English Synonyms and Antonyms by James Champlin Fernald (best ebook reader for laptop TXT) 📕

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is one of the most common of errors, and one of the most difficult to avoid, while their right use gives to style cohesion, firmness, and compactness, and is an important aid to perspicuity. To the text of the synonyms is appended a set of Questions and Examples to adapt the work for use as a text-book. Aside from the purposes of the class-room, this portion will be found of value to the individual student. Excepting those who have made a thorough study of language most persons will discover with surprise how difficult it is to answer any set of the Questions or to fill the blanks in the Examples without referring to the synonym treatment in Part I., or to a dictionary, and how rarely they can give any intelligent reason for preference even among familiar words. There are few who can study such a work without finding occasion to correct some errors into which they have unconsciously fallen, and without coming to a new delight in the use of language from a fuller knowledge of its resources and a clearer sense

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2. How does incident differ from both? 3. What is the special significance of fortune? 4. How does it differ in usage from chance? 5. How are accident, misadventure, and mishap distinguished? EXAMPLES.

Gambling clings almost inseparably to games of ——.

Bruises and contusions are regarded as ordinary —— of the cavalry service.

The prudent man is careful not to tempt —— too far.

The misplacement of the switch caused a terrible ——.

Great thoughts and high purposes keep one from being greatly disturbed by the little —— of daily life.

ACQUAINTANCE (page 15). QUESTIONS.

1. What does acquaintance between persons imply? 2. How does acquaintance differ from companionship? acquaintance from friendship? from intimacy? 3. How does fellowship differ from friendship?

EXAMPLES.

A public speaker becomes known to many persons whom he does not know, but who are ready promptly to claim —— with him.

The —— of life must bring us into —— with many who can not be admitted within the inner circle of ——.

The —— of school and college life often develop into the most beautiful and enduring ——.

Between those most widely separated by distance of place and time, by language, station, occupation, and creed, there may yet be true —— of soul.

ACRIMONY (page 15). QUESTIONS.

1. How does acerbity differ from asperity? asperity from acrimony? 2. How is[384] acrimony distinguished from malignity? malignity from virulence? 3. What is implied in the use of the word severity?

EXAMPLES.

A certain —— of speech had become habitual with him.

To this ill-timed request, he answered with sudden ——.

A constant sense of injustice may deepen into a settled ——.

This smooth and pleasing address veiled a deep ——.

Great —— will be patiently borne if the sufferer is convinced of its essential justice.

ACT (page 16). QUESTIONS.

1. How is act distinguished from action? from deed? 2. Which of the words in this group necessarily imply an external effect? Which may be wholly mental?

EXAMPLES.

He who does the truth will need no instruction as to individual ——s.

—— is the truth of thought.

The —— is done.

ACTIVE (page 17). QUESTIONS.

1. With what two sets of words is active allied? 2. How does active differ from busy? from industrious? 3. How do active and restless compare? 4. To what sort of activity does officious refer? 6. What are some chief antonyms of active?

EXAMPLES.

Being of an —— disposition and without settled purpose or definite occupation, she became —— as a hornet.

He had his —— days and hours, but could never be properly said to be ——.

An —— attendant instantly seized upon my baggage.

The true student is —— from the mere love of learning, independently of its rewards.

ACUMEN (page 18). QUESTIONS.

1. How do sharpness, acuteness, penetration, and insight compare with acumen? 2. What is the special characteristic of acumen? To what order of mind does it belong? 3. What is sagacity? Is it attributed to men or brutes? 4. What is perspicacity? 5. What is shrewdness? Is it ordinarily good or evil? 6. Give illustrations of the uses of the above words as regards the possessors of the corresponding qualities.

EXAMPLES.

The treatise displays great critical ——.

The Indians had developed a practical —— that enabled them to follow a trail by scarcely perceptible signs almost as unerringly as the hound by scent.

[385]

ADD (page 18). QUESTIONS.

1. How is add related to increase? How does it differ from multiply? 2. What does augment signify? Of what is it ordinarily used? 3. To what does amplify apply? 4. In what ways may a discourse or treatise be amplified?

EXAMPLES.

Care to our coffin —— a nail no doubt;
And every grin, so merry, draws one out.

—— up at night, what thou hast done by day;
And in the morning what thou hast to do.
ADDRESS, v. (page 19). QUESTIONS.

1. What does accost always signify? greet? hail? 2. How does salute differ from accost or greet? address? 3. What is it to apostrophize?

EXAMPLES.

The pale snowdrop is springing
To —— the glowing sun.

—— to the Chief who in triumph advances.

His faithful dog —— the smiling guest.

—— ye heroes! heaven-born band!
Who fought and died in freedom's cause.
ADDRESS, n. (page 20). QUESTIONS.

1. What is address in the sense here considered? 2. What is tact? 3. What qualities are included in address?

EXAMPLES.

And the tear that is wiped with a little ——
May be follow'd perhaps by a smile.

The —— of doing doth expresse
No other but the doer's willingnesse.

I have very poor and unhappy brains for drinking; I could wish —— would invent some other custom of entertainment.

ADEQUATE (page 21). QUESTIONS.

1. What do adequate, commensurate, and sufficient alike signify? How does commensurate specifically differ from the other two words? Give examples. 2. To what do adapted, fit, suitable, and qualified refer? 3. Is satisfactory a very high recommendation of any work? Why? 4. Is able or capable the higher word? Illustrate.

EXAMPLES.

We know not of what we are —— till the trial comes.

Indeed, left nothing —— for your purpose untouched, slightly handled, in discourse.

[386]

ADHERENT (page 21). QUESTIONS.

1. What is an adherent? 2. How does an adherent differ from a supporter? from a disciple? 3. How do both the above words differ from ally? 4. Has partisan a good or a bad sense, and why? 5. Is it well to speak of a supporter as a backer?

EXAMPLES.

Also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away ——s after them.

Woman is woman's natural ——.

Self-defense compelled the European nations to be ——s against Napoleon.

The deposed monarch was found to have a strong body of ——s.

ADJACENT (page 22). QUESTIONS.

1. What is the difference between adjacent and adjoining? contiguous? conterminous? 2. What distance is implied in near? neighboring? 3. What does next always imply? 4. Give antonyms of adjacent; near.

EXAMPLES.

Stronger by weakness, wiser men become,
As they draw —— to their eternal home.
ADMIRE (page 23). QUESTIONS.

1. In what sense was admire formerly used? What does it now express? 2. How does admire compare with revere? venerate? adore? Give instances of the use of these words.

EXAMPLES.

The beautiful are sure to be ——.

Henceforth the majesty of God ——;
Fear him, and you have nothing else to fear.

I value Science—none can prize it more,
It gives ten thousand motives to ——:
Be it religious, as it ought to be,
The heart it humbles, and it bows the knee.
ADORN (page 23). QUESTIONS.

1. How does adorn differ from ornament? from garnish? from deck or bedeck? from decorate?

EXAMPLES.

At church, with meek and unaffected grace,
His looks —— the venerable place.

The red breast oft, at evening hours,
Shall kindly lend his little aid,
With hoary moss, and gathered flowers,
To —— the ground where thou art laid.

[387]

AFFRONT (page 24). QUESTIONS.

1. What is it to affront? 2. How does affront compare with insult? with tease? annoy?

EXAMPLES.

It is safer to —— some people than to oblige them; for the better a man deserves, the worse they will speak of him.

Oh, rather give me commentators plain,
Who with no deep researches —— the brain.

The petty desire to —— is simply a perversion of the human love of power.

They rushed to meet the —— foe.

AGENT (page 24). QUESTIONS.

1. How does agent in the philosophical sense compare with mover or doer? 2. What different sense has it in business usage?

EXAMPLES.

That morality may mean anything, man must be held to be a free ——.

The —— declined to take the responsibility in the absence of the owner.

AGREE (page 25). QUESTIONS.

1. How do concur and coincide differ in range of meaning? How with reference to expression in action? 2. How does accede compare with consent? 3. Which is the most general word of this group?

EXAMPLES.

A woman's lot is made for her by the love she ——.

My poverty, but not my will, ——.

AGRICULTURE (page 25). QUESTIONS.

1. What does agriculture include? How does it differ from farming? 2. What is gardening? floriculture? horticulture?

EXAMPLES.

Loan oft loses both itself and friend;
And borrowing dulls the edge of ——.

A field becomes exhausted by constant ——.

AIM (page 26). QUESTIONS.

1. What is an aim? How does it differ from mark? from goal? 2. How do end and object compare? 3. To what does aspiration apply? How does it differ in general from design, endeavor, or purpose? 4. How does purpose compare with intention? 5. What is design?[388]

EXAMPLES.

In deeds of daring rectitude, in scorn
For miserable —— that end with self.

O yet we trust that somehow good
Will be the final —— of ill.

How quickly nature falls into revolt,
When gold becomes her ——.

It is not ——, but ambition that is the mother of misery in man.

AIR (page 27). QUESTIONS.

1. What is air in the sense here considered? 2. How does air differ from appearance? 3. What is the difference between expression and look? 4. What is the sense of bearing? carriage? 5. How does mien differ from air? 6. What does demeanor include?

EXAMPLES.

I never, with important ——,
In conversation overbear.

Vice is a monster of so frightful ——,
As, to be hated, needs but to be seen.

Grief fills the room up of my absent child,
Lies in his bed, walks up and down with me,
Puts on his pretty ——, repeats his words.
AIRY (page 27). QUESTIONS.

1. How does airy agree with and differ from aerial? Give instances of the uses of the two words. 2. What does ethereal signify? sprightly? 3. Are lively and animated used in the favorable or unfavorable sense?

EXAMPLES.

—— tongues that syllable men's names, on sands and shores and desert wildernesses.

The —— mold
Incapable of stain, would soon expel
Her mischief, and purge off the baser fire,
Victorious.

Society became my glittering bride,
And —— hopes my children.

Soft o'er the shrouds —— whispers breathe,
That seemed but zephyrs to the train beneath.
ALARM (page 28). QUESTIONS.

1. What is the derivation and distinctive meaning of alarm? 2. What do affright and fright express? Give an illustration of the contrasted terms. 3. How are apprehension, disquietude, dread, and misgiving related to the danger that[389] excites them? 4. What are consternation, dismay, and terror, and how are they related to the danger? 5. What is timidity?

ALERT (page 28). QUESTIONS.

1. To what do alert, wide-awake, and ready refer? 2. How does ready differ from alert? from prepared? 3. What does prompt signify? 4. What is the secondary meaning of alert?

EXAMPLES.

To be —— for war is one of the most effectual ways of preserving peace.

He who is not —— to-day will be less so to-morrow.

Thus ending loudly, as he would o'erleap
His destiny, —— he stood.
ALIEN, a. & n. (page 29). QUESTIONS.

1. How does alien differ from foreign? 2. Is a foreigner by birth necessarily an alien? 3. Are the people of one country while residing in their own land foreigners or aliens to the people of other lands? 4. How can one residing

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