Chapter VIII: Part I: Synonyms, Antonyms and Prepositions (6)

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DESPAIR.

Synonyms:

desperation, despondency, discouragement, hopelessness.

_Discouragement_ is the result of so much repulse or failure as wears out courage. _Discouragements_ too frequent and long continued may produce a settled _hopelessness_. _Hopelessness_ is negative, and may result from simple apathy; _despondency_ and _despair_ are more emphatic and decided. _Despondency_ is an incapacity for the present exercise of hope; _despair_ is the utter abandonment of hope. _Despondency_ relaxes energy and effort and is always attended with sadness or distress; _despair_ may produce a stony calmness, or it may lead to _desperation_. _Desperation_ is energized _despair_, vigorous in action, reckless of consequences.

Antonyms:

anticipation, confidence, encouragement, expectation, hopefulness, assurance, courage, expectancy, hope, trust. cheer, elation,

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DEXTERITY.

Synonyms:

adroitness, aptitude, cleverness, expertness, readiness, skill.

_Adroitness_ (F. _à_, to, and _droit_, right) and _dexterity_ (L. _dexter_, right, right-hand) might each be rendered "right-handedness;" but _adroitness_ carries more of the idea of eluding, parrying, or checking some hostile movement, or taking advantage of another in controversy; _dexterity_ conveys the idea of doing, accomplishing something readily and well, without reference to any action of others. We speak of _adroitness_ in fencing, boxing, or debate; of _dexterity_ in horsemanship, in the use of tools, weapons, etc. _Aptitude_ (L. _aptus_, fit, fitted) is a natural _readiness_, which by practise may be developed into _dexterity_. _Skill_ is more exact to line, rule, and method than _dexterity_. _Dexterity_ can not be communicated, and, oftentimes can not even be explained by its possessor; _skill_ to a very great extent can be imparted; "_skilled_ workmen" in various trades are numbered by thousands. Compare ADDRESS; CLEVER; POWER; SKILFUL.

Prepositions:

Dexterity _of_ hand, _of_ movement, _of_ management; _with_ the pen; _in_ action, _in_ manipulating men; _at_ cards.

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DICTION.

Synonyms:

expression, phrase, style, vocabulary, language, phraseology, verbiage, wording.

An author's _diction_ is strictly his choice and use of words, with no special reference to thought; _expression_ regards the words simply as the vehicle of the thought. _Phrase_ and _phraseology_ apply to words or combinations of words which are somewhat technical; as, in legal _phraseology_; in military _phrase_. _Diction_ is general; _wording_ is limited; we speak of the _diction_ of an author or of a work, the _wording_ of a proposition, of a resolution, etc. _Verbiage_ never bears this sense (see CIRCUMLOCUTION.) The _language_ of a writer or speaker may be the national speech he employs; as, the English or French _language_; or the word may denote his use of that _language_; as, the author's _language_ is well (or ill) chosen. _Style_ includes _diction_, _expression_, rhetorical figures such as metaphor and simile, the effect of an author's prevailing tone of thought, of his personal traits--in short, all that makes up the clothing of thought in words; thus, we speak of a figurative _style_, a frigid or an argumentative _style_, etc., or of the _style_ of Macaulay, Prescott, or others. An author's _vocabulary_ is the range of words which he brings into his use. Compare LANGUAGE.

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DIE.

Synonyms:

cease, decline, expire, perish, decease, depart, fade, wither.

_Die_, to go out of life, become destitute of vital power and action, is figuratively applied to anything which has the appearance of life.

Where the _dying_ night-lamp flickers.

TENNYSON _Locksley Hall_ st. 40.

An echo, a strain of music, a tempest, a topic, an issue, _dies_. _Expire_ (literally, to breathe out) is a softer word for _die_; it is used figuratively of things that _cease_ to exist by reaching a natural limit; as, a lease _expires_; the time has _expired_. To _perish_ (literally, in Latin, to go through, as in English we say, "the fire goes out") is oftenest used of death by privation or exposure; as, "I _perish_ with hunger," _Luke_ xv, 17; sometimes, of death by violence. Knowledge and fame, art and empires, may be said to _perish_; the word denotes utter destruction and decay.

Antonyms:

be born, come into being, flourish, rise again, begin, come to life, grow, rise from the dead, be immortal, exist, live, survive.

Prepositions:

To die _of_ fever; _by_ violence; rarely, _with_ the sword, famine, etc. (_Ezek._ vii, 15); to die _for_ one's country; to die _at_ sea; _in_ one's bed; _in_ agony; die _to_ the world.

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DIFFERENCE.

Synonyms:

contrariety, discrimination, distinction, inequality, contrast, disparity, divergence, unlikeness, disagreement, dissimilarity, diversity, variation, discrepancy, dissimilitude, inconsistency, variety.

_Difference_ is the state or quality of being unlike or the amount of such unlikeness. A _difference_ is in the things compared; a _discrimination_ is in our judgment of them; a _distinction_ is in our definition or description or mental image of them. Careful _discrimination_ of real _differences_ results in clear _distinctions_. _Disparity_ is stronger than _inequality_, implying that one thing falls far below another; as, the _disparity_ of our achievements when compared with our ideals. _Dissimilarity_ is between things sharply contrasted; there may be a _difference_ between those almost alike. There is a _discrepancy_ in accounts that fail to balance. _Variety_ involves more than two objects; so, in general, does _diversity_; _variation_ is a _difference_ in the condition or action of the same object at different times. _Disagreement_ is not merely the lack, but the opposite, of agreement; it is a mild word for opposition and conflict; _difference_ is sometimes used in the same sense.

Antonyms:

agreement, harmony, likeness, sameness, uniformity, consonance, identity, resemblance, similarity, unity.

Prepositions:

Difference _between_ the old and the new; differences _among_ men; a difference _in_ character; _of_ action; _of_ style; (less frequently) a difference (controversy) _with_ a person; a difference _of_ one thing _from_ (incorrectly _to_) another.

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DIFFICULT.

Synonyms:

arduous, hard, onerous, toilsome, exhausting, laborious, severe, trying.

_Arduous_ (L. _arduus_, steep) signifies primarily so steep and lofty as to be difficult of ascent, and hence applies to that which involves great and sustained exertion and ordinarily for a lofty aim; great learning can only be won by _arduous_ toil. _Hard_ applies to anything that resists our endeavors as a scarcely penetrable mass resists our physical force. Anything is _hard_ that involves tax and strain whether of the physical or mental powers. _Difficult_ is not used of that which merely taxes physical force; a dead lift is called _hard_ rather than _difficult_; breaking stone on the road would be called _hard_ rather than _difficult_ work; that is _difficult_ which involves skill, sagacity, or address, with or without a considerable expenditure of physical force; a geometrical problem may be _difficult_ to solve, a tangled skein to unravel; a mountain _difficult_ to ascend. _Hard_ may be active or passive; a thing may be _hard_ to do or _hard_ to bear. _Arduous_ is always active. That which is _laborious_ or _toilsome_ simply requires the steady application of labor or toil till accomplished; _toilsome_ is the stronger word. That which is _onerous_ (L. _onus_, a burden) is mentally burdensome or oppressive. Responsibility may be _onerous_ even when it involves no special exertion.

Antonyms:

easy, facile, light, pleasant, slight, trifling, trivial.

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DIRECTION.

Synonyms:

aim, bearing, course, inclination, tendency, way.

The _direction_ of an object is the line of motion or of vision toward it, or the line in which the object is moving, considered from our own actual or mental standpoint. _Way_, literally the road or path, comes naturally to mean the _direction_ of the road or path; conversationally, _way_ is almost a perfect synonym of _direction_; as, which _way_ did he go? or, in which _direction_? _Bearing_ is the _direction_ in which an object is seen with reference to another, and especially with reference to the points of the compass. _Course_ is the _direction_ of a moving object; _inclination_, that toward which a stationary object leans; _tendency_, the _direction_ toward which anything stretches or reaches out; _tendency_ is stronger and more active than _inclination_. Compare AIM; CARE; ORDER; OVERSIGHT.

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DISCERN.

Synonyms:

behold, discriminate, observe, recognize, descry, distinguish, perceive, see.

What we _discern_ we _see_ apart from all other objects; what we _discriminate_ we judge apart; what we _distinguish_ we mark apart, or recognize by some special mark or manifest difference. We _discriminate_ by real differences; we _distinguish_ by outward signs; an officer is readily _distinguished_ from a common soldier by his uniform. Objects may be dimly _discerned_ at twilight, when yet we can not clearly _distinguish_ one from another. We _descry_ (originally _espy_) what is difficult to discover. Compare DISCOVER; LOOK.

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DISCOVER.

Synonyms:

ascertain, detect, disclose, ferret out, find out, descry, discern, expose, find, invent.

Of human actions or character, _detect_ is used, almost without exception, in a bad sense; _discover_ may be used in either the good or the bad sense, oftener in the good; he was _detected_ in a fraud; real merit is sure to be _discovered_. In scientific language, _detect_ is used of delicate indications that appear in course of careful watching; as, a slight fluttering of the pulse could be _detected_. We _discover_ what has existed but has not been known to us; we _invent_ combinations or arrangements not before in use; Columbus _discovered_ America; Morse _invented_ the electric telegraph. _Find_ is the most general word for every means of coming to know what was not before certainly known. A man _finds_ in the road some stranger's purse, or _finds_ his own which he is searching for. The expert _discovers_ or _detects_ an error in an account; the auditor _finds_ the account to be correct. Compare DISCERN.

Antonyms:

See synonyms for HIDE.

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DISEASE.

Synonyms:

affection, disorder, indisposition, sickness, ailment, distemper, infirmity, unhealthiness, complaint, illness, malady, unsoundness.

_Disease_ is the general term for any deviation from health; in a more limited sense it denotes some definite morbid condition; _disorder_ and _affection_ are rather partial and limited; as, a nervous _affection_; a _disorder_ of the digestive system. _Sickness_ was generally used in English speech and literature, till the close of the eighteenth century at least, for every form of physical _disorder_, as abundantly appears in the English Bible: "Jesus went about ... healing all manner of _sickness_ and all manner of _disease_ among the people," _Matt._ iv, 23; "Elisha was fallen _sick_ of his _sickness_ whereof he died," _2 Kings_ xiii, 14. There is now, in England, a tendency to restrict the words _sick_ and _sickness_ to nausea, or "_sickness_ at the stomach," and to hold _ill_ and _illness_ as the only proper words to use in a general sense. This distinction has received but a very limited acceptance in the United States, where _sick_ and _sickness_ have the earlier and wider usage. We speak of trifling _ailments_, a slight _indisposition_, a serious or a deadly _disease_; a slight or severe _illness_; a painful _sickness_. _Complaint_ is a popular term, which may be applied to any degree of ill health, slight or severe. _Infirmity_ denotes a chronic or lingering weakness or disability, as blindness or lameness.

Antonyms:

health, robustness, soundness, strength, sturdiness, vigor.

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DISPARAGE.

Synonyms:

belittle, depreciate, discredit, underestimate, carp at, derogate from, dishonor, underrate, decry, detract from, lower, undervalue.

To _decry_ is to cry down, in some noisy, public, or conspicuous manner. A witness or a statement is _discredited_; the currency is _depreciated_; a good name is _dishonored_ by unworthy conduct; we _underestimate_ in our own minds; we may _underrate_ or _undervalue_ in statement to others. These words are used, with few exceptions, of things such as qualities, merits, attainments, etc. To _disparage_ is to _belittle_ by damaging comparison or suggestion; it is used only of things. A man's achievements are _disparaged_, his motives _depreciated_, his professions _discredited_; he himself is calumniated, slandered, etc. Compare SLANDER.

Antonyms:

See synonyms for PRAISE.

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DISPLACE.

Synonyms:

confuse, derange, disturb, mislay, remove, crowd out, disarrange, jumble, misplace, unsettle.

Objects are _displaced_ when moved out of the place they have occupied; they are _misplaced_ when put into a place where they should not be. One may know where to find what he has _misplaced_; what he has _mislaid_ he can not locate.

Antonyms:

adjust, assort, dispose, order, put in order, set in order, array, classify, group, place, put in place, sort.

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DO.

Synonyms:

accomplish, carry out, discharge, perform, achieve, carry through, effect, perpetrate, actualize, commit, execute, realize, bring about, complete, finish, transact, bring to pass, consummate, fulfil, work out.

_Do_ is the one comprehensive word which includes this whole class. We may say of the least item of daily work, "It is _done_," and of the grandest human achievement, "Well _done_!" _Finish_ and _complete_ signify to bring to an end what was previously begun; there is frequently the difference in usage that _finish_ is applied to the fine details and is superficial, while _complete_ is comprehensive, being applied to the whole ideal, plan, and execution; as, to _finish_ a statue; to _complete_ a scheme of philosophy. To _discharge_ is to _do_ what is given in charge, expected, or required; as, to _discharge_ the duties of the office. To _fulfil_ is to _do_ or to be what has been promised, expected, hoped, or desired; as, a son _fulfils_ a father's hopes. _Realize_, _effect_, _execute_, and _consummate_ all signify to embody in fact what was before in thought. One may _realize_ that which he has done nothing to _bring about_; he may _realize_ the dreams of youth by inheriting a fortune; but he can not _effect_ his early designs except by _doing_ the utmost that is necessary to make them fact. _Effect_ includes all that is _done_ to _accomplish_ the intent; _execute_ refers rather to the final steps; _consummate_ is limited quite sharply to the concluding act. An officer _executes_ the law when he proceeds against its violators; a purchase is _consummated_ when the money is paid and the property delivered. _Execute_ refers more commonly to the commands of another, _effect_ and _consummate_ to one's own designs; as, the commander _effected_ the capture of the fort, because his officers and men promptly _executed_ his commands. _Achieve_--to _do_ something worthy of a chief--signifies always to _perform_ some great and generally some worthy exploit. _Perform_ and _accomplish_ both imply working toward the end; but _perform_ always allows a possibility of not attaining, while _accomplish_ carries the thought of full completion. In Longfellow's lines, "Patience; _accomplish_ thy labor," etc., _perform_ could not be substituted without great loss. As between _complete_ and _accomplish_, _complete_ considers rather the thing as _done_; _accomplish_, the whole process of doing it. _Commit_, as applied to actions, is used only of those that are bad, whether grave or trivial; _perpetrate_ is used chiefly of aggravated crimes or, somewhat humorously, of blunders. A man may _commit_ a sin, a trespass, or a murder; _perpetrate_ an outrage or a felony. We _finish_ a garment or a letter, _complete_ an edifice or a life-work, _consummate_ a bargain or a crime, _discharge_ a duty, _effect_ a purpose, _execute_ a command, _fulfil_ a promise, _perform_ our daily tasks, _realize_ an ideal, _accomplish_ a design, _achieve_ a victory. Compare TRANSACT; TRANSACTION.

Antonyms:

baffle, defeat, fail, mar, miss, ruin, come short, destroy, frustrate, miscarry, neglect, spoil.

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DOCILE.

Synonyms:

amenable, manageable, pliant, teachable, compliant, obedient, submissive, tractable, gentle, pliable, tame, yielding.

One who is _docile_ is easily taught; one who is _tractable_ is easily led; one who is _pliant_ is easily bent in any direction; _compliant_ represents one as inclined or persuaded to agreement with another's will. Compare DUTY.

Antonyms:

determined, inflexible, opinionated, self-willed, wilful, dogged, intractable, resolute, stubborn, unyielding. firm, obstinate,

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DOCTRINE.

Synonyms:

article of belief, belief, precept, teaching, article of faith, dogma, principle, tenet.

_Doctrine_ primarily signifies that which is taught; _principle_, the fundamental basis on which the _teaching_ rests. A _doctrine_ is reasoned out, and may be defended by reasoning; a _dogma_ rests on authority, as of direct revelation, the decision of the church, etc. A _doctrine_ or _dogma_ is a statement of some one item of _belief_; a _creed_ is a summary of _doctrines_ or _dogmas_. _Dogma_ has commonly, at the present day, an offensive signification, as of a _belief_ arrogantly asserted. _Tenet_ is simply that which is held, and is applied to a single item of _belief_; it is a neutral word, neither approving nor condemning; we speak of the _doctrines_ of our own church; of the _tenets_ of others. A _precept_ relates not to _belief_, but to conduct. Compare FAITH; LAW.

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DOGMATIC.

Synonyms:

arrogant, doctrinal, magisterial, positive, authoritative, domineering, opinionated, self-opinionated, dictatorial, imperious, overbearing, systematic.

_Dogmatic_ is technically applied in a good sense to that which is formally enunciated by adequate authority; _doctrinal_ to that which is stated in the form of doctrine to be taught or defended. _Dogmatic_ theology, called also "dogmatics," gives definite propositions, which it holds to be delivered by authority; _systematic_ theology considers the same propositions in their logical connection and order as parts of a system; a _doctrinal_ statement is less absolute in its claims than a _dogmatic_ treatise, and may be more partial than the term _systematic_ would imply. Outside of theology, _dogmatic_ has generally an offensive sense; a _dogmatic_ statement is one for which the author does not trouble himself to give a reason, either because of the strength of his convictions, or because of his contempt for those whom he addresses; thus _dogmatic_ is, in common use, allied with _arrogant_ and kindred words.

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DOUBT, _v._

Synonyms:

distrust, mistrust, surmise, suspect.

To _doubt_ is to lack conviction. Incompleteness of evidence may compel one to _doubt_, or some perverse bias of mind may incline him to. _Distrust_ may express simply a lack of confidence; as, I _distrust_ my own judgment; or it may be nearly equivalent to _suspect_; as, I _distrusted_ that man from the start. _Mistrust_ and _suspect_ imply that one is almost assured of positive evil; one may _distrust_ himself or others; he _suspects_ others. _Mistrust_ is now rarely, if ever, used of persons, but only of motives, intentions, etc. _Distrust_ is always serious; _mistrust_ is often used playfully. Compare SUPPOSE. Compare synonyms for DOUBT, _n._

Antonyms:

believe, depend on, depend upon, rely on, rely upon, trust. confide in,

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DOUBT, _n._

Synonyms:

disbelief, incredulity, perplexity, suspense, distrust, indecision, question, suspicion, hesitancy, irresolution, scruple, unbelief, hesitation, misgiving, skepticism, uncertainty.

_Doubt_ is a lack of conviction that may refer either to matters of belief or to matters of practise. As regards belief, while _doubt_ is lack of conviction, _disbelief_ is conviction, to the contrary; _unbelief_ refers to a settled state of mind, generally accompanied with opposition of heart. _Perplexity_ is active and painful; _doubt_ may be quiescent. _Perplexity_ presses toward a solution; _doubt_ may be content to linger unresolved. Any improbable statement awakens _incredulity_. In theological usage _unbelief_ and _skepticism_ have a condemnatory force, as implying wilful rejection of manifest truth. As regards practical matters, _uncertainty_ applies to the unknown or undecided; _doubt_ implies some negative evidence. _Suspense_ regards the future, and is eager and anxious; _uncertainty_ may relate to any period, and be quite indifferent. _Misgiving_ is ordinarily in regard to the outcome of something already done or decided; _hesitation_, _indecision_, and _irresolution_ have reference to something that remains to be decided or done, and are due oftener to infirmity of will than to lack of knowledge. _Distrust_ and _suspicion_ apply especially to the motives, character, etc., of others, and are more decidedly adverse than _doubt_. _Scruple_ relates to matters of conscience and duty.

Antonyms:

assurance, certainty, conviction, determination, resolution, belief, confidence, decision, persuasion, resolve.

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DRAW.

Synonyms:

allure, drag, haul, induce, lure, tow, attract, entice, incline, lead, pull, tug.

One object _draws_ another when it moves it toward itself or in the direction of its own motion by the exertion of adequate force, whether slight or powerful. To _attract_ is to exert a force that tends to _draw_, tho it may produce no actual motion; all objects are _attracted_ toward the earth, tho they may be sustained from falling. To _drag_ is to _draw_ against strong resistance; as, to _drag_ a sled over bare ground, or a carriage up a steep hill. To _pull_ is to exert a _drawing_ force, whether adequate or inadequate; as, the fish _pulls_ on the line; a dentist _pulls_ a tooth. To _tug_ is to _draw_, or try to _draw_, a resisting object with a continuous straining motion; as, to _tug_ at the oar. To _haul_ is to _draw_ somewhat slowly a heavy object; as, to _haul_ a seine; to _haul_ logs. One vessel _tows_ another. In the figurative sense, _attract_ is more nearly akin to _incline_, _draw_ to _induce_. We are _attracted_ by one's appearance, _drawn_ to his side. Compare ALLURE; ARRAY; INFLUENCE.

Antonyms:

alienate, estrange, rebuff, reject, repel, repulse.

See synonyms for DRIVE.

Prepositions:

To draw water _from_ or _out of_ the well; draw the boat _through_ the water, _to_ the shore; draw air _into_ the lungs; draw _with_ cords of love; the wagon is drawn _by_ horses, _along_ the road, _across_ the field, _over_ the stones, _through_ the woods, _to_ the barn.

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DREAM.

Synonyms:

day-dream, fantasy, reverie, trance, fancy, hallucination, romance, vision.

A _dream_ is strictly a train of thoughts, fantasies, and images passing through the mind during sleep; a _vision_ may occur when one is awake, and in clear exercise of the senses and mental powers; _vision_ is often applied to something seen by the mind through supernatural agency, whether in sleep or wakefulness, conceived as more real and authoritative than a _dream_; a _trance_ is an abnormal state, which is different from normal sleep or wakefulness. A _reverie_ is a purposeless drifting of the mind when awake, under the influence of mental images; a _day-dream_ that which passes before the mind in such condition. A _fancy_ is some image presented to the mind, often in the fullest exercise of its powers. _Hallucination_ is the seeming perception of non-existent objects, as in insanity or delirium. In the figurative sense, we speak of _dreams_ of fortune, _visions_ of glory, with little difference of meaning except that the _vision_ is thought of as fuller and more vivid. We speak of a _trance_ of delight when the emotion almost sweeps one away from the normal exercise of the faculties.

Antonyms:

certainty, fact, reality, realization, substance, verity.

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DRESS.

Synonyms:

apparel, clothes, garb, habit, uniform, array, clothing, garments, raiment, vestments, attire, costume, habiliments, robes, vesture.

_Clothing_ denotes the entire covering of the body, taken as a whole; _clothes_ and _garments_ view it as composed of separate parts. _Clothes_, _clothing_, and _garments_ may be used of inner or outer covering; all the other words in the list (with possible rare exceptions in the case of _raiment_) refer to the outer _garments_. _Array_, _raiment_, and _vesture_ are archaic or poetic; so, too, is _habit_, except in technical use to denote a lady's riding-_dress_. The word _vestments_ is now rare, except in ecclesiastical use. _Apparel_ and _attire_ are most frequently used of somewhat complete and elegant outer _clothing_, tho Shakespeare speaks of "poor and mean _attire_." _Dress_ may be used, specifically, for a woman's gown, and in that sense may be either rich or shabby; but in the general sense it denotes outer _clothing_ which is meant to be elegant, complete, and appropriate to some social or public occasion; as, full _dress_, court _dress_, evening _dress_, etc. _Dress_ has now largely displaced _apparel_ and _attire_. _Garb_ denotes the _clothing_ characteristic of some class, profession, or the like; as, the _garb_ of a priest. _Costume_ is chiefly used for that which befits an assumed character; as, a theatrical _costume_; we sometimes speak of a national _costume_, etc.

Antonyms:

bareness, dishabille, exposure, nakedness, nudity, undress. disarray,

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DRIVE.

Synonyms:

compel, propel, repel, resist, thrust, impel, push, repulse, ride, urge on.

To _drive_ is to move an object with some force or violence before or away from oneself; it is the direct reverse of _draw_, _lead_, etc. A man leads a horse by the halter, _drives_ him with whip and rein. One may be _driven_ to a thing or from it; hence, _drive_ is a synonym equally for _compel_ or for _repel_ or _repulse_. _Repulse_ is stronger and more conclusive than _repel_; one may be _repelled_ by the very aspect of the person whose favor he seeks, but is not _repulsed_ except by the direct refusal or ignoring of his suit. A certain conventional modern usage, especially in England, requires us to say that we _drive_ in a carriage, _ride_ upon a horse; tho in Scripture we read of _riding_ in a chariot (_2 Kings_ ix, 16; _Jer._ xvii, 25, etc.); good examples of the same usage may be found abundantly in the older English. The propriety of a person's saying that he is going to _drive_ when he is simply to be conveyed in a carriage, where some one else, as the coachman, does all the _driving_, is exceedingly questionable. Many good authorities prefer to use _ride_ in the older and broader sense as signifying to be supported and borne along by any means of conveyance. Compare BANISH; COMPEL; INFLUENCE.

Antonyms:

See synonyms for DRAW.

Prepositions:

Drive _to_ market; _to_ despair; drive _into_ exile; _from_ one's presence; _out of_ the city; drive _by_, _with_, or _under_ the lash; drive _by_ or _past_ beautiful estates; _along_ the beach; _beside_ the river; _through_ the park; _across_ the field; _around_ the square; _to_ the door; _into_ the barn; _out of_ the sunshine.

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DUPLICATE.

Synonyms:

copy, facsimile, likeness, reproduction, counterpart, imitation, replica, transcript.

A _copy_ is as nearly like the original as the copyist has power to make it; a _duplicate_ is exactly like the original; a carbon _copy_ of a typewritten document must be a _duplicate_; we may have an inaccurate _copy_, but never an inaccurate _duplicate_. A _facsimile_ is like the original in appearance; a _duplicate_ is the same as the original in substance and effect; a _facsimile_ of the Declaration of Independence is not a _duplicate_. A _facsimile_ of a key might be quite useless; a _duplicate_ will open the lock. A _counterpart_ exactly corresponds to another object, but perhaps without design, while a _copy_ is intentional. An _imitation_ is always thought of as inferior to the original; as, an _imitation_ of Milton. A _replica_ is a _copy_ of a work of art by the maker of the original. In law, a _copy_ of an instrument has in itself no authority; the signatures, as well as other matters, may be copied; a _duplicate_ is really an original, containing the same provisions and signed by the same persons, so that it may have in all respects the same force and effect; a _transcript_ is an official _copy_, authenticated by the signature of the proper officer, and by the seal of the appropriate court. While strictly there could be but one _duplicate_, the word is now extended to an indefinite number of exact _copies_. _Reproduction_ is chiefly applied to living organisms.

Antonyms:

archetype, model, original, pattern, prototype.

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DUTY.

Synonyms:

accountability, function, office, right, business, obligation, responsibility, righteousness.

Etymologically, _duty_ is that which is owed or due; _obligation_, that to or by which one is bound; _right_, that which is correct, straight, or in the direct line of truth and goodness; _responsibility_, that for which one must answer. _Duty_ and _responsibility_ are thought of as to some person or persons; _right_ is impersonal. One's _duty_ may be to others or to himself; his _obligations_ and _responsibilities_ are to others. _Duty_ arises from the nature of things; _obligation_ and _responsibility_ may be created by circumstances, as by one's own promise, or by the acceptance of a trust, etc. We speak of a parent's _duty_, a debtor's _obligation_; or of a child's _duty_ of obedience, and a parent's _responsibility_ for the child's welfare. _Right_ is that which accords with the moral system of the universe. _Righteousness_ is _right_ incarnated in action. In a more limited sense, _right_ may be used of what one may rightly claim, and so be the converse of _duty_. It is the creditor's _right_ to demand payment, and the debtor's _duty_ to pay. Compare BUSINESS.

* * * * *

EAGER.

Synonyms:

animated, desirous, glowing, importunate, longing, anxious, earnest, hot, intense, vehement, ardent, enthusiastic, impatient, intent, yearning, burning, fervent, impetuous, keen, zealous.

One is _eager_ who impatiently desires to accomplish some end; one is _earnest_ with a desire that is less impatient, but more deep, resolute, and constant; one is _anxious_ with a desire that foresees rather the pain of disappointment than the delight of attainment. One is _eager_ for the gratification of any appetite or passion; he is _earnest_ in conviction, purpose, or character. _Eager_ usually refers to some specific and immediate satisfaction, _earnest_ to something permanent and enduring; the patriotic soldier is _earnest_ in his devotion to his country, _eager_ for a decisive battle.

Antonyms:

apathetic, cool, indifferent, regardless, unconcerned, calm, dispassionate, negligent, stolid, uninterested, careless, frigid, phlegmatic, stony, unmindful, cold, heedless, purposeless, stupid, unmoved.

Prepositions:

Eager _for_ (more rarely _after_) favor, honor, etc.; eager _in_ pursuit.

* * * * *

EASE.

Synonyms:

easiness, expertness, facility, knack, readiness.

_Ease_ in the sense here considered denotes freedom from conscious or apparent effort, tax, or strain. _Ease_ may be either of condition or of action; _facility_ is always of action; _readiness_ is of action or of expected action. One lives at _ease_ who has no pressing cares; one stands at _ease_, moves or speaks with _ease_, when wholly without constraint. _Facility_ is always active; _readiness_ may be active or passive; the speaker has _facility_ of expression, _readiness_ of wit; any appliance is in _readiness_ for use. _Ease_ of action may imply merely the possession of ample power; _facility_ always implies practise and skill; any one can press down the keys of a typewriter with _ease_; only the skilled operator works the machine with _facility_. _Readiness_ in the active sense includes much of the meaning of _ease_ with the added idea of promptness or alertness. _Easiness_ applies to the thing done, rather than to the doer. _Expertness_ applies to the more mechanical processes of body and mind; we speak of the _readiness_ of an orator, but of the _expertness_ of a gymnast. Compare COMFORTABLE; DEXTERITY; POWER.

Antonyms:

annoyance, difficulty, irritation, trouble, vexation, awkwardness, discomfort, perplexity, uneasiness, worry. constraint, disquiet,

* * * * *

EDUCATION.

Synonyms:

breeding, discipline, learning, study, cultivation, information, nurture, teaching, culture, instruction, reading, training, development, knowledge, schooling, tuition.

_Education_ (L. _educere_, to lead or draw out) is the systematic development and cultivation of the mind and other natural powers. "_Education_ is the harmonious development of all our faculties. It begins in the nursery, and goes on at school, but does not end there. It continues through life, whether we will or not.... 'Every person,' says Gibbon, 'has two educations, one which he receives from others, and one more important, which he gives himself.'" JOHN LUBBOCK _The Use of Life_ ch. vii, p. 111. [MACM. '94.] _Instruction_, the impartation of _knowledge_ by others (L. _instruere_, to build in or into) is but a part of education, often the smallest part. _Teaching_ is the more familiar and less formal word for _instruction_. _Training_ refers not merely to the impartation of _knowledge_, but to the exercising of one in actions with the design to form habits. _Discipline_ is systematic and rigorous _training_, with the idea of subjection to authority and perhaps of punishment. _Tuition_ is the technical term for _teaching_ as the business of an instructor or as in the routine of a school; _tuition_ is narrower than _teaching_, not, like the latter word, including _training_. _Study_ is emphatically what one does for himself. We speak of the _teaching_, _training_, or _discipline_, but not of the _education_ or _tuition_ of a dog or a horse. _Breeding_ and _nurture_ include _teaching_ and _training_, especially as directed by and dependent upon home life and personal association; _breeding_ having reference largely to manners with such qualities as are deemed distinctively characteristic of high birth; _nurture_ (literally _nourishing_) having more direct reference to moral qualities, not overlooking the physical and mental. _Knowledge_ and _learning_ tell nothing of mental development apart from the capacity to acquire and remember, and nothing whatever of that moral development which is included in _education_ in its fullest and noblest sense; _learning_, too, may be acquired by one's unaided industry, but any full _education_ must be the result in great part of _instruction_, _training_, and personal association. _Study_ is emphatically what one does for himself, and in which _instruction_ and _tuition_ can only point the way, encourage the student to advance, and remove obstacles; vigorous, persevering _study_ is one of the best elements of _training_. _Study_ is also used in the sense of the thing studied, a subject to be mastered by _study_, a studious pursuit. Compare KNOWLEDGE; REFINEMENT; WISDOM.

Antonyms:

ignorance, illiteracy.

Compare synonyms for IGNORANT.

* * * * *

EFFRONTERY.

Synonyms:

assurance, boldness, hardihood, insolence, audacity, brass, impudence, shamelessness.

_Audacity_, in the sense here considered, is a reckless defiance of law, decency, public opinion, or personal rights, claims, or views, approaching the meaning of _impudence_ or _shamelessness_, but always carrying the thought of the personal risk that one disregards in such defiance; the merely _impudent_ or _shameless_ person may take no thought of consequences; the _audacious_ person recognizes and recklessly braves them. _Hardihood_ defies and disregards the rational judgment of men. _Effrontery_ (L. _effrons_, barefaced, shameless) adds to _audacity_ and _hardihood_ the special element of defiance of considerations of propriety, duty, and respect for others, yet not to the extent implied in _impudence_ or _shamelessness_. _Impudence_ disregards what is due to superiors; _shamelessness_ defies decency. _Boldness_ is forward-stepping courage, spoken of with reference to the presence and observation of others; _boldness_, in the good sense, is courage viewed from the outside; but the word is frequently used in an unfavorable sense to indicate a lack of proper sensitiveness and modesty. Compare ASSURANCE; BRAVE.

Antonyms:

bashfulness, diffidence, sensitiveness, shyness, coyness, modesty, shrinking, timidity.

* * * * *

EGOTISM.

Synonyms:

conceit, self-assertion, self-confidence, self-esteem, egoism, self-conceit, self-consciousness, vanity.

_Egoism_ is giving the "I" undue supremacy in thought; _egotism_ is giving the "I" undue prominence in speech. _Egotism_ is sometimes used in the sense of _egoism_, or supreme regard for oneself. _Self-assertion_ is the claim by word, act, or manner of what one believes to be his due; _self-conceit_ is an overestimate of one's own powers or deserts. _Conceit_ is a briefer expression for _self-conceit_, with always an offensive implication; _self-conceit_ is ridiculous or pitiable; _conceit_ arouses resentment. There is a worthy _self-confidence_ which springs from consciousness of rectitude and of power equal to demands. _Self-assertion_ at times becomes a duty; but _self-conceit_ is always a weakness. _Self-consciousness_ is the keeping of one's thoughts upon oneself, with the constant anxious question of what others will think. _Vanity_ is an overweening admiration of self, craving equal admiration from others; _self-consciousness_ is commonly painful to its possessor, _vanity_ always a source of satisfaction, except as it fails to receive its supposed due. _Self-esteem_ is more solid and better founded than _self-conceit_; but is ordinarily a weakness, and never has the worthy sense of _self-confidence_. Compare ASSURANCE; PRIDE.

Antonyms:

bashfulness, humility, self-forgetfulness, unobtrusiveness, deference, modesty, shyness, unostentatiousness. diffidence, self-distrust,

* * * * *

EMBLEM.

Synonyms:

attribute, figure, image, sign, symbol, token, type.

_Emblem_ is the English form of _emblema_, a Latin word of Greek origin, signifying a figure beaten out on a metallic vessel by blows from within; also, a figure inlaid in wood, stone, or other material as a copy of some natural object. The Greek word _symbolon_ denoted a victor's wreath, a check, or any object that might be compared with, or found to correspond with another, whether there was or was not anything in the objects compared to suggest the comparison. Thus an _emblem_ resembles, a _symbol_ represents. An _emblem_ has some natural fitness to suggest that for which it stands; a _symbol_ has been chosen or agreed upon to suggest something else, with or without natural fitness; a _sign_ does actually suggest the thing with or without reason, and with or without intention or choice. A _symbol_ may be also an _emblem_; thus the elements of bread and wine in the Lord's Supper are both appropriate _emblems_ and his own chosen _symbols_ of suffering and death. A statement of doctrine is often called a _symbol_ of faith; but it is not an _emblem_. On the other hand, the same thing may be both a _sign_ and a _symbol_; a letter of the alphabet is a _sign_ which indicates a sound; but letters are often used as mathematical, chemical, or astronomical _symbols_. A _token_ is something given or done as a pledge or expression of feeling or intent; while the _sign_ may be unintentional, the _token_ is voluntary; kind looks may be _signs_ of regard; a gift is a _token_; a ring, which is a natural _emblem_ of eternity, and also its accepted _symbol_, is frequently given as a _token_ of friendship or love. A _figure_ in the sense here considered is something that represents an idea to the mind somewhat as a form is represented to the eye, as in drawing, painting, or sculpture; as representing a future reality, a _figure_ may be practically the same as a _type_. An _image_ is a visible representation, especially in sculpture, having or supposed to have a close resemblance to that which it represents. A _type_ is in religion a representation of a greater reality to come; we speak of one object as the _type_ of the class whose characteristics it exhibits, as in the case of animal or vegetable _types_. An _attribute_ in art is some accessory used to characterize a _figure_ or scene; the _attribute_ is often an _emblem_ or _symbol_; thus the eagle is the _attribute_ of St. John as an _emblem_ of lofty spiritual vision. Compare SIGN.

* * * * *

EMIGRATE.

Synonyms:

immigrate, migrate.

To _migrate_ is to change one's dwelling-place, usually with the idea of repeated change, or of periodical return; it applies to wandering tribes of men, and to many birds and animals. _Emigrate_ and _immigrate_ carry the idea of a permanent change of residence to some other country or some distant region; the two words are used distinctively of human beings, and apply to the same person and the same act, according to the side from which the action is viewed.

Prepositions:

A person emigrates _from_ the land he leaves, and immigrates _to_ the land where he takes up his abode.

* * * * *

EMPLOY.

Synonyms:

call, engage, engross, hire, make use of, use, use up.

In general terms it may be said that to _employ_ is to devote to one's purpose, to _use_ is to render subservient to one's purpose; what is _used_ is viewed as more absolutely an instrument than what is _employed_; a merchant _employs_ a clerk; he _uses_ pen and paper; as a rule, _use_ is not said of persons, except in a degrading sense; as, the conspirators _used_ him as a go-between. Hence the expression common in some religious circles "that God would _use_ me" is not to be commended; it has also the fault of representing the human worker as absolutely a passive and helpless instrument; the phrase is altogether unscriptural; the Scripture says, "We are laborers together with (co-workers with) God." That which is _used_ is often consumed in the _using_, or in familiar phrase _used up_; as, we _used_ twenty tons of coal last winter; in such cases we could not substitute _employ_. A person may be _employed_ in his own work or in that of another; in the latter case the service is always understood to be for pay. In this connection _employ_ is a word of more dignity than _hire_; a general is _employed_ in his country's service; a mercenary adventurer is _hired_ to fight a tyrant's battles. It is unsuitable, according to present usage, to speak of _hiring_ a pastor; the Scripture, indeed, says of the preacher, "The laborer is worthy of his hire;" but this sense is archaic, and _hire_ now implies that the one _hired_ works directly and primarily for the pay, as expressed in the noun "hireling;" a Pastor is properly said to be _called_, or when the business side of the transaction is referred to, _engaged_, or possibly _employed_, at a certain salary.

Prepositions:

Employ _in_, _on_, _upon_, or _about_ a work, business, etc.; _for_ a purpose; _at_ a stipulated salary.

* * * * *

END, _v._

Synonyms:

break off, close, conclude, expire, quit, terminate, cease, complete, desist, finish, stop, wind up.

That _ends_, or is _ended_, of which there is no more, whether or not more was intended or needed; that is _closed_, _completed_, _concluded_, or _finished_ which has come to an expected or appropriate end. A speech may be _ended_ almost as soon as begun, because of the speaker's illness, or of tumult in the audience; in such a case, the speech is neither _closed_, _completed_, nor _finished_, nor, in the strict sense, _concluded_. An argument may be _closed_ with nothing proved; when an argument is _concluded_ all that is deemed necessary to prove the point has been stated. To _finish_ is to do the last thing there is to do; as, "I have _finished_ my course," _2 Tim._ iv, 7. _Finish_ has come to mean, not merely to _complete_ in the essentials, but to perfect in all the minute details, as in the expression "to add the _finishing_ touches." The enumeration is _completed_; the poem, the picture, the statue is _finished_. To _terminate_ may be either to bring to an arbitrary or to an appropriate end; as, he _terminated_ his remarks abruptly; the spire _terminates_ in a cross. A thing _stops_ that comes to rest from motion; or the motion _stops_ or _ceases_ when the object comes to rest; _stop_ frequently signifies to bring or come to a sudden and decided cessation of motion, progress, or action of any kind. Compare DO; TRANSACT.

Antonyms:

See synonyms for BEGIN.

* * * * *

END, _n._

Synonyms:

accomplishment, effect, limit, achievement, expiration, outcome, bound, extent, period, boundary, extremity, point, cessation, finale, purpose, close, finis, result, completion, finish, termination, conclusion, fulfilment, terminus, consequence, goal, tip, consummation, intent, utmost, design, issue, uttermost.

The _end_ is the terminal part of a material object that has length; the _extremity_ is distinctively the terminal _point_, and may thus be but part of the _end_ in the general sense of that word; the _extremity_ is viewed as that which is most remote from some center, or some mean or standard position; the southern _end_ of South America includes all Patagonia, the southern _extremity_ or _point_ is Cape Horn. _Tip_ has nearly the same meaning as _extremity_, but is said of small or slight and tapering objects; as, the _tip_ of the finger; _point_ in such connections is said of that which is drawn out to exceeding fineness or sharpness, as the _point_ of a needle, a fork, or a sword; _extremity_ is said of something considerable; we do not speak of the _extremity_ of a needle. _Terminus_ is chiefly used to designate the _end_ of a line of travel or transportation: specifically, the furthermost station in any direction on a railway, or by extension the town or village where it is situated. _Termination_ is the Latin and more formal word for the Saxon _end_, but is chiefly used of time, words, undertakings, or abstractions of any kind. _Expiration_ signifies the coming to an _end_ in the natural course of things; as, the _expiration_ of a year, or of a lease; it is used of things of some consequence; we do not ordinarily speak of the _expiration_ of an hour or of a day. _Limit_ implies some check to or restraint upon further advance, right, or privilege; as, the _limits_ of an estate (compare BOUNDARY). A _goal_ is an _end_ sought or striven for, as in a race. For the figurative senses of _end_ and its associated words, compare the synonyms for the verb END; also for AIM; CONSEQUENCE; DESIGN.

Antonyms:

See synonyms for BEGINNING.

* * * * *

ENDEAVOR, _v._

Synonyms:

attempt, essay, strive, try, undertake.

To _attempt_ is to take action somewhat experimentally with the hope and purpose of accomplishing a certain result; to _endeavor_ is to _attempt_ strenuously and with firm and enduring purpose. To _attempt_ expresses a single act; to _endeavor_, a continuous exertion; we say I will _endeavor_ (not I will _attempt_) while I live. To _attempt_ is with the view of accomplishing; to _essay_, with a view of testing our own powers. To _undertake_ is to accept or take upon oneself as an obligation, as some business, labor, or trust; the word often implies complete assurance of success; as, I will _undertake_ to produce the witness. To _strive_ suggests little of the result, much of toil, strain, and contest, in seeking it; I will _strive_ to fulfil your wishes, _i. e._, I will spare no labor and exertion to do it. _Try_ is the most comprehensive of these words. The original idea of testing or experimenting is not thought of when a man says "I will _try_." To _attempt_ suggests giving up, if the thing is not accomplished at a stroke; to _try_ implies using other means and studying out other ways if not at first successful. _Endeavor_ is more mild and formal; the pilot in the burning pilot-house does not say "I will _endeavor_" or "I will _attempt_ to hold the ship to her course," but "I'll _try_, sir!"

Antonyms:

abandon, give up, omit, throw away, dismiss, let go, overlook, throw over, drop, neglect, pass by, throw up.

* * * * *

ENDEAVOR, _n._

Synonyms:

attempt, effort, essay, exertion, struggle, trial.

_Effort_ denotes the voluntary putting forth of power to attain or accomplish some specific thing; it reaches toward a definite end; _exertion_ is a putting forth of power without special reference to an object. Every _effort_ is an _exertion_, but not every _exertion_ is an _effort_. _Attempt_ is more experimental than _effort_, _endeavor_ less strenuous but more continuous. An _effort_ is a single act, an _endeavor_ a continued series of acts; an _endeavor_ is sustained and enduring, and may be lifelong; we do not have a society of Christian _Attempt_, or of Christian _Effort_, but of Christian _Endeavor_. A _struggle_ is a violent _effort_ or strenuous _exertion_. An _essay_ is an _attempt_, _effort_, or _endeavor_ made as a test of the powers of the one who makes it. Compare ENDEAVOR, _v._

* * * * *

ENDURE.

Synonyms:

abide, bear, brook, submit to, sustain, afford, bear up under, permit, suffer, tolerate, allow, bear with, put up with, support, undergo.

_Bear_ is the most general of these words; it is metaphorically to hold up or keep up a burden of care, pain, grief, annoyance, or the like, without sinking, lamenting, or repining. _Allow_ and _permit_ involve large concession of the will; _put up with_ and _tolerate_ imply decided aversion and reluctant withholding of opposition or interference; whispering is _allowed_ by the school-teacher who does not forbid nor censure it; one _puts up with_ the presence of a disagreeable visitor; a state _tolerates_ a religion which it would be glad to suppress. To _endure_ is to _bear with_ strain and resistance, but with conscious power; _endure_ conveys a fuller suggestion of contest and conquest than _bear_. One may choose to _endure_ the pain of a surgical operation rather than take anesthetics; he _permits_ the thing to come which he must brace himself to _endure_ when it comes. To _afford_ is to be equal to a pecuniary demand, _i. e._, to be able to _bear_ it. To _brook_ is quietly to _put up with_ provocation or insult. _Abide_ combines the senses of await and _endure_; as, I will _abide_ the result. Compare ABIDE; SUPPORT.

Antonyms:

break, despair, fail, fall, give out, sink, surrender, break down, droop, faint, falter, give up, succumb, yield.

* * * * *

ENEMY.

Synonyms:

adversary, antagonist, competitor, foe, opponent, rival.

An _enemy_ in private life is one who is moved by hostile feeling with active disposition to injure; but in military language all who fight on the opposite side are called _enemies_ or collectively "the _enemy_," where no personal animosity may be implied; _foe_, which is rather a poetical and literary word, implies intensely hostile spirit and purpose. An _antagonist_ is one who opposes and is opposed actively and with intensity of effort; an _opponent_, one in whom the attitude of resistance is the more prominent; a _competitor_, one who seeks the same object for which another is striving; _antagonists_ in wrestling, _competitors_ in business, _opponents_ in debate may contend with no personal ill will; _rivals_ in love, ambition, etc., rarely avoid inimical feeling. _Adversary_ was formerly much used in the general sense of _antagonist_ or _opponent_, but is now less common, and largely restricted to the hostile sense; an _adversary_ is ordinarily one who not only opposes another in fact, but does so with hostile spirit, or perhaps out of pure malignity; as, the great _Adversary_. Compare synonyms for AMBITION.

Antonyms:

abettor, accessory, accomplice, ally, friend, helper, supporter.

Prepositions:

He was the enemy _of_ my friend _in_ the contest.

* * * * *

ENMITY.

Synonyms:

acrimony, bitterness, ill will, malignity, animosity, hatred, malevolence, rancor, antagonism, hostility, malice, spite.

_Enmity_ is the state of being an enemy or the feeling and disposition characterizing an enemy (compare ENEMY). _Animosity_ denotes a feeling more active and vehement, but often less enduring and determined, than _enmity_. _Enmity_ distinctly recognizes its object as an enemy, to be met or dealt with accordingly. _Hostility_ is _enmity_ in action; the term _hostilities_ between nations denotes actual armed collision. _Bitterness_ is a resentful feeling arising from a belief that one has been wronged; _acrimony_ is a kindred feeling, but deeper and more persistent, and may arise from the crossing of one's wishes or plans by another, where no injustice or wrong is felt. _Antagonism_, as between two competing authors or merchants, does not necessarily imply _enmity_, but ordinarily suggests a shade, at least, of hostile feeling. _Malice_ is a disposition or intent to injure others, for the gratification of some evil passion; _malignity_ is intense and violent _enmity_, _hatred_, or _malice_. Compare synonyms for ACRIMONY; ANGER; HATRED.

Antonyms:

agreement, amity, friendship, kindliness, regard, alliance, concord, harmony, kindness, sympathy.

* * * * *

ENTERTAIN.

Synonyms:

amuse, cheer, disport, enliven, interest, please, beguile, delight, divert, gratify, occupy, recreate.

To _entertain_, in the sense here considered, is to engage and pleasantly occupy the attention; to _amuse_ is to occupy the attention in an especially bright and cheerful way, often with that which excites merriment or laughter; as, he _entertained_ us with an _amusing_ story. To _divert_ is to turn from serious thoughts or laborious pursuits to something that lightly and agreeably occupies the mind; one may be _entertained_ or _amused_ who has nothing serious or laborious from which to be _diverted_. To _recreate_, literally to re-create, is to engage mind or body in some pleasing activity that restores strength and energy for serious work. To _beguile_ is, as it were, to cheat into cheer and comfort by something that insensibly draws thought or feeling away from pain or disquiet. We _beguile_ a weary hour, _cheer_ the despondent, _divert_ the preoccupied, _enliven_ a dull evening or company, _gratify_ our friends' wishes, _entertain_, _interest_, _please_ a listening audience, _occupy_ idle time, _disport_ ourselves when merry, _recreate_ when worn with toil; we _amuse_ ourselves or others with whatever pleasantly passes the time without special exertion, each according to his taste.

Antonyms:

annoy, bore, busy, disquiet, distract, disturb, tire, weary.

* * * * *

ENTERTAINMENT.

Synonyms:

amusement, diversion, fun, pleasure, cheer, enjoyment, merriment, recreation, delight, frolic, pastime, sport.

_Entertainment_ and _recreation_ imply thought and mental occupation, tho in an agreeable, refreshing way; they are therefore words of a high order. _Entertainment_, apart from its special senses of a public performance or a social party, and predominantly even there, is used of somewhat mirthful mental delight; _recreation_ may, and usually does, combine the mental with the physical. _Amusement_ and _pastime_ are nearly equivalent, the latter probably the lighter word; many slight things may be _pastimes_ which we should hardly dignify by the name of _amusements_. _Sports_ are almost wholly on the physical plane, tho involving a certain grade of mental action; fox-hunting, horse-racing, and baseball are _sports_. Certain _sports_ may afford _entertainment_ or _recreation_ to certain persons, according to their individual tastes; but _entertainment_ and _recreation_ are capable of a meaning so high as never to be approached by any meaning of _sport_. _Cheer_ may be very quiet, as the _cheer_ of a bright fire to an aged traveler; _merriment_ is with liveliness and laughter; _fun_ and _frolic_ are apt to be boisterous. _Amusement_ is a form of _enjoyment_, but _enjoyment_ may be too keen to be called _amusement_. Compare synonyms for ENTERTAIN.

Antonyms:

ennui, fatigue, labor, lassitude, toil, weariness, work.

* * * * *

ENTHUSIASM.

Synonyms:

ardor, excitement, frenzy, transport, devotion, extravagance, inspiration, vehemence, eagerness, fanaticism, intensity, warmth, earnestness, fervency, passion, zeal. ecstasy, fervor, rapture,