; it is _routed_ when it is converted into a mob of fugitives. Compare BEAT.

Antonyms:

capitulate, fail, fly, lose, retire, submit, surrender, cede, fall, forfeit, resign, retreat, succumb, yield.

* * * * *

CONSCIOUS.

Synonyms:

advised, assured, certain, cognizant, sensible, apprised, aware, certified, informed, sure.

One is _aware_ of that which exists without him; he is _conscious_ of the inner workings of his own mind. _Sensible_ may be used in the exact sense of _conscious_, or it may partake of both the senses mentioned above. One may be _sensible_ of his own or another's error; he is _conscious_ only of his own. A person may feel _assured_ or _sure_ of something false or non-existent; what he is _aware_ of, still more what he is _conscious_ of, must be fact. _Sensible_ has often a reference to the emotions where _conscious_ might apply only to the intellect; to say a culprit is _sensible_ of his degradation is more forcible than to say he is _conscious_ of it.

Antonyms:

cold, dead, deaf, ignorant, insensible, unaware, unconscious.

Preposition:

On the stormy sea, man is conscious _of_ the limitation of human power.

* * * * *

CONSEQUENCE.

Synonyms:

consequent, end, issue, outgrowth, sequel, effect, event, outcome, result, upshot.

_Effect_ is the strongest of these words; it is that which is directly produced by the action of an efficient cause; we say, "Every _effect_ must have an adequate cause" (compare CAUSE). In regard to human actions, _effect_ commonly relates to intention; as, the shot took _effect_, _i. e._, the _effect_ intended. A _consequence_ is that which follows an act naturally, but less directly than the _effect_. The motion of the piston is the _effect_, and the agitation of the water under the paddle-wheels a _consequence_ of the expansion of steam in the cylinder. The _result_ is, literally, the rebound of an act, depending on many elements; the _issue_ is that which flows forth directly; we say the _issue_ of a battle, the _result_ of a campaign. A _consequent_ commonly is that which follows simply in order of time, or by logical inference. The _end_ is the actual _outcome_ without determination of its relation to what has gone before; it is ordinarily viewed as either the necessary, natural, or logical _outcome_, any _effect_, _consequence_, or _result_ being termed an _end_; as, the _end_ of such a course must be ruin. The _event_ (L. _e_, out, and _venio_, come) is primarily exactly the same in meaning as _outcome_; but in use it is more nearly equivalent to _upshot_ signifying the sum and substance of all _effects_, _consequences_, and _results_ of a course of action. Compare ACCIDENT; CAUSE; CIRCUMSTANCE; END; EVENT.

* * * * *

CONSOLE.

Synonyms:

comfort, condole with, encourage, sympathize with.

One _condoles with_ another by the expression of kindly sympathy in his trouble; he _consoles_ him by considerations adapted to soothe and sustain the spirit, as by the assurances and promises of the gospel; he _encourages_ him by the hope of some relief or deliverance; he _comforts_ him by whatever act or word tends to bring mind or body to a state of rest and cheer. We _sympathize with_ others, not only in sorrow, but in joy. Compare ALLEVIATE; PITY.

Antonyms:

annoy, distress, disturb, grieve, hurt, sadden, trouble, wound.

* * * * *

CONTAGION.

Synonym:

infection.

_Infection_ is frequently confused with _contagion_, even by medical men. The best usage now limits _contagion_ to diseases that are transmitted by contact with the diseased person, either directly by touch or indirectly by use of the same articles, by breath, effluvia, etc. _Infection_ is applied to diseases produced by no known or definable influence of one person upon another, but where common climatic, malarious, or other wide-spread conditions are believed to be chiefly instrumental.

* * * * *

CONTINUAL.

Synonyms:

ceaseless, incessant, regular, uninterrupted, constant, invariable, unbroken, unremitting, continuous, perpetual, unceasing, unvarying.

_Continuous_ describes that which is absolutely without pause or break; _continual_, that which often intermits, but as regularly begins again. A _continuous_ beach is exposed to the _continual_ beating of the waves. A similar distinction is made between _incessant_ and _ceaseless_. The _incessant_ discharge of firearms makes the _ceaseless_ roar of battle. _Constant_ is sometimes used in the sense of _continual_; but its chief uses are mental and moral.

* * * * *

CONTRACT.

Synonyms:

agreement, cartel, engagement, pledge, arrangement, compact, obligation, promise, bargain, covenant, pact, stipulation.

All these words involve at least two parties, tho an _engagement_ or _promise_ may be the act of but one. A _contract_ is a formal agreement between two or more parties for the doing or leaving undone some specified act or acts, and is ordinarily in writing. Mutual _promises_ may have the force of a _contract_. A consideration, or compensation, is essential to convert an _agreement_ into a _contract_. A _contract_ may be oral or written. A _covenant_ in law is a written _contract_ under seal. _Covenant_ is frequent in religious usage, as _contract_ is in law and business. _Compact_ is essentially the same as _contract_, but is applied to international _agreements_, treaties, etc. A _bargain_ is a mutual _agreement_ for an exchange of values, without the formality of a _contract_. A _stipulation_ is a single item in an _agreement_ or _contract_. A _cartel_ is a military _agreement_ for the exchange of prisoners or the like.

* * * * *

CONTRAST.

Synonyms:

compare, differentiate, discriminate, oppose.

To _compare_ (L. _con_, together, and _par_, equal) is to place together in order to show likeness or unlikeness; to _contrast_ (L. _contra_, against, and _sto_, stand) is to set in opposition in order to show unlikeness. We _contrast_ objects that have been already _compared_. We must _compare_ them, at least momentarily, even to know that they are different. We _contrast_ them when we observe their unlikeness in a general way; we _differentiate_ them when we note the difference exactly and point by point. We distinguish objects when we note a difference that may fall short of _contrast_; we _discriminate_ them when we classify or place them according to their differences.

Preposition:

We contrast one object _with_ another.

* * * * *

CONVERSATION.

Synonyms:

chat, communion, converse, intercourse, colloquy, confabulation, dialogue, parley, communication, conference, discourse, talk.

_Conversation_ (Latin _con_, with) is, etymologically, an interchange of ideas with some other person or persons. _Talk_ may be wholly one-sided. Many brilliant talkers have been incapable of _conversation_. There may be _intercourse_ without _conversation_, as by looks, signs, etc.; _communion_ is of hearts, with or without words; _communication_ is often by writing, and may be uninvited and unreciprocated. _Talk_ may denote the mere utterance of words with little thought; thus, we say idle _talk_, empty _talk_, rather than idle or empty _conversation_. _Discourse_ is now applied chiefly to public addresses. A _conference_ is more formal than a _conversation_. _Dialog_ denotes ordinarily an artificial or imaginary _conversation_, generally of two persons, but sometimes of more. A _colloquy_ is indefinite as to number, and generally somewhat informal. Compare BEHAVIOR.

Prepositions:

Conversation _with_ friends; _between_ or _among_ the guests; _about_ a matter.

* * * * *

CONVERT.

Synonyms:

disciple, neophyte, proselyte.

The name _disciple_ is given to the follower of a certain faith, without reference to any previous belief or allegiance; a _convert_ is a person who has come to one faith from a different belief or from unbelief. A _proselyte_ is one who has been led to accept a religious system, whether with or without true faith; a _convert_ is always understood to be a believer. A _neophyte_ is a new _convert_, not yet fully indoctrinated, or not admitted to full privileges. The antonyms _apostate_, _pervert_, and _renegade_ are condemnatory names applied to the _convert_ by those whose faith he forsakes.

* * * * *

CONVEY.

Synonyms:

carry, give, remove, shift, transmit, change, move, sell, transfer, transport.

_Convey_, _transmit_, and _transport_ all imply delivery at a destination; as, I will _convey_ the information to your friend; air _conveys_ sound (to a listener); _carry_ does not necessarily imply delivery, and often does not admit of it. A man _carries_ an appearance, _conveys_ an impression, the appearance remaining his own, the impression being given to another; I will _transmit_ the letter; _transport_ the goods. A horse _carries_ his mane and tail, but does not _convey_ them. _Transfer_ may or may not imply delivery to another person; as, items may be _transferred_ from one account to another or a word _transferred_ to the following line. In law, real estate, which can not be moved, is _conveyed_ by simply _transferring_ title and possession. _Transport_ usually refers to material, _transfer_, _transmit_, and _convey_ may refer to immaterial objects; we _transfer_ possession, _transmit_ intelligence, _convey_ ideas, but do not _transport_ them. In the case of _convey_ the figurative sense now predominates. Compare CARRY.

Antonyms:

cling to, hold, keep, possess, preserve, retain.

Prepositions:

Convey _to_ a friend, a purchaser, etc.; convey _from_ the house _to_ the station; convey _by_ express, _by_ hand, etc.

* * * * *

CONVOKE.

Synonyms:

assemble, call together, convene, muster, call, collect, gather, summon.

A convention is _called_ by some officer or officers, as by its president, its executive committee, or some eminent leaders; the delegates are _assembled_ or _convened_ in a certain place, at a certain hour. _Convoke_ implies an organized body and a superior authority; _assemble_ and _convene_ express more independent action; Parliament is _convoked_; Congress _assembles_. Troops are _mustered_; witnesses and jurymen are _summoned_.

Antonyms:

adjourn, disband, dismiss, dissolve, scatter, break up, discharge, disperse, prorogue, separate.

* * * * *

CRIMINAL.

Synonyms:

abominable, flagitious, immoral, sinful, vile, culpable, guilty, iniquitous, unlawful, wicked, felonious, illegal, nefarious, vicious, wrong.

Every _criminal_ act is _illegal_ or _unlawful_, but _illegal_ or _unlawful_ acts may not be _criminal_. Offenses against public law are _criminal_; offenses against private rights are merely _illegal_ or _unlawful_. As a general rule, all acts punishable by fine or imprisonment or both, are _criminal_ in view of the law. It is _illegal_ for a man to trespass on another's land, but it is not _criminal_; the trespasser is liable to a civil suit for damages, but not to indictment, fine, or imprisonment. A _felonious_ act is a _criminal_ act of an aggravated kind, which is punishable by imprisonment in the penitentiary or by death. A _flagitious_ crime is one that brings public odium. _Vicious_ refers to the indulgence of evil appetites, habits, or passions; _vicious_ acts are not necessarily _criminal_, or even _illegal_; we speak of a _vicious_ horse. That which is _iniquitous_, _i. e._, contrary to equity, may sometimes be done under the forms of law. Ingratitude is _sinful_, hypocrisy is _wicked_, but neither is punishable by human law; hence, neither is _criminal_ or _illegal_. Compare SIN.

Antonyms:

innocent, lawful, meritorious, right, just, legal, moral, virtuous.

* * * * *

DAILY.

Synonym:

diurnal.

_Daily_ is the Saxon and popular, _diurnal_ the Latin and scientific term. In strict usage, _daily_ is the antonym of _nightly_ as _diurnal_ is of _nocturnal_. _Daily_ is not, however, held strictly to this use; a physician makes _daily_ visits if he calls at some time within each period of twenty-four hours. _Diurnal_ is more exact in all its uses; a _diurnal_ flower opens or blooms only in daylight; a _diurnal_ bird or animal flies or ranges only by day: in contradistinction to _nocturnal_ flowers, birds, etc. A _diurnal_ motion exactly fills an astronomical day or the time of one rotation of a planet on its axis, while a _daily_ motion is much less definite.

Antonyms:

nightly, nocturnal.

* * * * *

DANGER.

Synonyms:

hazard, insecurity, jeopardy, peril, risk.

_Danger_ is exposure to possible evil, which may be either near and probable or remote and doubtful; _peril_ is exposure to imminent and sharply threatening evil, especially to such as results from violence. An invalid may be in _danger_ of consumption; a disarmed soldier is in _peril_ of death. _Jeopardy_ is nearly the same as _peril_, but involves, like _risk_, more of the element of chance or uncertainty; a man tried upon a capital charge is said to be put in _jeopardy_ of life. _Insecurity_ is a feeble word, but exceedingly broad, applying to the placing of a dish, or the possibilities of a life, a fortune, or a government. Compare HAZARD.

Antonyms:

defense, immunity, protection, safeguard, safety, security, shelter.

* * * * *

DARK.

Synonyms:

black, dusky, mysterious, sable, somber, dim, gloomy, obscure, shadowy, swart, dismal, murky, opaque, shady, swarthy.

Strictly, that which is _black_ is absolutely destitute of color; that which is _dark_ is absolutely destitute of light. In common speech, however, a coat is _black_, tho not optically colorless; the night is _dark_, tho the stars shine. That is _obscure_, _shadowy_, or _shady_ from which the light is more or less cut off. _Dusky_ is applied to objects which appear as if viewed in fading light; the word is often used, as are _swart_ and _swarthy_, of the human skin when quite _dark_, or even verging toward _black_. _Dim_ refers to imperfection of outline, from distance, darkness, mist, etc., or from some defect of vision. _Opaque_ objects, as smoked glass, are impervious to light. _Murky_ is said of that which is at once _dark_, _obscure_, and _gloomy_; as, a _murky_ den; a _murky_ sky. Figuratively, _dark_ is emblematic of sadness, agreeing with _somber_, _dismal_, _gloomy_, also of moral evil; as, a _dark_ deed. Of intellectual matters, _dark_ is now rarely used in the old sense of a _dark_ saying, etc. See MYSTERIOUS; OBSCURE.

Antonyms:

bright, crystalline, glowing, lucid, shining, brilliant, dazzling, illumined, luminous, transparent, clear, gleaming, light, radiant, white.

Compare synonyms for LIGHT.

* * * * *

DECAY.

Synonyms:

corrupt, decompose, molder, putrefy, rot, spoil.

_Rot_ is a strong word, ordinarily esteemed coarse, but on occasion capable of approved emphatic use; as, "the name of the wicked shall _rot_," _Prov._ x, 7; _decay_ and _decompose_ are now common euphemisms. A substance is _decomposed_ when resolved into its original elements by any process; it is _decayed_ when resolved into its original elements by natural processes; it _decays_ gradually, but may be instantly _decomposed_, as water into oxygen and hydrogen; to say that a thing is _decayed_ may denote only a partial result, but to say it is _decomposed_ ordinarily implies that the change is complete or nearly so. _Putrefy_ and the adjectives _putrid_ and _putrescent_, and the nouns _putridity_ and _putrescence_, are used almost exclusively of animal matter in a state of decomposition, the more general word _decay_ being used of either animal or vegetable substances.

* * * * *

DECEPTION.

Synonyms:

craft, dissimulation, finesse, lie, cunning, double-dealing, fraud, lying, deceit, duplicity, guile, prevarication, deceitfulness, fabrication, hypocrisy, trickery, delusion, falsehood, imposition, untruth.

_Deceit_ is the habit, _deception_ the act; _guile_ applies to the disposition out of which _deceit_ and _deception_ grow, and also to their actual practise. A _lie_, _lying_, or _falsehood_, is the uttering of what one knows to be false with intent to deceive. The novel or drama is not a _lie_, because not meant to deceive; the ancient teaching that the earth was flat was not a _lie_, because not then known to be false. _Untruth_ is more than lack of accuracy, implying always lack of veracity; but it is a somewhat milder and more dignified word than _lie_. _Falsehood_ and _lying_ are in utterance; _deceit_ and _deception_ may be merely in act or implication. _Deception_ may be innocent, and even unintentional, as in the case of an optical illusion; _deceit_ always involves injurious intent. _Craft_ and _cunning_ have not necessarily any moral quality; they are common traits of animals, but stand rather low in the human scale. _Duplicity_ is the habitual speaking or acting with intent to appear to mean what one does not. _Dissimulation_ is rather a concealing of what is than a pretense of what is not. _Finesse_ is simply an adroit and delicate management of a matter for one's own side, not necessarily involving _deceit_. Compare ARTIFICE; FICTION; FRAUD; HYPOCRISY.

Antonyms:

candor, frankness, honesty, simplicity, truth, fair dealing, guilelessness, openness, sincerity, veracity.

* * * * *

DEFENSE.

Synonyms:

apology, guard, rampart, shelter, bulwark, justification, resistance, shield, fortress, protection, safeguard, vindication.

The weak may speak or act in _defense_ of the strong; none but the powerful can assure others of _protection_. A _defense_ is ordinarily against actual attack; _protection_ is against possible as well as actual dangers. We speak of _defense_ against an assault, _protection_ from the cold. _Vindication_ is a triumphant _defense_ of character and conduct against charges of error or wrong. Compare APOLOGY.

Antonyms:

abandonment, betrayal, capitulation, desertion, flight, surrender.

Prepositions:

Defense _against_ assault or assailants; in law, defense _to_ an action, _from_ the testimony.

* * * * *

DEFILE.

Synonyms:

befoul, corrupt, pollute, spoil, sully, tarnish, contaminate, infect, soil, stain, taint, vitiate.

The hand may be _defiled_ by a touch of pitch; swine that have been wallowing in the mud are _befouled_. _Contaminate_ and _infect_ refer to something evil that deeply pervades and permeates, as the human body or mind. _Pollute_ is used chiefly of liquids; as, water _polluted_ with sewage. _Tainted_ meat is repulsive; _infected_ meat contains germs of disease. A _soiled_ garment may be cleansed by washing; a _spoiled_ garment is beyond cleansing or repair. Bright metal is _tarnished_ by exposure; a fair sheet is _sullied_ by a dirty hand. In figurative use, _defile_ may be used merely in the ceremonial sense; "they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be _defiled_," _John_ xviii, 28; _contaminate_ refers to deep spiritual injury. _Pollute_ has also a reference to sacrilege; as, to _pollute_ a sanctuary, an altar, or an ordinance. The innocent are often _contaminated_ by association with the wicked; the vicious are more and more _corrupted_ by their own excesses. We speak of a _vitiated_ taste or style; fraud _vitiates_ a title or a contract.

Antonyms:

clean, cleanse, disinfect, hallow, purify, sanctify, wash.

Prepositions:

The temple was defiled _with_ blood; defiled _by_ sacrilegious deeds.

* * * * *

DEFINITION.

Synonyms:

comment, description, exposition, rendering, commentary, explanation, interpretation, translation.

A _definition_ is exact, an _explanation_ general; a _definition_ is formal, a _description_ pictorial. A _definition_ must include all that belongs to the object defined, and exclude all that does not; a _description_ may include only some general features; an _explanation_ may simply throw light upon some point of special difficulty. An _exposition_ undertakes to state more fully what is compactly given or only implied in the text; as, an _exposition_ of Scripture. _Interpretation_ is ordinarily from one language into another, or from the language of one period into that of another; it may also be a statement giving the doubtful or hidden meaning of that which is recondite or perplexing; as, the _interpretation_ of a dream, a riddle, or of some difficult passage. _Definition_, _explanation_, _exposition_, and _interpretation_ are ordinarily blended in a _commentary_, which may also include _description_. A _comment_ is upon a single passage; a _commentary_ may be the same, but is usually understood to be a volume of _comments_.

* * * * *

DELEGATE.

Synonyms:

deputy, legate, proxy, representative, substitute.

These words agree in designating one who acts in the place of some other or others. The _legate_ is an ecclesiastical officer representing the Pope. In strict usage the _deputy_ or _delegate_ is more limited in functions and more closely bound by instructions than a _representative_. A single officer may have a _deputy_; many persons combine to choose a _delegate_ or _representative_. In the United States informal assemblies send _delegates_ to nominating conventions with no legislative authority; _representatives_ are legally elected to Congress and the various legislatures, with lawmaking power.

* * * * *

DELIBERATE.

Synonyms:

confer, consult, meditate, reflect, consider, debate, ponder, weigh.

An individual _considers_, _meditates_, _ponders_, _reflects_, by himself; he _weighs_ a matter in his own mind, and is sometimes said even to _debate_ with himself. _Consult_ and _confer_ always imply two or more persons, as does _debate_, unless expressly limited as above. _Confer_ suggests the interchange of counsel, advice, or information; _consult_ indicates almost exclusively the receiving of it. A man _confers_ with his associates about a new investment; he _consults_ his physician about his health; he may _confer_ with him on matters of general interest. He _consults_ a dictionary, but does not _confer_ with it. _Deliberate_, which can be applied to a single individual, is also the word for a great number, while _consult_ is ordinarily limited to a few; a committee _consults_; an assembly _deliberates_. _Deliberating_ always carries the idea of slowness; _consulting_ is compatible with haste; we can speak of a hasty consultation, not of a hasty deliberation. _Debate_ implies opposing views; _deliberate_, simply a gathering and balancing of all facts and reasons. We _consider_ or _deliberate_ with a view to action, while _meditation_ may be quite purposeless.

Prepositions:

We deliberate _on_ or _upon_, also _about_ or _concerning_ a matter: the first two are preferable.

* * * * *

DELICIOUS.

Synonyms:

dainty, delightful, exquisite, luscious, savory.

That is _delicious_ which affords a gratification at once vivid and delicate to the senses, especially to those of taste and smell; as, _delicious_ fruit; a _delicious_ odor; _luscious_ has a kindred but more fulsome meaning, inclining toward a cloying excess of sweetness or richness. _Savory_ is applied chiefly to cooked food made palatable by spices and condiments. _Delightful_ may be applied to the higher gratifications of sense, as _delightful_ music, but is chiefly used for that which is mental and spiritual. _Delicious_ has a limited use in this way; as, a _delicious_ bit of poetry; the word is sometimes used ironically for some pleasing absurdity; as, this is _delicious_! Compare DELIGHTFUL.

Antonyms:

acrid, loathsome, nauseous, repulsive, unpalatable, unsavory. bitter,

* * * * *

DELIGHTFUL.

Synonyms:

acceptable, delicious, pleasant, refreshing, agreeable, grateful, pleasing, satisfying, congenial, gratifying, pleasurable, welcome.

_Agreeable_ refers to whatever gives a mild degree of pleasure; as, an _agreeable_ perfume. _Acceptable_ indicates a thing to be worthy of acceptance; as, an _acceptable_ offering. _Grateful_ is stronger than _agreeable_ or _gratifying_, indicating whatever awakens a feeling akin to gratitude. A _pleasant_ face and _pleasing_ manners arouse _pleasurable_ sensations, and make the possessor an _agreeable_ companion; if possessed of intelligence, vivacity, and goodness, such a person's society will be _delightful_. Criminals may find each other's company _congenial_, but scarcely _delightful_. _Satisfying_ denotes anything that is received with calm acquiescence, as substantial food, or established truth. That is _welcome_ which is received with joyful heartiness; as, _welcome_ tidings. Compare BEAUTIFUL; CHARMING; DELICIOUS.

Antonyms:

depressing, hateful, miserable, painful, woful, disappointing, horrible, mournful, saddening, wretched. distressing, melancholy,

* * * * *

DELUSION.

Synonyms:

error, fallacy, hallucination, illusion, phantasm.

A _delusion_ is a mistaken conviction, an _illusion_ a mistaken perception or inference. An _illusion_ may be wholly of the senses; a _delusion_ always involves some mental error. In an optical _illusion_ the observer sees either what does not exist, or what exists otherwise than as he sees it, as when in a mirage distant springs and trees appear close at hand. We speak of the _illusions_ of fancy or of hope, but of the _delusions_ of the insane. A _hallucination_ is a false image or belief which has nothing, outside of the disordered mind, to suggest it; as, the _hallucinations_ of delirium tremens. Compare DECEPTION; INSANITY.

Antonyms:

actuality, certainty, fact, reality, truth, verity.

* * * * *

DEMOLISH.

Synonyms:

destroy, overthrow, overturn, raze, ruin.

A building, monument, or other structure is _demolished_ when reduced to a shapeless mass; it is _razed_ when leveled with the ground; it is _destroyed_ when its structural unity is gone, whether or not its component parts remain. An edifice is _destroyed_ by fire or earthquake; it is _demolished_ by bombardment; it is _ruined_ when, by violence or neglect, it has become unfit for human habitation. Compare ABOLISH; BREAK.

Antonyms:

build, construct, create, make, repair, restore.

* * * * *

DEMONSTRATION.

Synonyms:

certainty, consequence, evidence, inference, conclusion, deduction, induction, proof.

_Demonstration_, in the strict and proper sense, is the highest form of _proof_, and gives the most absolute _certainty_, but can not be applied outside of pure mathematics or other strictly deductive reasoning; there can be _proof_ and _certainty_, however, in matters that do not admit of _demonstration_. A _conclusion_ is the absolute and necessary result of the admission of certain premises; an _inference_ is a probable _conclusion_ toward which known facts, statements, or admissions point, but which they do not absolutely establish; sound premises, together with their necessary _conclusion_, constitute a _demonstration_. _Evidence_ is that which tends to show a thing to be true; in the widest sense, as including self-_evidence_ or consciousness, it is the basis of all knowledge. _Proof_ in the strict sense is complete, irresistible _evidence_; as, there was much _evidence_ against the accused, but not amounting to _proof_ of guilt. Moral _certainty_ is a conviction resting on such _evidence_ as puts a matter beyond reasonable doubt, while not so irresistible as _demonstration_. Compare HYPOTHESIS; INDUCTION.

* * * * *

DESIGN.

Synonyms:

aim, final cause, object, proposal, device, intent, plan, purpose, end, intention, project, scheme.

_Design_ refers to the adaptation of means to an _end_, the correspondence and coordination of parts, or of separate acts, to produce a result; _intent_ and _purpose_ overleap all particulars, and fasten on the _end_ itself. _Intention_ is simply the more familiar form of the legal and philosophical _intent_. _Plan_ relates to details of form, structure, and action, in themselves; _design_ considers these same details all as a means to an _end_. The _plan_ of a campaign may be for a series of sharp attacks, with the _design_ of thus surprising and overpowering the enemy. A man comes to a fixed _intention_ to kill his enemy; he forms a _plan_ to entrap him into his power, with the _design_ of then compassing his death; as the law can not read the heart, it can only infer the _intent_ from the evidences of _design_. _Intent_ denotes a straining, stretching forth toward an _object_; _purpose_ simply the placing it before oneself; hence, we speak of the _purpose_ rather than the _intent_ or _intention_ of God. We hold that the marks of _design_ in nature prove it the work of a great Designer. _Intention_ contemplates the possibility of failure; _purpose_ looks to assured success; _intent_ or _intention_ refers especially to the state of mind of the actor; _purpose_ to the result of the action. Compare AIM; CAUSE; IDEA; MODEL.

Prepositions:

The design _of_ defrauding; the design _of_ a building; a design _for_ a statue.

* * * * *

DESIRE.

Synonyms:

appetency, concupiscence, hankering, proclivity, appetite, coveting, inclination, propensity, aspiration, craving, longing, wish.

_Inclination_ is the mildest of these terms; it is a quiet, or even a vague or unconscious, tendency. Even when we speak of a strong or decided _inclination_ we do not express the intensity of _desire_. _Desire_ has a wide range, from the highest objects to the lowest; _desire_ is for an object near at hand, or near in thought, and viewed as attainable; a _wish_ may be for what is remote or uncertain, or even for what is recognized as impossible. _Craving_ is stronger than _hankering_; _hankering_ may be the result of a fitful and capricious _appetite_; _craving_ may be the imperious and reasonable demand of the whole nature. _Longing_ is a reaching out with deep and persistent demand for that which is viewed as now distant but at some time attainable; as, the captive's _longing_ for release. _Coveting_ ordinarily denotes wrong _desire_ for that which is another's. Compare APPETITE.

Antonyms:

See synonyms for ANTIPATHY.

Prepositions:

The desire _of_ fame; a desire _for_ excellence.