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THE LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF
WESTERN ONTARIO
THE J. D. BARNETT
TEXT- BOOK COLLECTION
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THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO
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L$-60135
THE HIGH SCHOOL
ENGLISH WORD-BOOK
A MANUAL OP
ORTHOEPY, SYNONYMY, AND DERIVATION.
BT
JAMES W. CONNOR, B.A.
AND
G. MERCER ADAM.
Jltitlvoriircb Jbg th^ (gbacatton department of dDntavb.
TORONTO :
THE COPP, CLARK COMPANY, LIMITED,
9 FRONT STREET WEST.
1887.
Entered according- to Act of the ParliHnient of Canada, in the year one thousand eiffht
hundred and eijjhty-seven, by Tub Coi'P, Clark Companv, Limitkd, Toronto,
Ontario, in the Office of the Minister of Agriculture.
T 3b
PREFACE.
The design of this work, which is largely a compilation, is to
furnish the pupil with material to enable him to extend his vocabu-
lary, to appreciate the nice distinctions in the use of words, and to
acquire some degree of proficiency in the correct spelling, syllabi-
cation, pronunciation, and general use of his mother-tongue.
(i) The section on Orthoepy, which is preceded by a series of
explanatory rules for the class-room, gives the pronunciation,
according to the best and most accepted authorities, of some four
thousand words in more or less general use. The orthoepical
notation followed is that of Stormonth, which, it is believed, will be
found at once simple and effective. The same authority's pro-
nunciation has also, in the main, been adopted, as that which has
not only the approval of the Department of Education for Ontario,
but is sanctioned by the present usage of cultivated society. The
compilers, however, have not slavishly followed Stormonth, pre-
ferring, in disputed cases, to give the alternative pronunciation
where such is allowed by good and competent authority. Where
they have differed from Stormonth, their preference, it is proper to
state, has been given to English rather than to American lexicog-
raphers: in all cases they have striven1:o avoid pedantry on the one
hand and undue license on the other. They have also eschewed
all orthographical innovations, save such as have the sanction of
recognized English authority. In the list of words apt to be mis-
pronounced will be found a few proper names and the .most com-
monly used Latin and French words and phrases.
(2) In the section on Synonomv, the compilers have en-
deavoured to supply a much-needed manual of English Synonyms
and Antonyms, such as would be useful in the schools in enabling
the pupil to acquire a knowledge of the most commonly used
synonymous words in the English language, with illustrations of
their usage, and some idea of their various shades of meaning.
The importance of this section, in supplying an aid in the cultiva-
tion of correctness and precision in English composition and in
our every-day speech, will hardly be questioned.
IV PREFACE.
In the preparation of this department of the book the authors
-have availed themselves of the labours of Crabb, whose work on
" English Synonyms Explained," despite its rather prosy reflec-
tions and much that is now obsolete, is a great storehouse of
illustration. They are also somewhat indebted to Archbishop
Whately, and particularly to Archdeacon C. J. Smith, M, A., whose
" Synonyms Discriminated," (London : George Bell & Sons), the
compilers would earnestly recommend to the attention of the pro-
fession. For many of the definitions and illustrations in this
department of their work the authors are under obligations, in
addition to Stormonth and the " Imperial Dictionary," to " The
Encyclopaedic Dictionary," ( London : Cassell ), a work which
teachers and trustees should see finds a place in every school
library.
(3) Section three is devoted to Derivatives and Word-
formations. In this section the comparative method, at once
the only scientific and the most labour-saving one, has been fol-
lowed. It is surely time that students of Etymology should not
look upon the correspondence of Anglo-Saxon with Latin and
Greek words as anything strange or exceptional. The original
identity of these languages can be realized only by constant com-
parison.
The material for this section has, in the main, been either drawn
from or tested by Skeat's " Etymological Dictionary." In a few
instances the compilers have ventured to dissent from the decisions
of this eminent authority, chiefly where these conflict with the evi-
dently sound conclusions of recent German philologists. But, as
has been said. Professor Skeat, in the main, has been followed,
and no English master can afford to be without his work: whoever
trusts for derivation to the dictionaries in ordinary use will lean
on a broken reed. For some valuable hints on arrangement the
authors are indebted to Prof McElroy's excellent little work,
" Essential Lessons in English Etymology," which teachers will
find it profitable to consult. It should need no apology that in an
'■'English Word-Book" the Anglo-Saxon element of the language
is taken as the starting-point for all comparisons.
The Authors.
Toronto, August, 1887.
THE
HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
I.— ORTHOEPY.
1. Orthoepy, literally, "right speaking," depends mainly
upon correctness in articulation, or the uttering of the sounds
that make up words, and in accent, or the laying special stress
upon a particular syllable.
I.— SOUNDS AND LETTERS.
2. To practise articulation intelligently, we should know
something of the means by which speech is produced. We all
know that the lungs act much like a pair of bellows, forcing
the breath up through the wind-pipe. Now at the upper end
of the wind-pipe is a kind of box, the larynx, commonly
called "Adam's apple," which contains two cavities. These
are separated by a pair of membranes, which in speaking can
be tightened so as to leave only a narrow slit between them.
When this happens, the breath as it passes up sets these mem-
branes, the vocal chords, as they are called, vibrating like the
strings of a harp, being itself made sonorous, and, if the tight-
ening lasts long enough, distinctly musical. The breath thus
made sonorous is called " voice."
3. After leaving the larynx, the breath (or the voice) passes
through the pharynx, a continuation upwards of the oesophagus,
or gullet, behind the mouth and the nose. The pharynx is
swelled out by the breath, when checked for a moment, and
gives force to the bursting forth of the breath that follows,
producing the sound.
T is vibra ion 'he pupil can feel by putting his finger on his "Adam's apple " whilt
loandlng vowels or b, g, d, z, and other voiced consonants, whereas it is not felt iK>
(Dundi g p, d. t, 8, etc.
2
3 THE HIGH SOHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK,
4. The breath not made sonorous by vibration of the vocal
chords, if allowed to escape unchecked, produces the aspirate
h ; " voice," or sonorous breath, unchecked but only moulded
by the various shapes the mouth while o[)en can take, accoi'd-
ing to the position of the tongue and lips, gives such sounds as
rt/t, eh, oh, ee, which are called vowels. These are true musical
sounds.
5. Either "breath" or "voice" can be squeezed through nar-
row passages formed by bringing two parts of tlic mouth
(tongue, teeth, lips ikc.) near each other, so as to produce such
sounds as s, sh, th (of thin), f — all formed by " breath ", or z
zh, th (of the), V — formed by voice. These are called "sjiirants."
6. Finally, by placing the tongue firmly against some part of
the palate or by closing the lips, we can quite stop th(; breath
— or voice — which, when allowed to break forth strongly, pro-
duces such sounds as k, t, p, g, d, b, ng, n, m, which are
appropriately called "stops." "Stops " and "spirants" together
make up the consonants, so called because it was once wi'ongly
supposed that they can be sounded only with vowels, i. e. the
sounds made by the voice unobstructed in any way.
7. As Orthoepy has in practice to take the written word as
its starting-point, we shall now consider the various characters
that make up the Alphabet, noting what sound, or sounds, each
represents. We begin with the consonants, and with those
that indicate " stops." These ai-e b, d, g, formed by " voice "
and therefore said to be " voiced " and p, t, k, formed by breath
and therefore called "voiceless" or, by some, "whispers."
8. These are formed by the sudden breaking forth of voice —
or breath ; b :ind p, after it has been stopped by closing the
lips ; d and t, after a stoppage by the tip of the tongue and
the hard palate ; g and k, after a stoppage by the root of the
tongue raised so as to touch the soft palate. B and p are
therefore called labials, or lip-sounds ; d and t, Unguals or
tongue-sounds ; g, and k, (not so appropriately) gutturals, lit-
erally throat-sounds.
9. We must notice that g sometimes, as in gem, is sounded
like d-zh, which sound is often indicated by j, and will always
be so in this book when words are re-spelled. The correspond-
ing voiceless group (really t-sh) is usually represented by ch.
Further, ti before a vowel indicate the sound usually indicated
ORTHOEPY. 3
by sll, which cofnliination, as representing a simple sound, is
called a digraph.
10. M, n, and the digraph ng, are used to indicate the sounds
produced when, the organs being in the positions for b, d, and
g, res})ectively, the breath is allowed to pass through the nose.
They are therefore called nasals (^" nose-sounds.")
11. P, and V, represent the voiceless and the voiced spirant,
sounded by forcing the breath between the upper teeth and
the under lip. The sound of f, and (in nephew and Stephen)
of V, are sometimes re{)resented by ph. H, as already seen,
stands for the aspirate, or sound produced by letting the breath
passfoi'th unchecked. Sometimes h is "silent," i. e. represents
no sound whatever, as in heir, honor, hour, honest, thyinQy and
always after r, as in rhetoric.
1 2. J, we have seen, represents the union of the two sounds, d
and zh., the latter i*epresenting the sound of z, in azure. L,
stands for the sound made by placing the tip of the tongue
against the palate and letting the " voice " come over the sides of
the tongue. It is commonly " silent " before f, v, k, m, as in
calf, salve, chalk, palm (kS.f, siv, chawk, jjam).
13. R represents two sounds, according as it stands before a
vowel or not. Before a vowel it is said to be " trilled " the
breath being forced over the upturned tip of the tongue, so as to
produce a little shaking. When not before a vowel, it is really
an imperfect vowel or " glide," often affecting the sound of the
preceding vowel. Thus a, and O, have other sounds in fair and
/ore than in^ame and/oawi.
14. S pi'operly represents the hiss caused by the breath rub-
bing against the surface of the tongue, as in the word hiss. It is
used, however, also to represent the sound properly denoted by
sh., i.e. that formed by the breath rubbing against the edges and
tip of the tongue. Z, properly marks the voiced spirant corres-
ponding to S ; but S, often represents this sound and also, as in
pleasure, the voiced spirant corresponding to sh., sometimes
marked by Z, but in our re-spelling always zh.
15. "W marks the sound produced by squeezing the voice be-
tween the lips brought near together. * The corresponding voice-
less spii-ant is denoted by wh-
• The tongue too Is drawn back to near the g-position so that the sound is what Bell
calls "mixed. " The Sound wll is now simple, thouj^h once complex and marked by hw .
4 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
16.- Y stands for tlie spirant produced by squeezing the voice
between the surface of the tongue and the palate.
W and y are nearly akin to vowels, as we see by pronounc-
ing oo-et, ee-et first slowly, then rapidly, when we get the sounds
wet and i/et.
17. The digi-aph th is used to represent two simple sounds
formed by making the breath or tlie voice rub against the edges
of the tongue, its tip being placed against the u])per teeth. The
voiced form will in re-spclling be denoted by ih.
18. We have now to consider the vowel signs a, e, i, O, U ;
and here a difficulty occuis.
We have seen that vowels are only voice (sonorous breath)
moulded by the various shapes that the mouth takes. Now as
either the back or the front of the tongue, or both at once, can
take a low, a high, or a middle position, each producing a
different sound, and as the lips instead of being in their natural
position may be rounded, or pursed up, so as to modify any one
of these sounds, the number of possible vowel-sounds to be
represented by these five signs is very great. In English we
have at least the following thirteen vowels :
A as in ah arc soiuiJed with the back of the tongue low.
U II II us II
*A II II an )
E 1. II ell \
II
11
II II
front It
medium-high,
low.
A II II ale II
*I M „ ill )
E „ II eel \
II
II
II «i
II II
medium-high;
high.
E II II err n
II
II both back and front low.
And with the lips rounded ;
*0 n^ in on )
AW II 1 awe 1 ^""'^'l®*^ wi*^ the back of the tongue low. ;
0 " " go " M " medium-high.
*00i. .1 goo,l ) u- u
0.1 i.movei " ♦• •• ^^gh.
19. Besides these there
are the sound of ay (yes) and of oy,
* The difference between these and the other vowels formed with the game positions
of the organs is that the voice-channel is wider, either the phar^'nx being more ex-
panded, or (as Sweet thinks) the tongue not being so much arched along its axis.
In either case the vowel sounds of an. ill, on, good, and also of ah, and err, are appropri-
ately called "wide vowels." To these we might add a, as in ask, but ortheopista
differ as to its nature, some thinking it identical with a, iu an.
ORTHOEPY. 0
and OW, in. boy and cow. These are clearly compounds,?^ their
first elements being respectively a, aW, a, and their second
sounds somewhat like those of 66 and OO. These latter
sounds are however not true vowels, the mouth in sounding
them not having a fixed shape but passing quickly from one
position to another. They may therefore, like the r not befoi-e
a vowel, be called "glides."
20. Ay, Oy, and OW, are called diphthongs. The sound ay
is so often represented by i, that we shall follow the general
usage and represent it by i. We shall also use the sign Vi to
indicate the sound of you ; but it must be remembered that
both i and U are used to indicate compound sounds.
21. These vowel sounds are in this book denoted as follows :
k "-epresents the sound of a in ah, are, alms,
a II ti M an, at.
a II II II fame, paiu.
S II II e II end, ell.
e II II It err, her.
e II II II me, eel.
f It It i II ill, it.
aw II II a II all, awe.
0 II II o II not.
5 M II II go.
6 II II II do.
66 II II OO II good,
ti IT II u II us.
1 11 the diphthong heard in I, high, ay.
oy II II in boy, oil.
OW II II « cow, out.
u II sound of y-u n unit, you.
So that a, e, I, 5, u, indicate the name-sonnds of these letters ;
a. 8, I, 6, H what are commonly called their short souuds ; 4 the
Bound of ah ; 6 the last sound of do.
When words are re-spelled, the digraphs sh, zh, th., th,
will invariabl)' indicate the sound heard in she, az-ure, thin, the.
S will never be used to indicate any sound but that of S in see
nor cll any but that of ch. in each.
* We see this by prolonging them, ay and oy giving rise to the soand ee-ee, and
aWt to the sound oo-OO.
6 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
IL^EXERCISES ON ARTICULATION.
1.— a as in ah.
22. This is the fullest and purest of vowel-sounds. It is
unfortunately, somewhat rare in our language, and therefore
should be jealously preserved where it exists. In pronouncing
the following words the tongue should be kept low in the
mouth, and the sound somewhat prolonged. The lips should
not be rounded, otherwise the common error of substituting
aw for ah, will result : —
Alms, (not Smz), balm, calm, 'calf, psalm, half, salve (sAv),
can't, (not cant,) aunt, (not ant), spa,
laugh, (not lafF), launch, draught.
are, arm, art, mart, far,
pass, past, vast, mast, rasp, (not rSsp),
bath, lath, aft, raft, waft.
Accented on the first syllable.
laundry, malmsey, (m&m'ze), bravo, Brahmin,
master, pastor, drama, rather,
raspberry, (r&s'-bgr I), man-sard, (man'-sS,rd,)
rhubarb, (r6'-barb), pariah, (pft'-rl-a) Fahrenheit (farn'-hit)
Accented on the second syllable.
mirage, (mlr-&zh') palaver, piano, pacha, (pa-shft'), pStftrd,
sonata.
Accented on the third syllable.
panorama, boulevard.
REMARKS.
1. In words ending in -and, accented on the final, many good
speakers now give the a the sound &. This practice is gaining
ground.
2. There is a class of monosyllables ending in -afif, -aft, -asS,
-ast, -ask, -asp, with a few in -ance and -ant, to which
many good speakers give the sound of a as, st&ff, grdft ; while
others give that of a., as, staff, graft. Probably the true sound
is between these limits, differing from that of S, merely by the
ORTHOEPY. 7
back of the tongue being raised to the position it has in sound-
ing Tl as in us.
N". B. — 1. Pronounce clerk, hearth, sergeant, kl&rk, hftrth,
s4r'-jSnt ; not clerk, berth, serjent.
2. In ar, followed by any consonant but r, or ending a word
accented on the last syllable, a has the sound of fi as in drk,
fdr, bazaar, but drrant, arid, beggar, (bfig-ger). But after
W, or qu, a is sounded aw, or 0, as in water, quart. Al
before m, V, or f, is sounded &, as in qualm, halve, calf, almond,
(a'-mund).
2. — a, as in an.
23. In pronouncing many of the following words the sound
of a, as in ale, must be specially guarded against.
Accented on the first syllable.
Bade, catch, {not kStch), sate (past of sit), acrid, arid, arrSnt,
chalice (Is) davits, glSmOur, manor, navvy, pageant (paj-6nt)
parol*, pastern, pastil, pastime, paten, phalanx, raven (v), ra-
venous, I'avin, satyr (sat'er), bass relief (bas'-re-lef), fratricide
(-sId), matricide, marigold, pacify, sacrament, sacrifice (-fis),
sacerdotal, sanable, sanitary (-eri), tapestry (tap'-gs-trl.)
Accented on the second syllable,
cSbSl, cuirass (kwI-rSs')
In the following, the sound of aw or o must be specially
guarded against : —
swam, swag, swagger, alto, (contralto), falcate, quagmire,
saltant, altruism (al'-trd-Ism.)
Accented on the second syllable.
alternate (S,l'-ter-nate), canal, quadrille (kadril' or quadrll') ;
(so also in al'-ter ca'-tion, defalca'-tion, accented on third syl-
lable).
3.— a, as in ale.
24, Aye (ever), plait, scathe, swathe, steak, azure (a'-zhoor),
bathos, blatant, caliph (ca'-lif) calyx, chasten (chas'n), dado,
data, maelstrom (mal'-strom), naked, pasty, nation (na'-shtin),
* A law term, to be distinj^uished from the military term parole,
t But the simple word past has an & as in ah.
8 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD BOOK.
satrSp, vagrS,nt, stratum, gainsaid (gan'-sad), wainscot, heinous,
(ha'-nus,) alias (a'-ll-as), caveat, dahlia (dali-a), napery, phaeton
(pha'-e-ton), plagiarise (pla'-jar-iz), salient (sa'-li-gnt), satiate
(sa-shS-at), aviary.
Accented on the second syllable.
armada, vira'-go, obey, obeisance (o-basans), cayenne (ko< kl-S,n).
Accented on the third syllable.
apparatus, desperado.
In unaccented syllables.
decade, quadrate, operate.
In the following words, the sound of a should be guai'ded
against : — Danish, flagrant, fragrant, gratis, nabob, patent,
pathos, matron, patron-ess, patron-age, -ise, patriot, patriotic.
Note. — Before r a, like most other vowels, is modified and
has a somewhat more opent sound. This appears in the pro-
nunciation of such words as :
air, fare, ere, e'er, eyre, char (to work by the day), caret,
chary, garish, corsair, wherefore, area, aria (in music), malaria,
aerolite (a'rollt), aeronaut (a'-ro-naut),J rarefy, rarity.
6, as in err.
25. Berth, birth, chirp, dearth, dirge, dirk, earn, earth, fern,
firm, germ (jerm), girl, girth, learn, mirth, myrrh (mer), search,
serge, squirm, squirt, verge, irksome, myrtle, pearl, per' -co-late,
skirmish, sterling, courteous (kert'-yiis), courtesy (ker'-tS-si w
kert'-si).
So generally in accented syllables when e, ea, i, or y, stands
before untrilled r.
N. B. — O and u before untrilled r, and in unaccented sylla-
bles, other vowels sometimes have a sound somewhat like that of
U in gun, as work, burden, surge, zephyr, martyr, sojourn.
The same is true of birch, bird, dirt, fir, first, firth, sir, stir.
j^T This sound is not heard before rr as squirrel, stirrup, not
squerrel, sterrup.
*The exact nature of the difference is disputed. Bell says that a not before r is
really a diphthong ending in an "ee" sound, which is absent before r. Ellis says
that this " ee " sound is a vulgarism.
tit a special symbol were required the best would be §, i. e., Continental e.
{But a'erate.
ORTHOEPY. 9
4.— e, as in ell.
26 Clench, deaf, get, said, says, (sgz), 8teppe(st8p).
(Do not say def, git.)
Accented on the first syllable.
any, many, bni-y, clem'ent, decade (dSk'-ad), febrile (-11),
febrifuge (-ri fuj) fecund, gerund, legate (-at) legend, Inessieurs
(mSs'yerz), petal, prelate, prelude, Rhenish, shekel, sterile (-11),
tepid, zealot, zealous (-tis), zephyr, bestial, desuetude (dSs'we-
tud), des'ultory, (dSs'tilteri) derelict, egotism, equable, equerry,
leg'islature, nepotism, prebendary (-eri), sesame (sSs'-a-me),
engine.
Accented on the second syllable.
again {not S-gan'), against, burlesque (ber-lesk') depot (dS-po'),
decrepit, enfeoff (-fef ), grotesque (-esk), indelible, lieutenant
(lSf-t6n-'ant), polemic, strategic (stra-t6j'-Ik).
In unaccented syllables.
pSnult', Sconom'ical, ecumenical, eleemosynary (Sl'S-moz'-In-
erl), Squivocal, 6qulv'6cate, malSfactor.
N. B — Avoid the sound of \ for S in final syllables as instid,
bedstid, for instead, bedstead, also of -mtint for -ment as element.
5. — e, as in me, eel.
27. Beard (not bard), bleat, been (not bin, nor ben), bleat,
creek, (not crick) frieze, lief inot lev), quay (ke), seine, sheik,
weir, clique, (klek, not klick), pique, Sikh (sek) suite (swet).
Accented on the first syllable.
(Avoid the sound of S in met for the accented syllable.)
demOn, eagre (eger), epoch (e'-pQk), leisure, (le'-zhoor),
lever, piquant (pe-kant), seamstress, secant, senile (se'-nll),
sequSl, seton, treacle (tre-kl^, venous, weregil'd (wergild), were-
wolf, clerestory (kler'storl) de-vi-ous, equinox, feasible (fg'zlbl),
lenient, phoenix, predl al, pres-cience, . pre-shl-ens, ) re qui-em,
ve-ni-ftl, haematite (he'-mft-tit), hut haemorrhage (hSm'-or-raj).
Accented on the second syllable.
brevier, chagrin (sha,-gren'), critique (kri-tek'), cuisine
(kwl-zen'), fatigue, oblique, pglisse, tureen, unique, valise (-les').
allegro, amenable, beleaguer, diaeresis, Hellenic, hyaena, pyaemia.
10 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
Accented on the third syllable.
mandarin, palanquin (pal'-Sng-ken'), indefeasible(-fgz'ibl,)
sacrilegious (-le'-jus not -ll jus).
In unaccented syllables.
aesthetics (ez-thSt'-Iks) equation, evangelical, genealogy.
NoTE.-»»— The digraphs se, oe, (except in ohoe, o'b5y), have the
sound of e as in Csesar, phoenix, onomatopaeia (On'Omatope -ya),
except in asafoetida (-ffet'-i-d&), haemorrhage.
VI.— i, as in ill.
28. Glimpse (glimps), glyph, rinse (rins), sieve (siv).
Accented on the first syllable.
busy, cynic (sin'-ic), livelong, lyric, pi-etty, squirrel, steelyards,
(stil'-yArdz) stirrup, syringe (sir'-inj), syrup, tribune, vicar,
women (wim-en), dynasty, dynamite, lIn-8-S-ment, literature
(llt'-er-a-ture) Michaelmas (MikSImas), miniature (mlnltur),
minotaur, mystSr-y, virulent (vir'-oo-18nt).
Accented on the second syllable.
bedizen (bS dizn), Idyllic ;i-dfl'-Ik) In-im-i-cal, officinal (Offis'-
Inal),
In unaccented syllables.
alkali, circuit, counterfeit, didactic, dynam'ics (dl-nSm'-Iks,)
finance, fiord, forfeit, miasma, obsequies (Ob' sg-kwiz), parlia-
ment (pftr'-llmgnt) res-pite {rSs'-])It), simultaneous (-ytts).
Also the ending -ain as in certain (ser'-tin), curtain (ker'-tin),
but bargain (-Sn).
VII.— aw, as in all, awe.
29. Balk (bawk), calk (kawk), wasp, wrath, wroth, caldron,
falchion (fawl'-shiin), falcon (faw'-kn) palter, palfrey (pawl'-
frl), palsy(-zl), stalwart (stawl'-wert, not stOl), thraldom.
daunt, flaunt, gaunt, haunt, gauntlet, staunch,* taunt, vaunt,
auction (awk'-shtin), faucet {not fOsset), saunter, caught,
bought, brought, awful {not ofFul), awkward (-werd).
bom, cord (not c5rd), corn, acorn, lord, thorn, form (so re-
form, perform, uniform, but fbrmer).
* But stanch (st&aati),
ORTHOEPY. 11
Accented on the second syllable,
aaom, because (bS-kawz', not be-kuz'), forlorn.
The sound aw is simple though represented by a digraph.
VIII. — 6, as in on.
30. Cost, gorge, loll, shone {not shon), troth, was, chaps,
( ^-jaws).
Doric, Georgics (JOr-jiks), gorgeous, horrid, hostage, laurel,
ordeal, sorry, sort, nom'Inative, cSrol, orthoepy (Or-tlio'-6 pi).
It is affected to say " Gawd " for God.
In the following avoid the sound of d in old.
forehead, (fOr'-8d) forty, fortnight, holocaust, homage, jocund,
knowledge (nOl'-Sj), monad, nonage, I'ollocks, roster, solstice
(sOl'-stIs), sombre, extol, loll,
cochineal, dolorous, molecule (mOl'-S-kul), monody, mono
logue (mOn'-o-lOg), orotund, porcelain (pOrs'-lan), probity, sor-
cerer, solecism, portent (pOr'-tSnt), portend (pOr-tSnd').
In the following avoid the sound of v,.
bomb, comrade, donkey, grovel (gr6v'-l), hovel (hOv-Sl), hover,
sovereign (sOv'-gr-In), yonder, parasOl, ballot, sermon, baron.
31. The sound of o before f, th, or s in the Siime syllable
and in -ough (-Of), though generally denoted by 0, is by many
good speakers pronounced somewhat, though not quite, like
aw, as in hroth, soft, cross, cough.
IX.— 6, as in go.
32. Brooch, goal (not gool), groat, gross, scroll, sloth, yolk
(yok), bowsprit (bo' sprit), homely, ogle (ogl), ogre (oger) only
(not tinly), onyx, phonic, tophet, trophy.
coterie(-ri), potable, vocable, nomenclature, Bowie knife
(boe).
Accented on the second syllable,
opponent, patrol, provocative, revolt.
In unaccented syllables.
bellow, borough (btir'-o), gallows (-loz), hollow, obey, omi'
tallow, thrSshold, thorough (thtir'O), in'-do-lgnt.
N.B. — Z6-0l'-6-gy (not zoo-Ol'o-gy).
12 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
33. Some good orthoepists assert that 5 in the above words
is really a diphthong, ending in the glide answering to "W.
This, however, is disputed. All agree that the pure O-sound is
heard before r, as in ore, oral, Porte, pour, forge, corps (kor),
horde, original, oriental, deportment, torn (but shOrn).
Oral is often incorrectly pronounced Oral.
X.— 6, as in move.
34. Booth, food, room, pool, too, halloo, (ha-16'), tattoo
(ta-t6').
So generally oo in monosyllables, except in good, hood, stood, wood,
soot, and before k as in book.
bourn (b6rn, not born), brougham (br6am), ghoul (g6l),
gourd, route (not rowt), tour (not towr), tournament, caout-
chouc (k6'-ch00k), gourmand, amour (a-m6r'), manoeuvre (ma-
n6'-vr), recoup (-k6p'), surtout (ser-t6'), ormolu (6r'-m0l-d).
blue, clew, flew, flue, Jew, juice, jujube (j6'-j05b), brew,
bruit, crew, rude, ruse, rheum, sew-age, *sewer (s6-er), sure,
suzerain (s6'-z6-ran), slew, accoutre, allude (-16d'), allure (-I6r),
recruit (rS-krdt').
In unaccented syllables.
bouquet (b6'-kay, not bo'-kay), ci-oupier (kr6-per'.)
35. After r, 1, ch, j, and the sound of sh, in the same
syllable, long u is without the y-sound that generally precedes
it ; as lucid, glue, (glo, not glu,) rue, rheumatic (r6-). But
after 1, some good speakers give a faint sound of y before u.
XL— OO, as in book.
36. Bull, bush, could, full, pull, put, soot {not sfit), bosom
(boo'-zum), bullion, bulwark, courier {not currier), cushion,
pulpit {not pulpit), pudding, bivouac (bIv'-50 -ak), courant
(koo-rant'), guano, (goo-§,'-no or gwS,-.)
This is really a simple sound, though often represented by
the digraphs OO, OU.
XII.— u, as in gun.
37. Combat, comely (ktim'-ll), compass, covenant, covey
(kuv'-I), doth, does (duz), dromedary (drum'-S-der-i), luscious
* Sewer, a taster at a royal court, is pronounced su-er.
ORTHOEPY. 13
(lush'-tis), monetary (nitin'-S-ter-l), luongiel (miing'-grSl), mon-
key, none, nothing (ntithing, not nOthingX nuptials, somer-
sault, supple, also -monger (as in scandal-monger), discom'fit.
In unaccented syllables.
bombast (biim-bast'), bombazin (bum-ba-zen'), column kOl'-
iim, Wit kOl-ytlm or -yum).
XIII.— i, as in fine.
38. Ay or aye ( = yes), bayou (bI-6), height (hit, not hith),
geyser (gl'-zer).
bicycle (bl'-s!k-l), bison (bl' zOn), cynosure (si'-no-zhoor),
icl6l, idyll (i'-dll), isolate, litotes (li'-to-tez), *lived (in low-lived,
etc.), nihilist {not nihilist), scion (si-On), sinecure (si'-n6-kur),
siphon, si'-i)huncle, siren, tryst, violent (vi'-o-lgnt, not voy-liint).
Accented on the second syllable.
albino, annihilate, canine, demise(-raiz'), environ. Opine,
declivous (but dS-clIv'-I-ty), verti'-go.
bronchitis (so other medical terms in -itis, as meningitis).
Accented on the third syllable.
elegiac (Sl-8-ji'ak), matutinal (mat-u-tl'-nai).
In unaccented syllables.
alibi, andirons (and'-Irnz), encyclopaedia (Sn-si-), licentiate,
sacrifice (sak'-rl-fts), satire (sat'-Ir).
The sound i is really a diphthong.
XIV.— oy, as in boy.
39. Avoid the sound of 1.
Boil, goitre (goyt'-r), hoist, hoyden, quoit {not kwat),
quoin (koyn), dacoit (dS,k'-oyt), oboe (5'-boy).
Accented on the second syllable.
adroit, employ'-ee, turquoise (ter-kOyz' or -kwoyz'), avoirdu-
pois (Srver'-du-poyz).
* Here lived is from life, not from live.
14 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORDBOOK.
40. N.B — oi has the sound of waW in patois (pSt'-waw)
mSmoir, soir'ee (swaw'-ra), escritoire (6s'-kri-twawr'). But
connoiseur is sounded kOu nls ser'.
XV.— ow, as in owl.
41. Browse, blowze, giaour (jowr or ge owr'), grouts, pouch,
carouse, MacLeod (ma-klowd').
acoustics, (a-kow'-stlks), but often pronounced a-k6'-stlks,
even by cultivated speakera.
XVI.— u, as in tune.
42. In pronouncing tlie following words, care should be
taken to sound a distinct y before the U, saying " dyuty,"
"nyuter," not "dooty," "nooter.
Beauty, buhl (bul), curule (ku'-rool), culinary (ku'-IIn-eiT ),
dew, due, duty, gnu (nu), new, nuisance, j)eculiai', pugilist
(pu'-jll-lst), puisne (pii'-ng), queue (ku), sue (su), suit, tubular
C-hyu-).
Accented on the second syllable.
astute, consume, presume (pr8-zuui'), denude, pursuit.
N.B. — Pharmaceutical is pronounced far'-ma-su'-tl-k2,l.
In unaccented syllables.
erudite, querulous, soluble, salutary (but salute, -I6t), man-
tua (-tu), municipal, occupy, petulant, peculate.
43. After a short syllable, unaccented u, even after r and 1, some-
times has the sound yu, as in erwrfi/e, etc.
XVII.— Unaccented Vowels.
44. The best rule that can be given for the pronunciation of
vowels in unaccented syllables is to pronounce them as nearly
like their sounds in accented syllables as we can without affec-
tation or laying undue stress upon them. Exceptions will be
pointed out farther on.
O gen< Tally has its long sound, as borrow (b0r'-r5), unless a
consonan : in the same syllable follows.
XVIII.— Endings.
45. -ace, -ade, -age, -ate -ave, generally have the sound
of a in ale somewhat shortened, as populace, reprobate ; but
ORTHOEPY. 1 5
in dissyllables this inclines to the sound of a, as in palace, de-
cade (dgk'-ad), octave.
But in carriage and mari'iage, -iage is pronounced -ij.
ain is sounded like In, as mountain, fountain, not mount'n,
fount'n, still less moun'n, foun'n. But bargain (-Sn.)
al should retain the distinct sound of a. Thus radical
Pihould be distinguished in pronunciation from radicle, (r&d'-tkl).
-ar generally has the sound er, as vicar (vik'-er), so -ard
and -ward as standard (■ or d), backward (-werd). But lazar
(la'-zar).
el retains the sound e, except in a few words like snivel,
swivel (swivl), grovel, hovel, mantel.
en generally drops the e sound, as in often (Ofn), glisten
(gllsn).
Weapon, basin are wgpn, basn. So too beacon, beckon,
blazon, button, glutton, pardon, etc.
ial and ian are sounded -ial and i-an.
But social (so'-shal).
ier is generally but one syllable, as glazier, c mrtier (gla-
zher, kortyer).
ice, ide, ile, ine, are generally sounded with i.
Common exceptions —
(i.) cyananide, sulphide, oxide.
(ii.) infantile, juvenile, senile, versatile, hostile, Gentile,
mercantile, reptile; also imbecile(-sel').
(iii.) Aldine, canine (kS-nln'), equine, feline, leonine,
carbine, libertine, chloi'ine, Byzantine, quinine,
saline, divine, Capitoline, Saturnine,
(iv.) benzine, marine, submarine, Ghibelline, gaberdine,
guillotine, ravine, in which ine is pronounced en'.
ise or ize has i.
franchise or Ise, but its compounds -Ise.
ite generally has i, but exquisite, favourite, infinite, preter-
ite, (-It).
le is really a digraph for 1, thus ample, readable, are pro-
nounced ampl, red'abl.
16 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
XIX.— Prefixes.
46. Bl, bin, Tri, except in Trinity, trimeter, trigono-
metry, trilogy, Tripoli, trisyllable, trivial.
De, generally, but defile, detail, deviate, devious, demarca-
tion.
De, meaning to undo, as in decompound, depopulate^ is
sounded d.6.
The s after de is sounded Z, except in desist and pereist.
Di (asunder), except in dilate, divers, and a few rare words.
di, too, in unaccented syllables, except in a few rare words.
Dis is not pronounced diz, except in disaster, discern, dis-
ease, dismal, dissolve.
Ex before the accented syllable, beginning with a vowel or
h, has the sound of egZ, as in exhaust.
Excep. exhume, exuberant, exude, and a few rare words.
Mai, not " mawl ", as maltreat (mal-tret').
Pre before a vowel or an unaccented syllable.
Excep. preface, prelate, premiss, presage, present, preci-
pice, predicate, prejudice, preposition.
Pre before an accented syllable,
Excep. preform, precontract, prerequisite, prefigure, and
a few technical words.
Pro when accented, pro when unaccented, as prO'duce and
pr6-duce'.
Excep. procreate, prolate, prolix, programme, protest, pro-
file, proletai'ian.
Re before a vowel, or when the word as a whole means to
do again what the latter part denotes ; e.g., recount, to count
again ; recount, to tell ; recreate, to create anew ; recreate, to
refresh.
Also in re'flux, recoup.
Excep. rSjoin, reform, regenerate, renew, review.
N.B. — After rg, s represents the sound z, as in reside (r8-
zid'), so resign (rS zln'), to^ive up ; resign, to sign again.
But research, resource, resurgent, resuscitate, have the
soiind of S>
ORTHOEPY. 17
First Elements of certain Compounds.
Bio, chiro (kiro), palseo, phon, photo, proto, quasi, chrttno,
dgca, dSci, meso (mSzo), phllo, t6tra.
XX. — Exercise on Unaccented Syllables.
47. 1. Pronounce the following sets of words so as to distin
guish the vowels in their unaccented syllable : —
Bridal, bridle (bridl) ; Britain, BritOn ; carat, carrttt ; caster,
castOr ; censer, censOr ; concert, consOrt ; council, counsel ; cym-
bal, symbol ; ferrule (f8r'-81), ferule(-ul) ; gamble, gambol ; idle,
idol, idyll ; manner, manor ; medal, meddle(-dl) ; metal, mettle
(-tl); missal, missile, missel*; ott3,r,t otter; profit, prophet;
rabbet, rabbit ; treatise, treaties ; vial, viol ; deviser, divisor ;
accept, except ; accede, exceed ; immanent, imminent ; impas-
sable, impassible ; insolation, insulation.
2. Pronounce the following words so as to shew the differ-
ence between the second vojvels in each pair : —
History, mystery ; Ttaly, Sicily ; bailable, fallible ; model,
noddle ; company, mutiny ; termagant, elegant ; reticence,
innocence.
XXI.— Sounds represented by the
Oonsonant-Signs.
48. G before e, i, y, represents the sound of j.
Exceptions : gear, geese, gewgaw, geyser, gibber-ish, gib-
bose, giddy, give (and its derivatives), gig, gild, gilt, gills,
gimbals or gimmals, gimlet, gimp, gingham, gird, -le and
girth, girl, gizzard, begin.
The g retains its sound also in dingy (ding-gy, a small boat),
gill (a mountain stream), and in the Hebrew gehenna and
gemara.
In gendarme (zh&n-d&rm'), mirage, prestige, genre, rouge
(r6zh), and some other words borrowed from the French, g re-
presents the sound zh.
Magyar is sounded Madyar.
49. N before the sound of g or k represents the sound
generally denoted by ng, as in anchor, conch (konk) ; but not
3 * Another name for mistletoe. t More correctly attar.
18 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
in the case of the j)refixos COn-, in-, Syn-, un-, except in
concord (kong'-kawrd), concourse, cojicubine, congress, conquer.
In many words that contain ng the g begins a syllable, as
in fin-ger, clan-gor (klang'-ger), conger, and in such words as
longer.
N.B. -English should be pronounced Ing'-gllsh not Tng'-l^fsh.
Length and strength are often mispronounced lenth, strenth.
50. ' S should have its own sound in the following words in
which many wrongly give it the sound Z : desist, persist, (but
resist, -zist), concise, precis", pi-esentiment, rinse, dose. Also
in the prefixes dis- and trans- (but transit) as dislike, not diz-,
and in the ending -sive, as decisive (dS-si'-sIv), but delusive
(-zlv), conclusive. See 4G, N.B., under re-.
S is rightly pronounced like Z before m (except in dis, mis,
and trans), as chasm (kasm). Also in desert, gooseberry,
gaseous, greasy, Jesuit, mistletoe, preside, president, rase, vase
(vaz or vaz), beniaon (bSn'-I-zn),* venison (vSn'-zn), dessert,
possess, ^tc.
S has the sound sh very often before unaccented i, as in
Persian, transient, scansion ; and sometimes before u, as tissue,
sure ; also in nausea, nauseous (-shia, -shivis).
51. S has the sound of zh. (i.) in -sion after a vowel, (ii.)
sometimes before U ; also in ambrosia, artesian, Elysian, clo-
sure, osier.
52. S has the sound gz in auxiliary, anxiety, luxuriant, -ous.
XXII.— Digraphs.
53. Oh represents the sound of k in
(i.) Arch- followed by a vowel, as in architect (&r'-ki-tgkt),
architrave, anarchy, except in arch-ed, -ing, archer-y.
(ii.) Initial brach-, chalc-, chl, chr, chor (except chore),
troch-, chil- (thousand), cheir or chir ( = hand).
(iii.) The following words, with their derivatives, Chaldee,
chalybeate, chameleon, chamomile, chaos, character, charta,
(but not chart, chai-ter), chelonian, chemic, -ist, chimera, choir,
choler,-a, chyle, chyme, anchor, anchoret, bronchitis, anarchy,
colchicum, conch, distich, echo, hypochondria, inchoate, ma-
ORTHOEPY. 19
chiiiatioii, monarch, orchid, orchestra, tetrarch, Mocha, Cher-
sonese, strychnine, melancholy.
Generally in words from Greek, chiefly scientific terms.
Also in a few Italian words as chiaro-oscuro, Machiavelian.
Oh represents the sound of sh after 1 and n, except in
milch; also in chagrin (-gren'), chaise, chamade, chamois
(sham'-wS,), champagne, champaign, champerty (-pS.r-tT), chan-
delier, chaperon, charade (-rS,d'), charivari, charlatan, chasseurs
(-ers'), chemise (-mez'), chevron, chicane, chivalry.
Generally in words lately borrowed from French.
54. Gh. initial always stands for g.
Its many sounds at the end of a syllable occur only in
familiar words, so that there is no danger of mispronunci-
ation, except in Edinburgh (-bliro), hough (hOk), sough (stif)
and slough (sltif, but slow,* not sl5 nor slu, when it means a
bog).
55. Ph represents the sound of f, except in nephew and
Stephen (n8v'-u and Ste'-ven), and in diphthong, tripthong,
naphtha, where it has the sound of p ; diphtheria (either dlf-
or dip-).
In phthisic {i\z'-\^), phthisis {\h\'-s\^), ph is silent.
56. Th represents the sound of t in asthma, isthmus,
lliames, thyme.
It should be pronounced as in the in the following words :
booth, with, bequeath.
Also before 6 mute, as in seethe, lithe, blithe, loathe, and in
the following plurtils baths, paths, laths, truths, youths, oatlis,
sheaths, wreaths.
57. Unaccented ce, ci, ti before al, an, on, ous, ent,
ence represent the sound sh, as in ocean, optician, tertian,
partial, herbaceous, spacious, conscience. Before -ation ci-
should be pronounced shI-, not si, as pronunciation.
So, too, nuncio (nun'-shl-o), but halcyon (hal'-sI-On).
58. Sc before e or i has the sound of S, except in sceptic,
scirrJious (skSp'tIc, skir'-rus).
* Here, as always in re-spelled words, ow is sounded as in owl.
20 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
Sch has the sound of sh in schist, schedule, of sk in
scheme, school, schooner, scholastic, scholium, scholar.
Schistti is pronounced sizm.
XXIII. — Exercise on Silent Letters.
59, B, dumb, thumb, subtle (but siib'-tile).
So always after m. *
0, Czar, (but Czekh, Ch6k), victuals (vlt'-lz), scene.
D, handkerchief (han'-ker-chlf, woihang-), Wednesday (wens-
da).
G, gnat, coigne, sign, poignant, imbroglio (Im-br5l'-yo),
seraglio(-raryo), diaphragm(-frara), paradigm(-dlm), apothegm
(ap'-o-thSm), phlegm (fl8m).
H, heir, honor, honest, hostler, hour, exhaust.
In Jitrb, hospital, humble, the present usage is to pronounce the h.
L, almond, alms (S,mz), calm, falcon, halm (hawm), holm
(hom or hOlm), cul de-sac (cOQ-d6-sSk).
L is generally silent before f, k and m, but not in talc.
M, mnemonics (ne-m6n'-Iks).
N, damn, damning, condemn-ing, hymn-ing, contemn-er. •
N is silent after ra in the same syllable. It is sounded before other
affixes than -ing, -ed and er, as in dam-nable, condem-nation, hym-nal.
P (ph.), contempt, pneumatics, pneumonia, psalm, ptarmi-
gan, psychology, pseud- (as in pseudonym).
S, demesne (dS-men'), isle, aisle.
T, often (Ofn), soften (sOf'n), mortgage, apostle, epistle,
wrestle, forecastle (fok'-sl), mistletoe (miz'-l-to), chasten, fasten,
glisten, chestnut, Christmas, boatswain (bosn), ballet (bSl'-la),
haricot.
T is generally silent in the endings -stle, -sten, as in jostle,
moisten, (jOs'-l, moys'-n), christen (kris'-n).
V7, answei*, boatswain (bosn), cockswain (kOk'-sn).
"W is also silent in -wich after 1, m, n. r.
The letters italicised in the following words must be pro-
nounced:— Arctic, Antarctic, government, brearfth, wi(/th, h.ax\d-
some, co^rnisance, incog'nito, recognise, cartridge, pS,rtridge,
asthma (as^ma), isthmus (Is^miis).
Present English usage omits h even in succumb.
ORTHOEPY. 21
XXIV.— Accent.
60. The following words are accented on the last syllable : —
AdSpt, adult, alcove, ally (al-li'), awry (a-rl'), basalt (-sault'),
bombast (biimbast'), burlesque (ber-lesk'), cement, charade
(sha-rad'), coquet (ko-k6t'), dis-course, Occiilt', pretence', (but
pre'-text), recSss', robust', tirade, commandant', complaisant'
(kOm-pla-zanf), confidant', imbecile (-sel'), recitative (-ev), Capu-
chin (-shen), bombasin, ambergris (-gi es'), chagrin, mandarin,
palanquin, routine.
N.B. — Bureau, an ordinary piece of furniture, we must, on this side
of the Atlantic, call bu'-ro ; in the sense of a department of government,
we should pronounce it bu-ro'. In all cases we must say dg-pO' (or
dep'-6), not the vulgar d6'-po.
61. The following words are accented on the penult: — '
(i.) Often incorrectly accented on the final.
Adverse, brgvet, brIgS,nd, complex, construe, misconstrue,
harass, levee, mattress, mohair.
(ii.) Often incorrectly accented on the antepenult.
anchovy, calisthSnics, coadjutor, congener, farrago, hOrizon,
illicit, intrSpid, plebeian (plS-be'-Sn), pyrites(-ez), quandary
(kwOn-da'-re), sequestrate, stalactites (-tits), stalagmite, sub-
jected, vagary (vS-ga'-ii), vertigo, viragO, canorous, decorous,
sonorous.
emetic, fanatic, caloric, panegyric, and most words in -ic.
Cyclopean, Augean, ii n -ean.
Colosseum, lyceum, museum, m » -eum.
albumen, bitumen, ii n -umen.
panacea, hymeneal ; aspirant, condolence, coquetry, inquiry,
precedence (from aspire', condole', and other words accented on
the final), clandestine, compensate, confiscate, contemplate, ex-
purgate, exculpate, illustrate.
The words in this last group have two or more consonants
after the last word but one :
Present English usage allows the pronunciations obliga'-tory,
ortho'-Spy (-pi)i which are certainly much easier than ob'-liga-
tory and or'-thoepy.
22 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
62. Accented on the antepenult, often incoi-rectly accented
on the penult :
Ai-ea, armistice, blasphemy, conveisant, contrary, camSl'-o-
pard, chastisement, centrifugal, centiipgtal, cergbral, clematis,
dSflcIt, discipline, exOrcise, exquisite, gon' dola, ira'-pious, indus-
try, obdurate, orchestra, puissant, subaltern, supeifiuous, vehe-
ment ; also allo'-pathy and other words in -])athy,* telegraphy,
alveolar, variola, gladiolus (and other words in eolar and Tola).
Other words accented on the antepenult are : abstractly,
deflagrate, d6s'-uetude, demoni' acal, mani'-acal, discrepancy,
fortnightly, illative, inetamor'-phoses, i)arietal, Philistines, per-
func'-tory, polygamy, i-eceptacle, photographer, phonOtypy,
sardonyx, univocal.
Accented on the pre-antepenult, or fourth syllable from the
end :
t Accessory (-eri), aggrandizement, allegOrist, antepenult, ap-
probative, caricature, celibacy, circumjacent, combativeness,
comparable, (but -par'-ative), contumacy, contumely, corollary,
desultory, diligently, (in-)disputable, formidable, fragmentary,
incomparable, interested, lamentable, laboratory, peregrinate,
peremptory, rofragable, rem'-gdiless, remediable, repertory, rec'-
ognizable, supererogatory, usurpatory, (uzerp'-at-erl;, v6t'-er-
inary (-ei'l).
XXV. —Varying Accent.
63. The following woi-ds are accented on the last syllable
when they are verbs, on the fii*st when they are nouns or
adjectives :
Absent, abstract, accent, affix, collect, comment, compact,
compound, compi'ess, concert, concrete, conduct, confines, con-
.flict, consort, contest, contract, contrast, converse, convert, con-
vict, convoy, decrease, descant, desert, detail, digest, discount,
escort, essay, exile,J export, extract, ferment, frequent, import,
incense, increase, insult, interdict, object, overcharge, over
throw, pei-fume,|| permit, pervert, placard, prefix, prod.uce,
progress, rebel, record, refuse (ref'-use and re-fuz'), surname,
survey, torment, transfer, transport.
* But not in -pathic, which accentuate the penult as hydropathic,
t ary, cry, are both sounded eri.
J Exile, noun, is pronounced egz'-lle or eks'-U ; verb, egz'-il or eg-zll'.
I Perfume " " per-fum or per'-ftim' " per-fum'.
ORTHOEPY. 23
64. So miscon'-duct (n. ), misconduct' (v.), precoii'-tract («.),
precoutract' (v.), at'-ti-ibute( rt.), attrib'-ute (v.). En'-trance
(n.) and entrance' (v.) are totally different words coming re-
spectively from enter and trance.
66. Sometimes other distinctions are expressed by differ-
ence of accent, as :
Ay-sSnic (n.), ai-sSn'-ic (adj.); ex'-pert («.), expei-t' (adj.);
consum'-mate {adj.), con'-summate (v.) ; Au'-gust (w.), august',
{adj.) ; min'-ute («.), minute' {adj.) ; prSc'-gdent {n.), prece'-dent
{adj.) ; gal'-lant (brave) ; gallant' (polite) ; inval'-id (not bind-
ing), invalid (-led'), (disabled) ; su'-pine (a kind of verbal
noun), supine' (indifferent).
66. On the other hand, very many have the same accent,
no matter what part of speech they may be, as :
Address, alternate, assent, cement,* discourse, effect, employ,
perfect, preface, prostrate, purport, purpose.
67. Such differences are sometimes expressed by difference
of pronunciation, as in ab-use', which as a verb is pronounced
H-buz'.
So grease, close, diffv^e, which as verbs give s the sound of Z.
Cleanly, adj., is sounded kl8n'-ll ; adv., Wqu'-W.
Beloved, learned, sound the e of ed as adjectives, but not .as
verbs or participles.
68. Conjure (k0n-j6r'), entreat; (kiin-j'er), to juggle; courtesy
(kertSsI), politeness ; (kerb'-st) a bow ; hinder {a.), hinder {v.) ;
mow (m6w), a loft; mow (mow), to cut with a sythe ; raven, a
bird; rSven, to devour; housewife (howswif), a mistress of a
house; (htlzlf), a case for needles; mall (mawl), a hammer ;
(mSl), a walk.
69. The following spellings represent each, not two pronun-
ciations of the same word, but two distinct words :
Troll, to roll ; trOU, a fabulous being ; leasing (losing), letting
for hire ; (lezing), lying ; gout (gowt), a disease (g6), taste ;
lower, (loer), make low ; low-er, to darken ; won't, will not ;
(wtlnt), acciistomed ; pe'-ri5dic, belonging to a period ; pgr'-IOdic,
a composition of iodine ; salve (sav), an ointment ; (salv), to
save from loss ; pOll, ordinary degree at Cambridge ; poll, head,
to vote.
* Cem'-ent is obsolete.
24
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
XXV f.— Misleading Analogy.
70. We generally find that in groups of related words the
accent remains on the same element, e. g., delnd'e, dehxs'-ion,
delus'-ive ; and also that that main element has the same
sound in all. This is not so in the following instances ; hence
the analogy (or likeness) is misleading :
assign (-sin'), assignee (Ss'-In-e)
consign', con'signee
blaspheme, blS,s'-phSmy and
-ous
consist', consistory (-erf)
decll'vous, decliv-ity
define, def'-in-Ite, definition
(-Ish'-un), defin'-itlve
drima, mSl'-odrama
flora, -al, -iferons, flOrid, flor-
Iform, -1st, -i-culture
frater'-nal, frSt'-ernlse
fort, -let, fort-alice, fortress,
fort-ify
four, fbi-ty, fortnight
front, (frttnt), so front -let -age,
frontier, -ispiece (-pes)
gen'-us, gSneral
gSs, gasometer; gaseous (ga'-
zetis)
gratis, gratti'-itous
grateful, grat'-itude, -ify, -ulate
heath, heathen, h gather
hero, hero'-ic, hSroIne, -ism
hind, hinder, hinder, hindrance
hygiene (hi'-jen or hi'-jl-en),
hygienic (hi-jI-Sn'-Ik)
IMh (pL, Ikthz), Ihthe
lenient, -iency, ISnity
luxury (x=ks), luxuriant (gz),
-ate, -ous
maintain, maintSnance
maniac, mani'-acal
matron, -al, -ise ; matrimony
mi'-croscope, microscopic, mi-
crOs'-cOpy
mime, mimgt'-ic, mimic, -ry,
mimetic
mode, mod-al, -ish ; mOdest,
moderate, etc.
nation, national*
obscene, -ly, obscgnityt
o})pugn (-pun'), oppug-nancy
palm (pW), pal'm-ate, pal'm-
ary
phlegm (flgm), phl6g-mat'-ic
pious, Im'- pious, but impiety
precede, prec'-edent (n.)
prime, primitive, prim'er or
primer
realise, reallsa'-tion
remedy, reme'-diable
restore, -ation, restorative
satiate (sa'-she-ate), -able, sa-
ti'-gty
social (so'-shal), society
solemn (sOl'-gm), sO-lem'-ni-ty,
-nise
sphere (sfer), sphgr-ic, -ical,
-icity, -oid
squalid (skwOl'-Id), squalor
(skwa-ler or skwO'-ler)
staunch (stawnsh), stanchion
(-shun)
sublime, subllm-ity, -ate, -ise
suit (sut), suite (sweet)
* So, too, ration-al, Spanish.
t So, too, serene, serSn-'ity, sSrS'-nade.
ORTHOEPY. 25
swath (swOth),swa<Ae,swa<Aing
tel'-egraph, tel'-egraph'-ic, -ist,
teleg'-raphy
telephone, telephOn'-ic, teleph'-
Onist
telescope, telescOp'-ic, teles'copy
ti-ansit (-sit), but transition,
(trS,n-zish'-vin).
type, -ology, -ography, typify,
vivid, viv-acious, -acity, -ariuni,
viviparous
zeal, zealot (zSl'-tit), zSalous
71. N.B. — Words ending in -isive, with the preceding syl-
lable, are often mispronounced, owing to the analogy of the
corresponding -sion, e. g., decisive, decision (-zhun) ; so inci-
sive, incision (-zhun), diffusive, -sion. So many names of
sciences end in -Ology that sometimes mineralogy and gene-
alogy are wrongly called minerOlogy, etc.
XXVII.— Review Exercise..
72. Common faults in pronunciation *
1. Mispronouncing the accented vowels :
Because, was ; catch, can, gather ; get, kettle ; plait, heinous
(a not e) ; been, clique, creek, sleek (e not I) ; since, spirit,
steady; sirsaparilla, sauce, saucy, sausage {not sas-) ; only,
goal ; cord, fOrty [not for-) ; Russian, Prussian, giims, stlpp e
{not oo) j bronchitis (-kitis) ; supergr'-ogation.
2. Substituting the sound of I or ti for that of e in the ter-
minations of such words as :
BedstSad, ailmSnt, honSst.
3. Substituting the sound of ii for 0 in unaccented syllables,
as :
Oblige, provide, potato, position, society, tobacco; bellow,
hollow, thorough, borough ; innocent.
4. Omitting vowels in unaccented syllables :
Aggd, blessSd, learngd, bglieve {not blev), boistgrous, com-
pany, despSrate, evgry, histOry, memOry, mystery, nominative,
several, favorite, victory (-er-), library, participle, real, really
{not rel-y), diamond, geography, antip'-odes (-ez), manes (-6z),
extempore.
5. Omitting consonants :
* The teacher should make the class pronounce the words in this exercise , he
watching for the errors likely to be committed. In some parts of the Province addi-
tional exercises may be needed, varying according to the nationality of the first
settlers, nearness to the United States, etc.
26 THK HIOH SCHOOL ENGLISH WOKD-BOOK.
Arctic, February, breadth, width, partridge, cartridge, facts,
posts, grandmother, sends, handsome, recognise, cognizance.
6. Omitting the y of u after d, n, t, as in duke, neuter,
Tuesday.
7. Mispronouncing consonants :
Covetous (not -chtis), decrep'-it (not -id), drought, height (not
-th), Indian (not -juu), idiot (not -jiit) partner, Protestant, pre-
sumptuous (not -shus), stupendous, tremendous (not -jus).
Some put W for wh, Sr for shr, -in for -ing. Dis- and
mis- are often wrongly sounded dlz- and miz-.
8. Wrongly inserting vowels or consonants :
Alpaca, casualty, elm, helm, massacring, mischievous (not
chevytls), baptism, spasm, attack (not -takt), drown, once,
sudden, across (not -crost).
9. Transposing sounds :
Brethren, children (not -em).
10. Pronouncing according to the spelling :
(a) Courteous, courtesy (ker- not kor-), e'er and ere (a.r) ,
fbrehead (f6r'-8d), knowledge, none, nothing, evil (evl), devil
(dSvl), route (r6t), tour (t6r), joiist, nephew (-vu not -fu).
(b) Often (Ofu), soften, apostle, epistle, fasten, chasten
(chasn), "Wednesday (wensda), towards (tordz).
11. Following a misleading analogy (see § 70) :
Zoology (not zoo-), Danish ; neuralgia (vulgarly -alojy), forty
(vulgarly forty).
12. Accentuating the wrong vowel :
Ally, depot, complaisant, discourse, occult, recess (which
accent the final syllable) ; assets, construed, decorous, extirpate,
harass, idea, inquiry, panacea, plebeian, precedence (which ac-
cent the penult) ; centrifugal, conversant, deficit, homoeopathy,
vehement (which accent the antepenult) ; contumely, indisput-
able, irrevocable (which accent the pre-antepenult. For other
examples, see § 60-2.
N.B. — It is wrong to sound too fully the endings -ary and
-Ory, as in mercenary and observatory (-eri, not -ary, nor -ory).
LIST OF WORDS LIABLE TO BE
MISPRONOUNCED.
[N.B, — Vowels left unmarked have the "short" sound, as in an, ell, ill, on, US, y
havinsf that of i in ill.]
A.
abatis, Sb'-a-tis or ab' ate.
abatoir, ab'-at-war.
abbreviate, ab-bie'-vi-at.
abdomen, ab-do'-mgn.
ablution, S,b-l6'-shiin.
aborigines, Sb'-o-rii'-i-nez.
ab'-sent, (adj.).
absent' (v.)
absolutory, ab-sOl'-ti-ter-!.
absolve, ab-zolv'.
absorb, ab-sOrb' (not -zOrb').
abstemious, ab-ste'-ml-us.
abstract' (v.)
ab'-s tract (adj.).
ab'-stractness.
abstract'-ly.
abuse, a-bus' (n.); S-buz' (v).
accent, ak'-sSnt (n.); ak-
sgnt' (v.).
accept, ak-s6i)t' (often con-
founded with except').
access, S,k-sgs' or ak'-s5s.
accessible, ak-s6s'-si-bl.
accessory or accessary,
ak'-sSs-ser-I.
acclimate, Sk-kli'-mat.
acclimatise, ak-kir-ma-tiz'.
acclivity, ak-kliv'-i-ti.
accompanist, ak-ktim'-pan-
Ist.
accomplice, ak-kOm'-plIs.
.accomplish, ak-kom'-piish
(not -kum-).
accord, ak-kawrd'.
accost, ak-kOst' (not -kawst').
accoucheur (^V.), ak'-koo-
sher'.
accoutre, ak-k6'-ter,
accurate, ak'-ku lat (not ak-
ker-It). See § 43.
acknowledge, ak-noi'-gj.
acme, ak'-me.
acoustics, a-kow'-stlks.
acri, ak'-kr! ; acro, ak'kio*
(prefixes),
acumen, a-ku'-mSn.
adamant, ad'-a-mant.
ad'-amante'-an.
adduce, ad-dus (not -doos).
adept, adept'.
' acro unless a consonant in the same syllal)le follows.
ale, me, file, note, pure, far, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
28
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK,
adipose, ad'-Ipos (not -p5z).
adobe, Span., a-do'-ba.
Adonis, a-do'nis.
adult, a-cliilt' (not ad'-),
adverse, ad'-vers (not -vers')'
ad'-versely.
advertisement, a,d-vei'-tiz-
m6nt.
advertise, ad'-ver-tiz.
.<Sneid e-ue'-Id.
^neas, e ne'-as.
.^Eolian, e-o'-ll-an.
^Olic, e-Ol'-Ik.
aerate, a'-er-at.
aerial, a-e'-ii-rd.
aerie, or eyry, e'ri.
aerify, ar'-i-fi.
aeriform, ar'-I-fawrm.
aerolite, ar'-o-lit.
aeronaut, ar'-O-nawt.
aesthetics, ez-thgt'-iks.
affix, af-flks (n.) ; af-f Iks' (u).
■» affront, af-fitint' (n. and v.)
again, a-gSn',
against, a-gSnst'.
aggrandise, ag'-grSn-diz'.
aggrandisement, ag'-gran
diz'-mSnt.
agile, aj'-n. See § 43.
aide-de-camp, ad'-dg-kow^.
alabaster, al'-a-bas'-ter.
albino, al-bl'-no.
albumen, al bu'-mSn.
Aldine, ai'-din.
algebra, al'-js-hra.
alias, a'-li as.
alibi, al'-i-bi.
alien, al'-ySn.
alienate, al'-y2n-at (not fil-
en'-i-at).
alkali, al'-ka-li.
alkaline, ar-ka-lin.
allegiance, al-le'-jans.
allegory, ai'-le-gor'-i (not
-go-il).
allegro, ai-le'-gro.
allopathy, ai-iop'-athr, but,
al'-lopath'-ic
ally, ai-ii', (not ai'-ii).
almond, a'-miind.
alms, amz.
almoner, ai' mOn-er.
alpaca, al-pSk'-a, (not ai'-a-
pak-a).
Alpine, al'-pin (not -pin),
altercation, al'-ter-ka'-shaa
(not awl-).
alternate, al-ter-'-nat or al'-
ter-nat (not awl-).
alternative, al-ter'-na-tiv.
al'-tema'-tion.
alto, al'-to.
alto-relievo, aj'-to-i i-'e'-vs.
altruism, ai'-trd izm.
altruistic, ai'-tr6-is-tik.
alumnus, a-lum-'nus ; pi. Br
lumni, a liim'-ni.
ale, me, file, nSte, pure, f4r, her, in6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
ORTHOEPY.
29
amateur, am'-S-ter or tur
[not tur', -toor, nor -chur).
ambrosia, Sm-bio' zhi-&.
amenable, ft-me'-nS-bl {rwt
&-mSn'-).
amend, a-mon^pd'.
amenity, a-mgu'-i-ti.
amnesty, am'-ngs-ti.
amphiscii, am-f ish-i-i.
anaemia, an-e'-mia.
anaemic, Sn-e'-mik.
anaesthetic, au'-es-thet'-ik.
analogue, an'-aiog.
analogy, a nar-oji.
ancestral, an-sgs'-tiai.
ancestry, an'-sSs-tri.
anchovy, an-cho'-vi.
Andean, an-de' an.
anemone, a-nSm'-o-nS.
anile, an'-il,
anility, an-il'-i-tL •
aniline, an'-Min.
animalcule, an-i-mai'-kui
{iiot -kul-e.)
anise, an-is.
annihilate, an-ni'-hMat.
anni'-hila'-tion.
anodyne, an'-o-din.
anomaly, a nom'-a-li.
antarctic, ant-aik'-tlk.
antepenult, an'-tS-pS-niilt'
{not an-cS-})e-ntilfc).
anti-, (prefix) an'-tl {not
an'-tl).
antipodes, an-wp'o-dez.
antistrophe, an-tis'-tro-is.
anxiety, ang-zi'-6-ti.
anxious, angk'-shus.
aorist, a-'-o-rfst.
aperient, a-per'-i-6nt.
aplomb, a-piow' or a-pior??^'.
apotheosis, ap-o-the'-o-sis.
apparatus, ap'-pa-ra'-tus
{not -ra'-),
apparent, ap-pa'-vSnt.
apricot, a'-prf-kot.
a priori, a'-puor'-L
apropos, ap'-ro-po'.
aquiline, ak'-wi-hn.
Arab, av'-ab.
Arabic, ar'-awk.
Arabian, a-ra'-bi-an.
arch, (chief) Arch; §,rk, before
a vowel ; &rch, before a con-
sonant.
architect, S,r'-ki-t6kt.
archives, av'-kivz.
Archimedean, ar'-ki-me'-
de-an.
Arctic, ftrk'-tik.
Arctm'US, ark-tu'-i-iis.
arduous, ar'-du-us.
are, iy-) ar ; a metric unit, dr.
area, a'-rg-a.
aria, a tune, ar'-i-a.
Arian, a' li-an.
arid, ar'-id.
ale, me, file, nOte, pure, f4r, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
30
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
aristocrat, ai'-istr) kiat or
5,r-is'-t6-krat.
Armada, ai-ma'-da.
armistice, ai'-mis-tis.
aroma, a-io'-ma,.
arquebuse, ar'-kg booz. Fr.
arrogant, av'-io-gant.
arsenic, in.) ar'-sS-nik ; {adj.)
ftr'-sSn'ik.
artesian, ar-te'-zM-an.
Arum, a'-ium.
Aryan, ar' ian, or a'-rian.
asafoetida, as'a-fgt' i-tia.
ascetic, as-s6t' ik.
ascii, as'-i-i, or ask'-i-L
asphyxia, as-fik'-si a.
aspirant, as-pf-rant.
aspirate, as'-pi-rat.
assess, as-s6s'.
assets, as'-s6ts.
assume, as sum',
assure, a sh6r'.
asthma, ast'-ma.
ate, at or 6t.
athenaeum, ath'-6-ne'-iim.
atoll, at'-oi.
atrophy, at'-rof-i.
attribute, at'-tn-but {n.),
at-trib'-ut {v.).
bade, bad (not bad),
badinage, Fr., bad'-i-nazh.
bagatelle, Fr., bag'-a-ter.
auction, awk' .slifin.
Augean, aw-je'-an.
auger cmd augur, aw'-ger.
August, («.) aw 'gust; {adj.)
aw-giist'.
aunt, ant.
aureola, aw-re'-5-la.
auricle, aw'-n-kl.
auspice, aw'-spis ; pi. au-
spices, aw'-spis 6z.
auto-da-fe, Span., aw'-to-
da-fa'.
auxiliary, awgzal-'-i-a-ii.
avalanche, av'-a lansii'.
avant-courier, a-von,^'-k6r'-
i-a.
avarice, av'-a-i-is.
avenue, av'-g-nu {not av'-g-
noo).
avoirdupois, &v-er'-du-
poyz'. ,
awkward, awk'-werd.
awry, a-ii'.
axiom, ak'-si-ttm.
ay or aye (yes), l
aye (always), a.
azure, a'-zhoor.
B.
balk, bawk.
ballet, bal'-la.
balm, bam.
ale, me, file, note, pui-e, far, lier, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
ORTHOEPY.
31
balsam, bawl' sam.
banquet, bimg'-kwgt {not
ban-). See languid.
baptism, bap'-tizm.
barbarous, bai'-ba-ius {not
bSr-ba'-ri-us).
bargain, bar'-ggn.
baron, bar'-On (not to be
confounded with bai'-r6n).
barouche, ba-rdsh'.
barrel, b&r'-r6l {not b4rl).
basilisk, baz'-Misk.
bass-relief, bas'-re-lef .
bath, bath ; pi. hUhz.
bathos, ba'-thOs.
bayonet, ba'-6n-6t {not ba'-
n6t).
bayou, bi'-oo.
bazaar, ba-zar'.
beard, berd {not bard),
because, be-kawz' {not bS-
kOz').
bedizen, b6-diz'-n.
Bedouin, bSd'-oo-in.
been,* ben or bin.
begone, bg-gQn' {not -gav/n')-
behalf, be-haf.
behemoth, be'-he-moth.
believe, bg-lev' {not blev).
Bellerophon, b6l-l6r'-o-fon.
belles-lettres, Fr., bel-iet'-
-tr.
bellows, b6l'-loz or lus.-
beloved {ad}.), b6-Jav'-6d ;
part, bg-luvd'.
benzine, b6n'-zen.
bequeath, h&-kw eth'.
besom, be'-zum.
bestial, b6st'-yai {not best'-).
betroth, be-trSth' {not bg-
-troth').
bewray, bg-ra'.
bezique, Fr., ba-zek'.
bi, bl, rarely bl.
bibliography, bib'-li-og'-rfi-
fl
bicycle, bi'-sik-l.
bifarcate, bi-fer'-kat.
bijou, be-zh6'.
binomial, bi-no'-mi-ai.
biography, bi-og'-ra-fl.
bison, bi'-zOn.
bitumen, bi-tu'-mgn.
bivouac, biv'-oo-ak.
blaspheme, blas-fem', but
blas'-phg-motls.
blatant, bla'-tSnt.
blessed {adj. ),h\&ss'-&d ; part.
blgst.
blithe, bli^A.
bohea, bo-he'.
•"Been, with the sound^of e as in mete, which, I repeat, is the pronunciation I
/e heard from all the well-bred and well-educated Englishmen that I have met."—
have
Richard Grant White,
ale, me, file, note, pure, far, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
32
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
boisterous, boys'-ter-us
{not boys'-triis).
bomb, bOm, (not btim).
bombast, bttm-bfet'.
bombazin, bam'-bs-zen.
bona fides, b6'-n& fi'-dez.
booth, hdth.
bonhomie, Fr., b0n'-6m-e.
borealis, bOr'-e-a'-lis.
bosom, booz'-tim.
boudoir, Fr., bood'-w&r.
boulevard, Fr., bool-v&r'.
bouquet, Fr., b6'-ka.
bourgeois (French middle
classes), b6rzh-w4'; (a kind
of printing type), ber-joys'.
bourgeon, Fr.. ber'-jOu.
bourn, bdrn.
Bourse, b6rz.
bow («.), b5 ; (v.) how.
bow or bows (of a ship),
bow, bowz.
bowsprit, b5'-sprft.
bravado, bi-&-va'-do, but
bra'-vo.
breeching, brfch'-ing.
brethren, br6th'-rgn (not
br6th'-6r-6n).
brevet, brgv'-st.
breviary, bre'-vi-er-i.
brevity, br6v'-i-ti.
brigand, brig'-aud (not bri-
gand').
brigantine, brig'-ftn-tin.
brimstone, brlm'stOn (not
-stun).
bromide, bro'-n)Id ; bro'-
mlne ; bro-miLo.
bronchitis, brOng-ki'-tls.
brooch, bioch (not b)ooch).
broth, broth.
brougham, brd'-am.
bruit, brot.
brusque, broosk.
Buddha, bood'-da.
Buddhism, bood'-dlzm.
bufifet, Fr. (a sideboard)
boof'-a.
buhl, bul.
bulletin, bool'-lg-ten or tin.
bullion, bool'-yun.
bunion, btin'-ytin.
buoy, boy.
buoyancy, boy'-an-sr.
bureau, bu'-ro, or bu-ro'.
(See page ).
burlesque, bei-igsk'.
business, biz'-ngs.
butcher, booch'-er (not
Ijtich-).
Byzantine, biz- Sn'-tin.
ale, me, file, note, pure, f4r, her, move, awl, owl, good, boy.
ORTHOEPY.
33
0.
cabal, ka-bal'.
cachinnation, kak'-in-na-
shtin.
cadaverous, ka-dav'-er-us.
cadence, ka'-dens.
cadi, ka'-dl.
Oadmean, kad-me'-an.
caesura, sg-zu'-i-a.
caisson, kas'-sOn.
calcine, kai'-sin.
caldron or chaldron,
kawl'-dr5n.
calf, kaf.
calibre, kai'-i-ber.
caligraphy, ka lig'-ra-fi.
caliph, ka'-lif or ka-lef .
calisthenics, kai-is-thfin'-iks.
calm, kam (not kaai).
caloric, kal-l6r'-ik.
calyx, ka'-liks ; pi. calyxes,
ka'-iik-sSs, or calyces, kal'-
I-ses.
canine, ka-nin'.
canon or canyon, kSn'-yOn.
capitoline, kap'-i-to-iin.
Capuchin, kap'-a shen.
carbine or carabine, k4r'-
bin or kar'-a-bln.
cardiac, kar'-di-ak.
caricature, kar'-i-ka-tur'.
Carlovingian, kar'-lo-vin'-
ji-an.
carmine, k&r'-min.
carotid, ka-roi'rd.
carte-blanche, Fr., kart-
blan^sh.
carte-de-visite, Fr., kait'-
dg-vi-zet'.
castle, kas'-sl.
casualty, kazh'-a-ai-ti {not
-ai'-i-ti'.
casuist, kazh'-u-ist.
catamaran, kat'-a-ma-i-an'.
catch, katch {not ketch).
catchup or catsup, katch '-
up or kats'-up.
catechumen, kat'-6-ku'-
mgii.
caustic, kaws'-tik.
caveat, ka'-vi-at,
caviare, kavM-ar [not -a-ra).
cayenne, ka-ygn' or ka-Sn'.
Celebre, Fr. sa-l6b'-r.
celibacy, s6l'-i-ba-si.
cement, n. and v., s6-m6nt'.
centenary, s6n'-t6-ner-i, hut
centen'-nial.
centrifugal, s6n-trif'-u-gah
centripetal, s6n-tiip'-6-tai.
cephalic, se-fai'-ik.
ceramic, se-i-am'-ik.
cerebral, s6r'-6-brai.
certain, ser'-tin {not sert'-n).
cerulean, s6-r6'-li-an.
chagrin, sha-gren'.
chaise, shaz.
ale, me, file, note, pure, f^r, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
4
34
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
chalcedony, kal-sed'-5-nI.
chamois, bham'-wa.
char, (to blacken) cliar ; (to
work by the day ) char.
character, kar'-ak-ter {not
kfir-ak'-ter.)
chasten, chas'-n.
charivari, Fr., sha'-re-va'-re.
charlatan, shar '-la-tan.
Charon, ka'-rOn.
Oharybdis, ka lib'-dis.
chastise, chas-tiz'.
chastisement, c h a s' - 1 1 z-
m6nt.
chateau, sha-to'.
chef-d'-oeuvre, Fr., slia-d6'-
vr.
chiaro-OSCUro, ke-ar'-o-os-
k6'-r6.
chicanery, shl-ka'-ner-l
chignon, &\i\n-y6ng'.
chimera, kl-me'-ra.
chimerical, ki-mgr'-i-kai.
chirography, ki-rOg'-ra-fi.
chiropodist, kl-rOiy-o-dist.
chivalry, shiv'-al-rf.
chiv'alric.
chiv'alrous.
chloride, klo'-rfd.
chlorine, klo'rin.
choleric, kOl'-er-ik.
chord, kawrd,
christen, kris'-n.
Ohristianity, kris'-ti-an'!-ti.
chronological, krSn'-o-lcj'-
i-kal.
chronology, ki5-n5l'-6-jL
cicatrice, sik'-a-tris.
cicerone, sis-e-ro'-nS or
chIch'-6-ro'-n6.
circuitous, ser-ku'-i-tus {not
ser'-ki-tus).
civil, siv'il.
civilisation, siv'-l-ll-za'-shtin.
clandestine, klan-d6s'-tin.
cleanly, (aJj.) klSn'-lI ; (ad.)
klen'-ll.
clematis, klgm'-a-tis.
clerk, klark (not klei'k).
climacteric, kllm'-ak-ter-Ik.
or kli-mak'-ter-lk.
cloth, klOth [not khiwth).
coadjutor, ko-ad-j6'-ter {not
k5-ad'-).
COadjutant, ko-ad'-jti-t&nt.
cochineal, kochl-nel.
codicil, kOd'-i-sll.
cognisance, kOg'-nl-zSns or
kOn'-ni-zans.
cognomen, kOg-no'-mSn.
COlchicum, kOl'-ki-kum.
Coliseum, kOl'-I-se'-iim.
collusive, k6l-16'-siv.
colporteur, kOl'-por-ter'.
column, kOl'-um {not -yoom,
nor -yum).
combat, kum'-b&t.
com'bative.
ale, mS, file, note, pure, far, her," move, awl, owl, good, boy.
ORTHOEPY.
35
com 'bat ant.
comedian, kOm-e'-di-an.
comedy, koui'-e-ui,
comely, kum'-li.
commandant, kom'-man-
dant".
comment (n. and v.), kOm'-
mSnt.
commissary, kOm'-mls-ser-I.
comparable, k5m'-j)ai-a-bl.
compatible, kom-iiat'-r-bi.
compensate, kom-psn'-sat.
com'pensa'tion.
complaisance, - s a n t,
k6m'-pla-zans". -zaut".
comrade, kOm-rad.
concave, kOn'-kav (not
kOng'-.
concentrate, kcn-sen '-i i at.
conch, kOngk.
conchology, kOn-kOl'-O-jI.
concord, keng'-kawrd.
concor'dance, cOn-, (twt
cOng-).
condemning, kon-dSm'-ing.
condem'-nable, (-na-bl).
condolence, kon-do'-lons.
conduit, kon'-dlto?- kuu'-dit.
coniidant, kon'-fi-dauL".
con'fideace.
confiscate, kon-fis'-kat.
confront, kOn fiunt'.
confute, kou-fut'.
COUge, kon//'-zIia.
congener, kOu-je'-ner.
congenial, kon-je'-ni-ai.
congenital, kon-jsn'-i-tai.
conjugal, koii'-joo-gai.
conjure, (to implore) kOn-
j6r' : (to juggle) kun'-jer.
COnnoiseur. kOn'-nis-sei".
conscientious, kon'-shi-gn'-
shas.
conservator, kOn'-ser-va'-
ter, but conser'-yatlve.
consols, koii'-sOlz or kOn-
solz'.
consort, (n.) kOn'-sOit; (v.)
kOn-sOi't',
construe, koii'-str6 (not
-str6').
consummate, (adj.) kon-
stini'-iiiat; (v.) kOii'-«um-
niat.
contemplate, kou-tem'-
plat.
contents, kOu '-tents or kOn-
tents'.
contour, k0n-t6r'.
contumacy, kon'-tu-ma-.si.
contumely, kon'-tu-inel-I.
conversa-zione, kou'-ver-
sat'-zT-o'-ua.
conversant, kOu'-ver-sant
(not k5n-vei-s'-).
corrigible, koi'-ri-jr-i)].
corrugate, kor'-ioo-gat.
ale, me, file, note, pure, far, lier, ni6vo, awl, owl, good, boy.
36
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
cost, kOsfc (not kawst).
costume, k5s-tum' or kOs'-
tum.
coterie, ko'-ter-e.
coup, Fr. (a stroke) k6.
coup-d'etat, Fr., k6'-da-ta'.
coupon, V6-\)6n(j.
courier, kooi'-i-er.
courteous, kert'-yiis.
courtesy, (politeness) ker'-
tg-sl ; (an act of reverence)
kert'-sl.
courtier, kort'-yer.
covetous, ktiv'-€-tus (not
-clius).
cowardice, kow'-er-dis.
coxwain, kOk'-sn.
creature, kre'-tur {not -ter).
credence, kre'-dgns.
credible, krgd'-i-bl.
credulous, kr6d'-u-las.
creek, krek {not krik).
criterion, kri-te'-rl-On.
critique, kii-tek'.
croquet, kiO'-ka {not krO
ka').
cucumber, ku'-kttm-ber.
cuirass, kwi-ras'.
cuirassier, kwi-ras-ser'.
cuisine, kwi-zen'.
cul-de-sac, koo'-ds-sak'.
culinary, ku'-li-ner-i.
cupola, ku'-p6-la.
curator, ka-ra'-ter.
curtsey, see courtesy.
Cyclopean, si'-klo-pe'-Sn.
cynosure, si'-uo-zh6r.
Oymry, kim'-ri.
converse, {v.) kOn-vers' ; (n.)
k6n'-vers.
coquetry, ko'-ket-ri.
cordial, k5r'-di-ai.
corduroy, kOr'-doo-roy*.
corollary, kOr'-Ol-ler-L
coronal, kOi'-O-nal or kO-rO'-
nai.
D.
dacoit, dak'-oyt.
dado, da'-do.
daguerrotype, da-ggr'-o-tip.
dahlia, da'-li-a.
damning, dam'-ing.
Danish, da'-nish.
data, da'-ta.
daub, dawb {not dOb).
daunt, dawnt.
debris, da-bre.
debut, da-b6.
decade, dek'-ad.
decorous, de-ko'-rtts.
decrepit, dg-krgp'-it.
defalcation, de'-ft,l-ka'-shiin.
deficit, d6f'-i-sit.
ale, me, file, note, pure, fS,i-, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
ORTHOEPY.
37
defile, dS-fil' or de'-.
deflagrate, d6f'-is,-grat.
deliquesce, der-i-kwgs.
demarcation, de'-mar-ka'-
shiin.
demesne, de-men',
demise, d6-miz'.
demon, de'-mOn.
demoniacal, d6m'-o-i.i'-ak-
fil.
demonstrable, de-mOn'-
strS,-bl.
demonstrate, dg-mOn'-strat
or d6m'-0n-strat.
demonstrator, d6ni'-on-
stra"-ter.
depot, dS-po' or d6p'- {not
de'-po).
deprivation, dsp'-iiv-a"-
shun.
derelict, dsr'-g-likt.
derisive, de-ri'-siv.
deshabile, d6z'-a-bel.
desiccate, dSs'-ik-kat.
dsperadO, d6s'-per-a'-do.
despicable, d6s'-pi-ka-bl.
dessert, d6z-zert'.
destine, dgs'-tin.
desuetude, d6s'-we-tud.
desultory, dgs'-Hl-ter-i.
detail, (v.) de-tal'; (n.) de'-tal.
deu-, du- (not d6-).
devastate, d6v'-as-tat.
devil, dSv'-l (not d6v'-il).
devoir, dSv-wawr'.
di, di, generally when before
a consonant and unaccented.
diaeresis, di-e'-rs-sis.
diamond, dl'-a-mtind.
diaphragm, di'-a-fram.
diastole, di'-as'-to-le.
diatribe, di'-a-trib.
dictate, (n. and V.) dik'-tat
(7iot dik-tat').
didactic, di-dak'-tik.
diffuse, (v.) dif-fuz'; (a.) dif-
fus'.
diffusive, dif-fti'-siv.
digest, (t;.) di-jSst' ; (n.) dl'-
j6st.
digression, di-gr6sh'-un.
dilapidate, di-iap'-i-dat.
dilate, di-lat'.
dilemma, di-l6m'-m&.
diluvial, di-i6'-vi-ai.
dimension, di-mgn'-shun.
diocesan, di-cs'-6-san.
diptheria, dif-the'-ri-a.
dipthong, dip'- or dif -thOng.
direct, di-r6kt'.
dis-, (not diz-, except in the
words specified below.)
disaster, dxz-as'-ter.
discern dis-zem'.
discrepancy, dis-crgp'-Sn-sl
disease, diz-ez'.
dishabille, dis'-a-bel'.
ale, me, file, nota. pure, fSr, her, mdve, awl, owl, good, lx)y.
38
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
dismal, diz'-niS,l.
disputable, dis'-pu-ta-bl.
disputant, dis'-pu-tant.
dissolve, diz-zOlv'.
distich, dis'-tik.
divan, di-van'.
divers, di'-verz.
diverse, dl-vers' or di'-.
divulge, di-viilj' {not d!-).
docile, dOs'-il, or do'-sil.
does, {v.) duz.
dolorous, d6l'-6-rus.
dominie, d6m'-i-ni.
donation, do-na'-sliun.
donative, don'-a-tiv.
donjon, dOn'-jOn.
donkey, d5ng'-k6.
dost, dust.
doth, duth.
double entendre, Fr., d6'-
bl 6n-t6ndi-'.
douceur, doo-ser'.
douche, d6sh.
draft, draft.
drama, dra'-ma.
draught, draft.
droU, drol.
dromedary, drttm'-g-der-i.
drought, drowt (not drowth).
du-, du- before a vowel, except
in diic'-at, before a conson-
ant followed by a vowel.
dubious, du'-bi-iis.
ductile, dtik'-til.
duty, du'-ti {not d6'-ti).
dynamics, di-nam'-iks.
dynamite, din'-a-mit.
djmasty, din'-as-tl
E.
early, er'-li {not ar' li).
easel, e'-zi.
ebony, 6b'-on-i.
ebriety, S-bri'-Iti or e-bri'-
i-ti.
ebullition, Sb'-iil-lish'-un.
6carte, a-ka.r'-ta.
Ecce Homo, 6k'-sg ho'-mo.
eccentric, Sk-s6n'-trik.
eccentricity, ek'-sSu-tris'-
i-ti.
echelon, gsh'-g-low^r.
6clat, Fr., a-kla'.
eclogue, 6k'-lo;^.
economical, 6k'-o-n5m'-i-kal
{or e'-ko).
ecstasy, ek'-sta si.
ec'stat'-ic
ecumenical, ek'-u-mgn'i-
kai.
edible, 6d' i-bl.
edict, e'-dikt.
edify, gd' i-fi.
edifice, gd'-i-fis.
ale, me, file, note, pure, fai-, her, move, awl, owl, good, boy.
ORTHOEPY.
39
edile, or aedile, e'-dii.
educate, gd'-u-kat {not Sd'-i-
kat).
e'er, ar. e'en, en.
efifete, 6f-fet'.
effort, gf-fOrt {not -furt).
effrontery, Sf-frun'-tei-i.
effuse, sf-fuz'.
effusive, Sf-fu'-siv.
eglantine, Sg'-lan-tin.
ego, e'-go.
egoism, e'-go-izm.
egotism, gg'-o-tizm.
eg'-o-tist.
egregious, e- or S'-gre'-ji-us.
either, e'-thev or \'-th6Y.
eleemosynary, 6l'-6-mOz'-i-
ner-I.
elegy, si'-6-ji.
elegiac, gl'-s-ji'-ak.
elenchus, e-lSngk'-us.
elephantine, Si'-efan' tin.
Eleusinian, Sl'-u-sin'-i-an.
61eve, Fr., a-lav'.
eleven, 6-igv'-n (too< isvn).
eligilble, 81' i-ji-bl.
61ite, Fr., a-let'.
elixir, 6-lIks'-er.
Elizabethan, e-liz'-Srbeth'-
an.
elm, 61m {not Sr-um).
elocution, 61'-o-ku'-shun.
61oge, Fr., a-lozh'.
eloquence, 61'-o-kw6ns.
elucidate, 6-16'-si-dat.
elude, 6-16d'.
elusive, S-16'-ziv.
Elysian, s-iizh'-i-an.
Elysium, g-Hzh'-I-iim.
emaciate, 6-ma'-shi-at.
embalm, Sm-bam'.
embrasure, Sm-bra'-zhoor.
embryo, Sm'-bri-o.
emendation, Sm'-gn-da'-
shttn.
emeritus, e-mgr'-i-tus.
emetic, S-mSt'-ik.
6meute, a-mut'.
emir, e'-mer.
emissary, Sm'-is-ser -i.
emollient, 6-mOl'-li-6nt (yr
6-mOl'-ygnt.
emolument, 8- or e-moi'-u-
mgnt.
emotion, S- or e-mo'-shttn.
empiric, Sm-pir'-ik.
empyrean, Sm'-pi-re'-an.
encore, an^/'-kor.
encyclical, Sn-sik'-li-kai.
encyclopaedia, 6n-si'-kl6-
pe'-di-a.
endemic, gn-dsm'-ik.
enervate, 6n'-er-vat or 6-
ner'-vat.
enfranchise, Sn-fr&n'-chiz or
-chiz.
engine, 6n'-jln {not -jln).
ale, me, file, note, pure, far, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
40
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
enginery, 6n'-jin-ri,
English, ing'-glish.
enigma, e- or 6-nIg'-ma.
en'-igmat'-ic
ennoble, 6n-no'-bl.
ennui, Fr., an'-we.
ensemble, an^-sam'-bl.
enteric, 6u-t6r'-ik.
enthusiasm, Sn-th6'-zi-azni.
entity, 6n'-ti-ti.
entree, angr'-tra.
entrepot, ang-'-t. po.
envelop, {v.) Sn-vgi'-op.
envelope, (w. ) 6n'-v6l-op.
envious, Sn'-vi-us.
environ, Sn-vi'-rOn.
environs, gn'-vI-iOnz or 6n-
vi'-rQnz.
eOZOOn, e'-o-zo'-on.
epaulet, Sp'-aw-igt.
ephemeral, s-fSm'-g-ral.
epicurean, Sp'-i-ku-re' an.
epidemic, Sp'-i-dgm'-ik.
epigrammatic, Sp'-i-gi-am-
niS,t'-ik.
epilogue, 6i)'i-l6g.
Episcopacy, S-pis'-ko pa-si.
episode, Sp'-i sod,
epistle, S-pis'-l.
epitaph, 6p'-i-taf.
epithalamium, gp'-i-tha la'-
ml-um.
epithet, ep'-r-thgt.
epitome, S-i>it'-o-m6.
epoch, e'-p6k.
equable, Sk'-wa-bl.
equation, e-kwa'-shiin.
equerry, gk'-w6r-i.
equestrian, 6-kwgs'-trf-an.
equilateral, e'-kwi-lat'-er-ai.
equilibrium, e -kwi-lib'-ii-
um.
equine, e'-kwin.
equinox, e'-kwI-nOks.
equip, S-kwip'.
equipage, Sk'-wi-paj.
equipoise, e'-kwi-poyz.
equitable, Sk'-wi-ta bl.
equivalent, S-kwiv'-a-l6nt.
equivocal, S-kwiv'-o-kal.
ere, ar.
Erebus, Sr'-6-bus.
Erin, e'-iin.
ermine, er'-min.
errand, Sr'-rand
errant, Sr'-rant.
erratic, er-rat'-rk.
erratum, er-ra'-tttm.
erroneous, er-ro'-ne-us.
erudite, Sr'-u-dit.
erysipelas, Sr' -i-sip'-g-ias.
escalade, gs'-ka-lad'.
escapade, Ss'-ka-pad'.
eschatology, 6s'-ka-toi'-o-jr.
escheat, Ss chef.
eschew, Ss-ch6'.
ale, me, file, note, pure, far, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
ORTHOEPY.
41
escort, (n.) Ss'-kOrt ; (v.) 6s-
kOrt'.
escritoire, Ss'-krl-twawr'.
Esculapian, gs'-ku-la'-pi-an.
esculent, 6s'-ku-lent.
EsCUrial, 6s-ku'-rl-al.
Eskimo or Esquimaux,
gs'-kl-mo.
esoteric, 6s'-o-t6r'-ik.
espionage, Ss'-pe-o-naj' or
-nazh'.
esplanade, Ss'-pla-nad'.
esprit, Ss'-pre'.
essay, (w.)6s'-sa; (v.) gs-sa'.
estuary, Ss'-tu-a-rf.
et-cetera, St-sSt'-S-i-a,.
ether, e'-ther.
ethereal, e-the'-ii-Sl.
ethics, StJb'-iks.
ethnography, 6th-nOg'-r&-f i.
eth'-nograph'-ic.
etiquette, St'-i-kSf.
Eucharist, u'-ka-rist.
EucholOgion, u'-k0-lo'-jt-6n.
eulogy, u'-l6-jJ.
eulogium, u-lo'-jf-um.
euphemism, u'-^m-izm.
euphony, u'-fo-ni.
eupho'-nious.
euphuism, u'-fu-izm.
eu'-phuis'-tic
eureka, u-re'-ka.
European, u'-ro-pe'-S,n.
Euterpe, u-ter'-pe.
euthanasia, u'-thun-a'-zlit-a ;
euthan'-asy.
evanescent, ev'-a-ngs'-Cnt.
evangelical, e'-van-jgr-i-kai.
evangelization, e-van'-jgl-i-
za'-shiin.
evasion, 6-va'-zhun.
evasive, 6-va'-s!v.
every, 6v'-er-i (not 6v'-ri).
ewe, u.
exacerbate, 6ks-as'-er-bat.
exact, 6gz-akt' (not 6ks-).
exaggerate, 6gz-aj'-er-at.
exasperate, 6gz as'-pei--at.
ex cathedra, eks' ka-the'-
drS.
excerpt, ek-seipt'.
excise, ek-siz'.
excision, ek-sizh'-iin.
exclusive, 6ks-kl6'-siv.
excoriate, 6ks-ko'-ri at.
excrescence, 6ks-ki-6.s' 6ns.
excretion, Sks-kre'-shfin.
excruciate, 6ks-kr6'-shl-at.
exculpate, 6ks-kul'-pat.
excursion, 6ks-ker'-shuR.
excuse, (n.) 6ks-kus'; (v.)
6ks-kuz'.
execrate, 6ks'-6-krafc.
execute, 6ks'-6-kut.
execution, 6ks'-6-ku'-shun.
executory, 6kz-Sk'-u-ter-i.
ale, me, file, note, pure, fkr, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
42
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENaLISH WORD-BOOK.
executive, 6kz'-6k'-u-tiv.
exegesis, sks-s-je'-sis.
exemplar, ggz-em'-pler, but
ex'-emplary,
exemplify, 6gz-6m'-pli-fi.
exempt, 6gz-6mt'.
exhale, 6gz-hal'.
exhaust, 6gz-awst'.
exhibit, Sgz-hlb'-It, or 6gz-Ib'-
it.
exhibition, sks'-hi-bish'-un.
exhilarate, ggz-hU'-er-at, or
6gz-n'.
exhort, 6gz-liOrt', or 6gz-0rt'.
exhume, 6ks-hum'.
exigent, 6ks'-i-j6nt.
exigency, 6ks'-i-jSn-si.
exiguity, sks'-i-gu'-i-ti.
exile, Sgz'-il or 6ks'-Il,
exist, Sgz-Tst' {not 6ks-).
exit, 6ks'-it {wtt Sgz'-).
Exodus, 6ks'-o-diis.
exonerate, 6gz-0n'-er-at.
exorbitant, 6gz-5i'-bi-tant.
exorcise, sks'-or-siz.
exordium, 6gz-0r'-di-run.
exoteric, 6ks'-o-ter'-Ik.
exotic, 6gz-ot'-ik.
expatiate, sks-pa'-shi-at.
expatriate, 6ks-pa'-tri-at
expectorate, 6ks-p6k'-to-
rat.
expedient, 6kz-i)e'-di-ent.
expedite, eks'-j^g-dit.
expert, (a.) eks-jiert'; {n.)
6ks'-})ert.
expiable, eks'-pi-a-bl.
expiate, 6ks'-pi-at.
expletive, 6ks'-pje-tiv.
explicable, 6ks'-pii-ka-bl.
explicit, 6ks'-plts-it.
exploit, 6ks-ployt'.
explosive, sks-pio'-siv.
exponent, Sks-pO'-ngnt {not
-nuut).
expose, 6ks'-po-za'.
expurgate, 6ks-per'-gat. '
exquisite, 6ks'-kwi-zit {not
gks-kwiz'-it).
extempore, 6ks-t6uj'-po-r6
{not -t6in-por).
extirpate, 6ks-ter'-pat {not
6kz'-).
extol, 6ks-tOl' {not gks-tol';.)
extra, Sks'-tra {not -trl),
extraordinary, 6ks-tiOr'-
dl-nei'-i.
extricate, 6ks'-tri-kat.
extrinsic, sks-tdn'-sik.
extrude, 6ks-tr6d'(?io<-tmd').
exuberant, 6ks-u'-ber-ant.
exude, eks-ud'.
exult, 6gz-ult' {not 6ks-).
ex'-ulta'-tion.
eyot, i'-ot.
eyrie or eyvy, e'-r\ or a'-ri.
ale, me, file, note, pure, far, her, move, awl, owl, good, boy.
ORTHOEPY.
43
fable, fa'-bl.
fabulous, fUb'-u-lus.
fabric, fab'-iik.
fayade, fa-sad'.
facetious, fa-se'-shtts.
facetiae, fU-se'-shi-e.
facial, fa'-shi-ai.
facile, fas'-il.
facility, fa-silM-tl
fac-simile, fak-sim'-i-ls.
factitious, fak-tish'-us.
faotory, fUk'-ter-i (not fak'-
trl).
Fahrenheit, fam'-hit.
faience, /'V., fa.-y dnys'.
failure, fal'-ur.
fait accompli, fat' ak-kOm'-
ple.
fakir, fU-ker'.
falchion, fawl'-shun.
falcon, faw'-kn.
fallacious, t'al-la'-slms.
fallacy, ial'-la si.
falter, fawl'-ter.
familiarity, fa-mn'-i Sr'-i-ti.
fanatic, fa-nat' ik.
fanfare, Fr., fau'-far.
fantasia, fan-ta'-shi-a.
fantastic, fan-tas'-ttk.
farina, fa-ve'-na or -rV-.
farrago, far-ra'-gO.
farther, far'-tlier, or fur-
ther, fer'-ther.*
fatigue, fa-teg'.
fatuous, fat'-u-us.
faubourg, Fr., fO'-boorg.
fauces, faw'-sez.
fault, fawlt (not folt.)
fauteuil, Fr., fo-tal'.
favourite, fa'-ver-it (not -it)
fealty, fe'-al-ti (not fel'-ti).
feasible, fe'-zt-bl.
feature, fe'-tur or -choor.
febrile, feb'-nl.
febrifuge, fSb'-ri-faj.
February, i^b'-io-er-i (not
f6b'-u-&-rI nor f6b'-i-wer-ri).
fecit, fe'-sit.
fecund, fek' iind.
federal, fed'-er-Sl (not f6u"
lai).
feign, fan.
feint, fant.
feline, fe'-lin.
fellow, fel'-io (not fel'-li).
felon, f^l'-on.
felucca, fe-luk'-ka.
female, fe'-mal.
* Though both terms are in good use, further is the genuine Saxon word ; far-
ther takes precedence, however, in modern use. The accepted rule seems to be as
follows : farther is applied to physical distance ; further refers to the progress of
an argument or inference.
ale, me, file, note, pure, fkr, her, mdve, awl, owl, good, boy.
44
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
feininine, f^m'-i-inn.
femme-couverte, fam-
koov'-ei*t.
femoral, f6m'-5-i-s,l.
Fenian, fe'-ni-an.
feofiE f6f.
ferment, (n.) fer'-mgnt ; (u.)
fer-m6nt'.
ferocious, f^-rO'-shtis.
ferocity, fe-ro.s'-i-ti.
ferreous, f6i'-ii-us, also fer-
rous, fgr'-iis.
fertile, fer'-tll or fer'-tll.
ferule, fSr'-ul.
fete, fat.
fetich or fetish, fe'-tish.
fetid, f6t'-id or fe'-tld.
feudatory, fu'-da-ter-I.
feu-de-joie, Fr., fo'-dg-zhwii'.
feuilleton, Fr., {6'-l-t6ng.
fiacre, Fr., fe-ak'-r.
fiancee, Fr., fe'-Sw^-sa'.
fiasco, fe-as'-ko.
fichu, fIsh'-6.
fidelity, fi-dSP-i-H.
fiduciary, fl-du'-shl-er-I.
fief, fef.
fieri facias, fr-Sr-i fa'-shi-
a»s.
figaro, fe'-ga-ro'.
figure, f'Tg'-tir or -er.
film, film (not fll'-um).
finical, fin'-I-kal,
finale, fi-na'-la,
finance, f i-nans'.
financial, fi-nan'-sh&l.
finesse, fl-n6s',
finger, fing'-ger.
finis, fi'-nis,
finite, fi'-nit.
fiord or fjord, fl-ord' ur
fyOid.
first, ferst (not furst).
fissure, fish'-oor.
flaccid, flak'-sld.
flageolet, flaj'-&-l6t.
flagitious, fla-jish'-us.
flagon, flag'-On.
flagrant, fla'-giant.
flambeau, flam '-bo.
flaunt, flawut or flant.
fleur-de-lis, flar-dS-le'
flaw and flue, fld.
flora, flo'-r&.
flo'-ral.
Florentine, flOr'-Sntin or
-till.
florid, fl6r'-id.
flor'-in.
florist, flOr'-Ist
flotage, flo'-taj.
flo'-tilla.
flotsam or floatsam, flot'-
sam.
fluctuate, fluk'-tu-at.
fluvial, flo'-vi-al.
ale, me, file, note, pure, f&r, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
OKTHOEPy.
45
focus, fb'-kus ; pL, fo'-cuses
or foci, fo'-si.
foible, foy'-bl.
folio, fo'-li-o.
foment, fo-mSnt'.
forage, f6i-'-aj.
forbade, tQr-bad'.
forecastle, for'-kas-l or
fok'-sl.
forefend, for-fgnd'.
forehead, for'-sd.
forensic, f6-i6n'-sik.
forfeit, for'-fit.
forge, forj.
forgery, for'-jer-l
formidable, ftir'-mi-da V)l
{not f5r-mid'-).
fort, fort, but fOrt'-ress.
fortnight, fOrt'-nlt {not nil).
forty, fOr'-ti {not foi-'-tl).
forward, fOr'-werd {not for'-
unl).
fracas, frS-ka'.
fragile, fraj'-U.
fragmentary, Mg'-m6n-
ter-I.
fragrant, fra'-gi-ant
franchise, fran'-chiz or -chTz.
frankincense, frangk'-in-
s6ns.
fraternize, frat'-er-nis.
fratricide, fjat'-ii-sid.
fre'quent (a.); frequent
friends, frSndz {no' frgnz).
frontier, frOn'-ter {not frun'-).
frugal, fr6'-gal {nut fru-).
fruit, fr6t {not frut).
fruition, fr6-ish'-un.
fuchsia, fu'-siii-a.
fuel, fu'-6l {not ful).
fugue, fug.
fulcrum, ful'krum {not
fool-).
fulminate, ful'-mi-nat.
fulsome, ful'-sum {not fool'-).
functionary, ftingk'-shun-
er-i.
furniture, fer'-nl-tur or -111-
choor.
fusil, fu'-zil.
fusion, fu'-zhun.
fustian, ftist'-i-an.
futile, fu'-til or -til.
Gaelic, ga'-llk or ga'-lik.
gainsay, gan'-sa.
gainsaid, gan' sad.
gairish or garish, gar'-ish.
G.
gala, ga'-la or gk'-Yi.
gala.-y, gal'-aks-i.
gallant, (a.) gai'-ant; {v.)
Q;al-^S.nt'.
ale, me, file, note, piire, f4r, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
46
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
galleon, gal'-ieon.
gallows, gSi'-ioz.
gamboge, gam-b6j'.
gangrene, gang'-gien (not
gSn'-).
gantlet, gSnt'-lst, or gaunt-
let, gavvnt'-lSt.
gape, gap. gaping, gap' ing.
garden, g4r'-dn {not g4i'-
d6n).
garrote, ga-rot'.
garrulous, ga,r'-roo-las (voi
g&i'-yul-).
garrulity, gar-r6l'-i-ti.
gas, gS.s, but gaseous, ga'
ze-tis.
gaSCOCiade, g&s' kOn-ad'.
gasometer, gas-5m'-6-ter.
gather, gUh'-ev,
gauche, Fr., gosh,
gaucherie, gosh 're.
gaudeamus, gawd'-e-a'-nms.
gauge, gaj.
gaunt, gawnt.
Gehenna, ge-h6n'-na.
gelatine, jsl'-a-tin,
gemini, jSm'-i-ni.
gendarme, Fr., zhang'-
darm.
genealogy, je'-ne-ai'-o ji.
generally, j6n,'-6r-ai-li (not
j8n'-rul-]i).
genial, je'-ni-ai.
genii, je'-m I.
genius, je'-ni-us.
genre-painting or -sculp-
ture, zhkng'-r.
Gentile, jsn'-til.
gentleman, jSu'-tl-man ; pf.
-mgn (not -mtin).
genuine, jgn'-u-in.
genus, je'-niis ; pi., genera
j6n'-6r-a.
geodesy, je-od'-6-si.
geography, je Og'-ia-ft (v<d
jOg'-ra-ft).
geometry, je-om'-S-tii (not
jOm'-6-trl).
Georgics, joi-'-jtks.
gerryraander, gSr'ri-man'-
der.
gesture, jSs'-tur or -clioor.
get, ggt (7iot git).
gewgaw, gu'-gaw.
geyser, gi'-zer.
gherkin, ger'-kin.
ghoul, g6l.
giaour, jowr or ge-owr'.
gibbous, gib'-biis (not jib).
giblets, jib'-l6ts.
gigantic, ji-gan'-tik.
gigantean, ji'-gan-te'-an.
gigOt, Fr., jig'-Ot.
gilly-flower, jil'-i-flow'-r.
gingham, ging'-am.
giraffe, ji-i-af or zhi-raf'.
ale, me, file, note, pure, far, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
OUTHOEPY.
47
girasole, zlirr'-a-.sol.
gird, gerd.
girl, gerl {not gurl).
Girondist, ji-iOn'-dlst.
gist, jizt.
glacial, gla'-shl-al.
glaciers, glas'-i-eiz or gla'
shi-erz.
glacis, glS.'-se or g)a'-sls,
gladiator, glad'-r-a'-ter.
gladiolus, gla-dl'-o-lus.
glamour, glam'-er.
glimpse, glims or gllnips.
glisten, glis'-n.
gluten, gl6'-t6n.
glycerin, glis'-er-ln.
gneiss, nis.
gnome, nom.
gnomon, no'-mon.
gnostics, iiOs'-tiks.
gnu, nu.
Gobelins, gob'-linz.
goblin, g5b'-Iin.
God, gOd (not gaud).
goitre, goy'-tr.
Golgotha, g0l'-g5th-a.
goloshe, (dso galoche, gc-
Ittsh'.
gondola, gOn'-ds-ia.
gone, gOn [not gawn).
gooseberry, gooz'-b6i-ii.
gorgeous, gOr'-ji-us or g5r'-
jtts.
gorget, g5r'-j6t.
Gorgon, g5i'-g6n.
gorilla, go-ril'-ia.
gormand or gourmand,
gOr'-mand or gor'-niaud.
gospel, gOs'-p6l {not gaws'-)
gouge, g6j.
gourd, g6rd.
gout, (taste) gd.
gouty, (affected with the
gout) gowt'-I.
government, guv'-ern-m6nt
{not guv'-er-m6nt).
gramercy, Fr., gi fi-mer'-si.
granary, gi-au'-ft-n.
grandeur, grand'-yer.
granter, gran'-ter.
grantor, gran-tOr'.
graphite, giaf-it.
gratis, gra'-tis.
gratuitous, gra-tu'-I-tus.
gravamen, gra-va'-m6n.
gravel, giav'-el {not grav'-l).
grease, {n.) gres; {v.) gioz.
gregarious, grg-ga'-ri-iis.
Gregorian, gr6-go'-ri-an.
grenade, grg-nad'.
grenadine, gr6n'-a-din.
grew, gr6 {not gru).
grevious, grev'-tis.
grimace, gri-mas'.
grimy, gi-i'-mi.
groat, giot.
ale, ine, file, iioto, pui-e, far, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
18
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
grocer, gio'-ser.
groschen, grosh'-n.
grotesque, gio-tgsk'.
grovel, gi(iv'-l
guano, goo-a'-no or gwS,'-no.
guardian, gard'-i-Sn.
guava, gwa'-va.
gubernatorial, gu'-ber-na-
to'-ri-al.
guerdon, gei'-don.
Habeas Corpus, ha'-bg-as
kOr'-piis.
habiliments, ha-bir-I-m6ntz.
Hades, ba'-dez.
haematite, he'-mS-tit.
haemorrhage, hgm'-or-iaj'.
halcyon, har-si-on.
half, haf.
half-penny, ha'-pen-ni.
Hallelujah, hal'-li-ld'-ya.
halloo or halloa, lial-16'.
hallucination, hal-l6'-si-na'.
shun.
halo, lia'-lo.
handbook, hand'-book (not
ban'-book).
handkerchief, lian'-ker-chxf.
handsome, Land'-sum.
harangue, ba-iang'.
harass, har'-as {not ha-ras').
harassed, har'-ast.
har'-assing.
guillotine, gil-Jo-ten'.
gum-arabic, guin-ar'-5-bik.
gulch, gulch.
gunwale, guu'-6l.
gutta--percha, gut'-ta-pei'-
cha {not -ka).
gutteral, gut'-ter-ah
gymnasium, jim-na'-zi-um,
gypsum, jip'-sum.
gyve, jiv ; gyves, jivz.
H.
harem, ha'-rSm.
hasten, ha'-sn.
haunch, hawnsh or hansh.
haunt, hawnt or hant.
hauteur, ho-ter'.
hearken, har'-kn.
hearth, harth.
heathen, he'-th?n. but
heather, heth'-er.
heaven, h6v'-n.
Hebe, he'-be.
hecatomb, hsk'-a-tom.
Hegira, he-jl'-ra or hgj'-ra.
heigh-ho, hi'-ho.
height, hit {not hith).
heinous, ha'-nus.
heliotrope, he'-li-o-trop.
Hellenic, hel-le'-nik.
helot, hel'-Ot or he'-lOt.
hemistich, h6m'-i-stik.
hepatic, he-pat'-Ik,
ale, nie, file, note, pure, fS.r, her, move, awl, owl, good, boy.
ORTHOEPY.
49
heptarchy, hep'-tar-ki.
herald, hgr'-ald.
heraldic, h6-ial'-dik.
herb, herb or erb.
herbaceous, her-ba'-shtls.
herbage, her'-baj.
herbivora, her-biv'-O-ra.
herculean, her-ku'-le fin.
hereditary, hg-iSd'-iter i.
hero, he'-io.
heroic, he-ro'-ik.
heroine, hSr'-o in.
hexameter, heks-Sm'-g-ter.
hey-day, ha'-da.
hiatus, hl-a'-ttis.
hibernate, hi'-ber-nat.
Hibernian, hi-bei'-ni an.
hiccough, luk'-ttp.
hideous, hid'-i-us.
hierarch, hi'-er-ark.
hilarious, hi-la-ii us.
hilarity, hi-lar' i-ti.
Hindoo or Hindu, hin-do'.
hippuric, lup-pu'-iik.
hirsute, her-sut'.
history, his'-t6-ri {not his'-
tri).
histrionic, his'-trf-on'-ik.
holocaust, hOl'-o-kawst.
homage, li6m'-aj.
homely, hom'-li.
homestead, hom'-sted {not
-stid).
homoeopathy, ho'-me-op'-
a-thi.
ho'-mceopath'-ic.
ho'-mceop'-athist.
homogeneous, ho'-mo-je'-
ne-tis.
homon37m, hOm'-o-nim.
honest, 6n'-6st.
honour, On'-er.
horizon, hO-rl'-zun {not hOi'-
i-zn).
horologe, hor'-o-lcj.
hors de combat, hor'-dg-
VKmg'-hk.
hortative, h5r'-tfi-tiv.
hospitable, hos'-pi-ta-bl.
hostile, hos -til.
hostler, Os'-ler.
houri, how'-ri.
Hugenot, hu'-gS-nOt or -n5.
humble, hum'-bl.
humour, u'-mer or hu'-mer.
humus, hu'-mus.
hundred, hun'-drgd {not
-durd).
hungry, hung'-gri {not hfing'-
ger-I).
hurrah, hoor-ra'.
hurricane, hur'-n-kaii.
hussar, hooz-zar'.
hybrid, hi'-biid.
hydra, hi'-di-a.
hydride, bi'-drid.
ale, me, file, n5fce, pure, far, her, ni6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
50
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLrSH WORD-BOOK.
hydrogen, hi'-dro-j6n.
hydrography, hi-drOg'-ra-fi.
hydrometer, hi-drOm'-g-ter.
hydropathic, hi'-dro-path'-
Ik.
hydropathy, hi-drOp'-S-thi.
hydrophobia, hr-dro-fo'-
hydrostatics, hi'-dro-stat'-
iks.
hygiene, hl'-jen or hl'-ji-en.
hygienic, hr-ji-6n'-Tk.
hymeneal, hi'-in6n-e'-a,l.
iconoclast, I-k6n'-6-klast.
idea, I-de'-a.
ideal, i-de'-ai.
idem, id'-gm.
identity, i <l6M'-ti-ti.
Ides, idz.
idiom, id'-i iini.
idiosyncrasy, id'-i-o-stng'-
kr^-si.
idol, i'-dOl.
idyl or idyll, I'-dil.
igneous, ig'-m-us.
ignis-fatuus, ig'-nis-fUt'-a
us.
ignoble, ig'-no'-bl.
ignominy, ig'-no-min-i.
ignoramus, ig'-no-ra'-mtls.
Ihad, il'-i-ad.
hyperbole, hi-per'-bo-le.
hjrperborean, hi'-per-bo' . c-
S.n.
Hyperion, hi-pe'-ri-On.
hypertrophy, hi-per'- tio ft
hypochondriac, hip' o-
kOn'-dii-ak.
hypocrisy, hi-pOk'-rl-si.
hypotenuse, lii-p<5t'-g-nfis
(incorrectly hypoth-).
hypothesis, hi-poth'-g-sis
hyssop, his'-siip.
hysteria, his-te-ri-a.
hysterics, his-tSr' iks.
I.
illative, ii'-ia-Hv.
illegal, il-le'-gal.
illegible, il-isj'-i-bl.
illusive, il-ld'-siv.
illustrate, 5fl ifts'-trat.
illustration, il'-liis-tra'-.sliuii.
imagery, im'a-jer-i.
imbecile, im'-bg-sel.
imbroglio, Tm-brol'-yO.
imitative, im'-i-ta-tiv.
immanent, im'-ma-ngnt.
immature, im'-ma-tur.
i'Timediate, im-me'-dl-al (noi
jat).
imminent, im'-nii-ngnt
immolate, im'-Mio-lat.
immunity, im-mu'-nl-ti.
immure, im-mur'.
ale, me, file, note, pure, f&r, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
ORTHOEPY.
51
immutable, im-mu'-ta-bl.
imperturbable, im'-per-
terb'-a-bl.
impermeable, im-peii'-me
a-bl.
impetus, im'-jig-tus.
impetuous, im-p6t'-u-us.
impiety, im-pi'-g-ti.
impious, im'-pi-us.
implacable, im-pla'-ka-bl.
implement, (v.) im'-ple-
iiigiit'; (n.) im'-pl6-m6nt.
implicate, im'-pli kat.
implicit, im-i>lis'-it.
import, (v.) ini-port'; (n.)
Tm'-port.
importune, im'-pui-tun.
importunate, im-p6r'-tu-
nat.
impost, ini'iwst.
imposture, im-p5s'-tur.
impotent, iin'-i)d-tSnt.
imprecate, im'-prg-kat.
imprecatory, Im'-pr6-ka'-
ter-I.
impregnable, im-prgg'-na-
bl.
impresario, im'-prSs-a'-rf-o.
impress, (v.) Im-pres'; (n.)
im'-pr6s.
imprimatur, Im'-pri-ma'-ter.
imprimis, im-pir-niis.
improbity, im-prob'-iti.
impromptu, im-prOmp'-ta.
improvident, im-pr6v'i
dent.
improvise, im'-pro-vez'.
imprudence, im pr6'-d6ns.
impudent, im'-pu-d6nt.
impugn, im-pun'.
impunity, im-pu'-ni-tL
inadequate, in'-ad'-g-kwat.
inadvertent, in'-ad-vei'-
t6nt.
inalienable, iti-al'-vSn-abl.
inamorata, in-fim'-o-ra'-ta.
inapplicable, in-ap'-plr-ka-
bl.
inaugural, in-aw'-gu-rai.
inauspicious, In'-aw-si)ish'-
as.
incalculable, in-kai'-ku-lfi-
bi.
incandescent, in'-kan-dss'-
s6nt.
incarnate, in-kar'-nat.
incendiary, in-sSn'-di-a-rr.
incense, in'-sSns.
incentive, in s6n'-tiv.
inchoate, in'-ko-at.
incisive, in-sl'-siv, (not -ziv),
inclement, in-klSm'-gnt.
inclusive, in-kl6'-slv.
incognito, in-kOg'-ni-to.
incoherent, in'-ko-lie'-rgnt.
incommensurable, in'-
kOm-men'-su-i-a-bl.
ale, me file, note, pure, far, her, mdve, awl, owl, good, boy.
52
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
incommunicable, in'-kom-
mu'-nl-ka-bl.
incomparable, m-kom'-pa-
rft-bl.
incompatible, in'-kcm-pat'-
i-bl.
incongruity, in.'-k5ii-gr6'-
Ui.
inconvenience, in'-k6n-ve'-
nl-6ns.
incorporeal, in'-k5r-po'-r6-ai.
incorrigible, in-k6r'-ri-ji-bl.
increase, m'-kres, {not In-
kles').
incredulous, In-krSd'-u-lus.
increment, In'-kr6-m6nt.
incriminate, in-krim'-i-nat.
incubate, in'-ku-bat.
in'cubus, In'-ku-biis.
indecorous, in'-de ko'-rus.
indenture, in-dgn'-tur.
Indian, in'-dl-an or ind'-yan,
(not In'-jun).
indicative, in-dik'-a-tiv.
indicatory, in'-di-ka'-ter-i.
indictment, in-dit'-mgnt.
indigenous, in-dij'-g-nus.
indigent, in'-dl-jent.
indisputable, in-dis'-pu-ta-
bl.
indissoluble, in-dis'-sol-u-
ble.
indite, in-dit'.
indocile, in-dOs'il or in-d6'-sil.
indolent, in'-do-lsnt.
indomitable, in-d5m'-i-ta-bl.
indubitable, in-du'-bi-ta-bl.
indurate, in'-du-rat.
industry, in'-dtis-tii.
industrial, in-dus'-tri-&l.
inebriate, in-e'-bi-i-at.
ineffable, in-gf-fa-bl.
ineffaceable, in'-6f-fas'-a-bl.
inefficacious, in-gf-fi-ka'-
shtis.
ineligible, in-6l'-i-ji-bl.
inequitable, in-gk'-wi-ta-bl.
ineradicable, in'-g-rad'-i-ka-
bl.
inertia, in-er'-shi-a.
inestimable, in-6s'-ti-ma-bl.
inexhaustive, in'-6gz-haws'-
tiv.
inexorable, in-6ks'-5-ra-bl.
inexpedient, in'-6ks-pe'-di-
6nt.
inexpiable, in-6ks'-pi-a-bl.
inexplicable, in-6ks'-pli-ka-
bl.
inextricable, in-sks'-trf-ks-
bl.
infamous, In'-fa-miis.
infantile, in'-fan-til.
infecund, in-f^k'-iind.
infinite, in'-fi-nit,
infln'-ity,
infrequent, in-fre'-kwgnt.
ale, me, file, note, pure, fkv, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
ORTHOEPY.
63
ingenious, in-je'-ni-us.
ingenuous, in-jgn'-a-us.
ingratiate, in-gra'-shi-at.
inhospitable, in-h6s'-pi-ta-
bl.
inimical, in-im' i-kai.
inimitable, in-im'-i-ta-bl.
iniquitous, in-ik'-wi-tus.
initial, in-ish'-al.
innate, in'-nat.
innoxious, in-nOk'-shi-tts.
innuendo, iu'-u-6n'-do.
inoflacial, in'-of-fish'-ai.
inoperative, in-Op'-per-a-tiv.
inopportune, in-6p'-p5r-tun.
inordinate, in-Oi '-di-nat.
inquiry, in-kwi'-n,
insalubrious, in'-sa-16'-bii-
us.
insalutary, in-sar-a-ter i.
insatiable, in-sa'-sla-a-bl.
inscrutable, in-skrd'-ta-bl.
insects, in'-s6ktz.
insensate, in-s6n'-s5t.
inseparable, in-.sgp'-a-i-a-bl.
insidious, in-sid'-i-us.
insignia, m-sig'-iu-a.
insipid, in-sip'-id,
insolent, in'-so-lsnt.
insoluble, in-sor-a-bl,
insouciance, Sng-soos'-e-
kngs.
insular, in'-su-ler.
integer, in'-tg-jer.
integral, in'-tg-grai.
integrity, in-tgg'-ri ti.
intercalary, in-ter'-ka-ler-i.
interdict, In'-ter-dikt'.
interesting, in'-tei-6st-ing.
interim, in'-ter im.
interlocutor, in'-ter-lok'-u
ter.
interloper, in'-ter-lo'-per.
interlude, in'-tei--16d.
intermediary, in'-tSr-me'-
di-er-i.
interminable, in-ter'-mi-na-
bl.
intermittent, in'-ter-mit'-
t6nt.
international, in'-ter-nash'
un-al.
internecine, m'-ter-ne'-sin.
interpolate, in-ter'-po-lat.
interposition, in-ter'-po
zish'-tin.
interpret, in-ter'-prst.
interrogate, in-ter'-ro-gat,
hut in'-terrog'-ative.
interstice, in-ter'-stis or in'-
ter-stis.
intervene, in'-ter-ven'.
intestate, in-t6s'-tab.
intes'-tacy.
intestine, in-tss'-tin.
intimacy, in'-ti-ma-si.
intimidate, in-tim'-i-dat.
ale, me, file, note, pure, far, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
54
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
intituled, in-ti'-ti-ild.
intransmissible, in-trans-
mis'-si-bl.
intransmutable, in'-trans-
mu'-ta-bl.
intrepid... in-trgp' id.
intrigue, in-tieg'.
intrinsic, in-trin'-sik.
intrusive, iii-ti-6'-siv.
intuition, In'-tu isb'-tin.
inundate, in-un'-dat.
inure, in-ur'.
inutility, in'-u-til'-i-ti.
invalid, a. (null) iu-val' id ;
inval'-idate.
invalid, n. (infirm) in'-va-led'.
inveigh, m-va'.
inveigle, in-ve'-gl.
inventory, in'-v6n-ter-i.
inveterate, in-v6t'-oi-af..
invidious, in-vid'-ius.
inviolable, in-vi'-o-ia-bl.
invOCate, In'-vo-kat.
invoke, in-vok'.
involuntary, in-vol'-un-
ter-i.
iota, i-o'-ta.
ipecacuanha, ip'-6-kak'-u-
S,n'-a.
ipse dixit, ip'-sg diks'-it.
irascible, i-ras'-si bl.
iridescent, r-ri-d6s-sent. •
iron, I'-ern.
irory, I'-ron-i.
ironic, I-rOn' ik.
irradiance, n-ra'-dt-ans.
irreclaimable, ir'-r6-kla -
a-bl.
irreconcilable, ir-rgk'-on-
sll'-a-bl.
irrefragable, ir-ref'-ia-ga-bl.
irrefutable, ir'-rg-fu'-tS-bl.
irrelevant, ii--r6l'-g-vant.
irremediable, ir'-rg-me'-di-
a-bl.
irreparable, ir-rSp'-S-ra-bl.
irrespirable. ir rgs'-pi-ra-bl.
irrevocable, ir-rev'o-ka-bl.
irritant, ir'-ri-tant.
isinglass, I'-zing-glas.
isochromatic, I'-so-kro-
mat'-ik.
isochronous, I-sOk'-rO-nus.
isolate, I'-so-lat.
isothermal, I'-so-ther'-ma].
Israelite, iz'-ra-gl-it
issue, ish'-shu.
isthmus, ist'-mus.
Italian, i-tal'-yan.
italics, i-tai'-iks.
iteration, it'-er-a' shun.
itinerant, i-tin'-er-ant.
Ixion, iks-i'-On.
ale, me, file, note, pure, far, her, move, awl, owl, good, hoy.
ORTHOEPY.
55
jacinth, ja'-sinth.
jackal, jak'-aw).
Jacobin, j ak '-O-l iTn.
Jacobite, jak'-o-bit.
Jacobus, ja-k5'-l)us.
Jacquerie, jak'-ri o?- zhak'-ii.
jaguar, jag-u-ar or ja-gwar'.
jalap, jjir-ap.
January, jau'-u-Sr-i.
Japanese, jap'-an-ez.
jargon, jar'-gOn.
jasmine, jas'-mtn.
jaundice, jawn'-dis.
jaunt, jawnt.
javelin, jav'-lin.
jealous, jei'-us.
jehu, je'-hu.
jejune, /'r., je-jfm'.
jeopardy, j6p'-ei-di.
jeremiad, jgr'-g-nii'-ad.
Jerusalem, j6-r6-sa-lgm.
Jesuit, j6z'-u-it.
jewellery, jcV-cl-er-i.
jocose, jO-kos'.
jocular jOk'-u-ler,
jocund. j5k'-uiid.
jonquil, jOn-kwTl.
joust, jost or just.
jovial, jo'-vi-ai.
jowl, jol.
Judaic, j6 da'-Ik.
judgment, juj'-m6ut {not
mtint).
judicature, j6'-di-ka^-tur.
jugular, j6' gu-ler (wo^ jug'-).
jujube, j6'-joob.
julap, jO'-lap.
junior, j6'-nl-er.
junta, jun'-ta or j con '-til.
juridicial, j6-rid' ik-ai.
justiciary, jus-tish'-T-er-lt.
justificatory, jus'-ti-fi-ka'-
ter-i.
juvenile, j6-v6-nil or -nil.
K.
kaleidoscope, ka-ii'-do-
skop.
keelson, kel'-sun.
kept, kSpt (not kgp).
kettle, k6t'-l {not kit'-]).
Elhan, kawn.
Khedive, ked-ev'.
kiln, kil.
kilometre, ktl'-o me'-tr.
kinetics, kin-gt'-iks.
kitchen, kitch'-gn {not kitch'-
knowledge, nol'-gj.
koumiss, k6'-mls.
kreutzer, kroyt'-ser.
Kyrie, kir'-i-e.
ale, me, file, note, pure, f4r, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
56
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
laboratory, lab'-o-ra-ter-I
(no! la-bOr'-).
labyrinthine, lab'-i-rinth'-
In.
lachrymose, lak'-ri-mos.
laconic, la-kon'-ik.
lacuna, la-ku'-na ; pi lacu'-
nae, -ne.
lacustrine, la-ktts'-trin.
lamentable, lam'-Sn-ta-bl
(not lS.-m6nt'-).
landau, ]a,n-do'.
landlord, land'-l5rd (not
lan'-lQrd).
Landwehr, ISnt'-var.
langsyne, lang-sln' (not -zin).
la " guage, lang'.gwaj (not
lan'-gwaj).
langOUr, iSng'-gwei- (not
lan'-gwer).
LaOCOOn, la-Ok'-o-On.
Laodamia, la'-od-a-mi'a.
Laodicean, la'-Od-I-se'-an.
lapsus linguae, lap'-sus
ling'-gwe.
laringeal, lar'-ing-je'-al.
larynx, lar'-ingks or la'-
ringks.
lascar, las-ker'.
latent, la'-t6nt.
lath, lath ; pi. mhz.
lathe, lath.
Latin, lat'-in (not lat'-n).
laudanum, lawd'-a num (not
I6d'-).
laughter, laf-ter.
launch, lansh.
laundry, lan'-dri.
laureate, law'-ie-at.
laurel, lOr'-gl or law'-rgl.
Laurentian, law-ien'-shl-an.
lava, la'-va.
lazar, la'-zdr.
leaped, lept or Igpt.
learned, lern'-Sd.
lecture, I6k'-tur or -choor.
leeward, le'-werd or 16 -erd.
legate, l6g'-at (not le'-).
legend, I6j'-6nd or le'-j6nd.
legerdemain, 1 6j ' -er-de -
man'.
legible, lej'-i-bl.
legion, le'-jun.
legislative, isj'-is-la-tiv.
legislature, l6j'-is-la-tur.
legume, l6-guin'.
leisure, le'-zhoor.
lenient, le'-ni-gnt but len'-
itive.
lethargy, l6th'-ar-ji, but
lethar'-gic.
Lethe, le'-the.
lettuce, I6t'-tis (not ISt'-ttts).
levee, iSv'-g.
leverage, le'-ver-aj.
ale, me, file, note, pure, fAr, her, mdve, awl, owl, good, boy.
OKTHOEPY.
57
leviathian, l6-vi'-a-tlian.
levin, lev '-in.
Levite, le'-vit.
levity, ]6v'-i-ti.
Ley den-jar, la'- or ir-dn-jar.
lex talionis, ISks ta'-li-o'-nis.
liaison, le'-a-zon^'.
libation, ll-ba'-shun.
libel, ll'-b6l {not ll'-l)l).
libertine, lib'-er-tln or -tin.
licentiate, li-s6n'-shi-at.
lichen, li'-kgn or lich'-6n.
lictor, lik'-ter.
lief, lef. lieve, lev.
lien, le'-Sn or len.
lieu, 16. liege, lej.
lieutenant, I6f-t6n'-&nt,
ligneous, lig'-ne-tis.
lilac, li'-lak {not li'-l6k).
lilliputian, lil'-ll-pu'-shan.
limn, lim.
lineage, lin'-g-aj.
lineal, lin'-6 ai.
lineament, lin'-g-a-mSnt.
lingual, ling'-gwal.
linguist, ling'-gwist.
linguis'-tic.
linoleum, lin-or-6-um.
liquor, lik'-ev.
lissom or lissome, lis'-sum.
literary, lit'-er-a-ri.
literati, pi. lit'-er-a'-ti.
literatim, lit'-er-a'-tim.
literature, lit'-er-a-tur.
lithography, lith 6g'-ra-fi.
litigious, li-tij'-tis.
litigant, lit'-i-gant.
liturgic, li-ter'-jik.
livelong, Hv'-lOng, {not llv'-).
livraison, Fr., liv'-ra-zow^'.
livery, liv'-er i {not liv'-ri).
llanos, la'-noz.
loath, lotli. loathe, \oth.
loathsome, lo«A'-sum.
locale, lo-kal'.
location, lo-ka'-shun.
locum tenens, lo'-kttm te'-
n6nz.
locus standi, lo'-ktls stan'-
di.
logarithms, j>l. log'-a-
rithmz.
logomachy, lo-gOm'-a-k)
loiter, loy'-ter.
longevity, lon-jgv'-i-ti.
longitude, l6n'-ji-tud.
long-hved, long'-livd.
loquacious, lo-kwa'-shtis.
lorgnettes, Fr., pi., lorn-
ygts'.
lottery, lOt'-ter i {not lOt'-
ri).
louis d'or, 16'-i dor.
lounger, lownj'-er.
lower, (to bring low) lo'-8r.
lower, (to overcast) lowr.
ale, me, file, note, pure, far, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
58
THK HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
lozenge, loz'-gnj.
lubricate, !6'-brI-kat.
lucid, Id'-sid.
lucid '-ity.
Lucifer, l6'-sr-fer.
lucrative, lo'-ki-fi-tiv,
lucre, lo'-ker.
lucubration, l6'-ku-bra'-
shun.
ludicrous, lo'-di-krus.
lugubrious, l6-^u'-bri-us.
lukewarm, lok'-wawmi.
lullaby, lul'-a-bi ; lullabies,
pi. -biz.
luminous, lo'-ml-nus.
luminiferous, l6'-mi-nlf er-
iis.
lunatic, lo'-na-tik.
lunch, liinsh.
luncheon, lunsh' un.
lunge, liinj.
lupercalia, lO'-per-ka -li-a.
lurid, I6r'-id.
luscious, lush -us.
lustre, Itts'-ter.
lusus naturee, i6'-sus uri-
tti'-re.
lute, lot.
Lutheran, 16'-ther-an.
luxuriant, lug-zu'-ri-aut.
luxury, luks'-u-ii.
lyceum, ll-se'-um, {not ll'-).
Lyonnaise, le'-un-naz'.
lyre lir.
M.
Machiavelian, mak'-i-a vel'-
yan.
machination, mak'-i-na'-
shiin.
macrocosm, mak'-ro-kOzni.
Madeira, ma-de'-ra or ma-
da'-ra.
Mademoiselle, mad'-mo-a-
z6l'.
maelstrom, mal'-strom.
magazine, mag'-a-zen.
magi,n)a'-jT.
Magna Oharta, mag'-na
kar'-ta.
magnesia, mag-ne'-shi-a.
magnolia, mag-no'-lT-a.
Mahomet, ina'-liom-et. I)i(
Mahom'-etan.
maintain, man-tan'.
maintenance, m an'-tSi i
ans.
majolica, ma-jdl' i-ka.
malachite, mal'-a-kit.
mal h. propos, maiap'-pro-
po'.
malaria, ma-la'-ti-a.
malign, ma-lin'.
mall (a jmblic walk), maw],
mal or raSl.
ale, me, file, note, pure, fSr, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
ORTHOEPY.
59
maninia, ma-ma' (not raam'-
ma).
inanimillary, mam'-mil-
ler-i.
mandarin, man'-da-ren'.
manes, (L. pi.) ma'-nez.
manganese, mSn'-gan-ez.
manger, man'-jer.
mangy, man'-ji.
mania, ma'-ni-a.
maniacal, iDa-ni'-a-ki.
Manichean, man'-i-ke'-an.
manoeuvre, ma-no'-ver.
manor, man'-er.
mansard-roof, man'-sard-
r6f.
mantua-maker, man'-tu-
ma'-ker.
manure, ma-nur'.
marasmus, ma-raz'-mus.
mar6chal, mar'-a-shal.
mareschal, mar'-shal.
marigold, mar-' i-gold.
marine, ma-ren'.
marital, mar'-i-tai.
maritime, mar' i-tim.
market, m&r'-kSt (not mai-'-
kit).
marque, mark,
marquee, mar-ke'.
marquis, mar'-kwis.
marvel, mar'-v6l (not mar'-
vl).
masculine, mas'-ku-lin (not
ma.s'-ku]ln).
massacred, mas'-sakerd
(not mas'-sa-kred).
massacring, mas'-sakring
(not mas'-sa-ker-ing).
master, mas'-ter.
matins, mat'-lnz.
matinee, mat'-In-a.
matrice, ma'-tris.
matrix, ma'-trtks (not m&V-
riks").
matron, ma'-trOn (not mat'-
r6n).
matronal, ma'-trOn al.
mattress, mat'-r6s (not
ma-tras').
matutinal, mat'-u-ti'-nai.
mausoleum, maw-sO-le'-um.
mauvais honte, mo-va
zaungt.
mayoralty, ma'-er-al-ti.
measure, mCzh'-oor.
mechanist, m6k'-an-Ist (not
m6-kan'-ist).
Medici, mSd'-6-che.
mediaeval, m6d'-i-e'-vai.
medicinal, mC-dis'-i-nal (not
m6d-S-si'-nai).
medicine, mSd'-i-sin (rtot
m6d'-sQn).
mediocre, me'-dl-o-ker.
me'-dioc'-rity.
ale, me, file, note, pure, far, her, mdve, awl, owl, good, hoy.
60
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
medium, me'-di-tim, {not ^ miasma, mi-az'-ni& {not me).
Michaelmas, mik'-si-mas
{not mi'-k6l-mas).
microscope, ml'-krO-skop
{not mik'-ro-skop). So mi'-
cro-scop'-ic, mi'-cro-
scop'-ist.
midwifery, mid'-wif-ri.
Mikado, mi-ka'-da
Milan, mii'-an.
milch, milch.
mineralogy, min'-er-ai'-5ji
{not mIn'-er-6l'-o-jI).
miniature, min'-i-tur.
minotaur, min'-o-tawr.
minus, ml'-niis.
minute, {adj.) mi-nut' or nil-
nut'.
minute, {n.) min'-lt.
miracle, mir'-a-kl {-not m6r'-
a-kl.)
miraculous, mi-rak'-a-lus
{not mi-r3.k'-u-lus).
mirage, ml-razh' {not mir'-aj).
misanthrope, mis'-an-throp
{not miz'-an-throp nor mis-
an'-throp).
mischievous, mis'-chlv-iis
{not mis-chev'-iis).
misconstrue, mis-kOn'-str6
{not mls-kOn-stroo').
miscreant, mis'-krg-ant.
Miserere, miz'-gr-e'-rg.
misery, miz'-er-l {not miz'-ri).
me'-jttm)
meerschaum, mer'-shum.
mel6e, ma'-la.
meliorate, mel'-yO-rat.
mellow, mSl'-l5 {not mgl'-
ir).
melodeon, m6-lo'-d6-on,
melodrama, mel'-o-dram'-a.
memoir, m6m'-wawr.
memory, mgm'-o-ri {not
mSm'-rl).
menace, m6n'-as.
menagerie, m6n-aj'-6r-i or
m6n-S,zh'-Sr-i.
meningitis, mgnMng-ji'-tis.
mensurable, m6n'-sur-a-bl.
mensuration, m6n'-su-ra'-
shiin.
mercantile, m6r-'kS,n-til {not
mSr'-kan-tel).
mesmerize, mgz'-mer-Iz {not
m6s'-mer-iz). So mesmer'-
ic, mes'-merism.
messieurs, ni6s'-yerz.
metal, mgt'-al or m6t'-L
metamorphose, mgt'-a-
mOr'-fos.
metonymy, mg-tOn' i-mi or
mgt'-o-nim-i,
metropolitan, mgt'-ro-pol'-
i-tS,n {not me'-lro-pOl'-i-tan).
mezzotint, mgz'-zo-tlnt or
mgt'-zo-tint.
ale, me, file, note, pure, fS,r, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
ORTHOEPY.
61
mioogynist, mIs-Og'-i-nist.
mistletoe, miz'-l-to (not
mis'-).
mitten, mIt'-tSn (not mii'-n).
mnemonics, ne-mOn'-Iks.
mobile, mo'-bil.
moccasin, mok'-a-sin.
Mocha, mo'-ka.
model, mOd'-Sl or mOd'-l.
modest, m0d'-6st.
moiety, moy'-6-tr.
moisten, moys'-n (not -tn).
molecular, mo-l6k'-u-ler (not
mo-le'-ku-lar).
molecule, mol'-g-kal (not
kul nor mo'-lS-kul).
moUient, mOl'-ygnt or mOl'-
li-6nt.
momentary, mo'-m6nt-er-i
(not m6-m6nt'-S,-ri).
monad, mOn'-ad (not mo'-
nSd).
monetary, mtin'-g-ter-i or
m0n'-6-ter i.
mongrel, mung'-grgl (not
mOn'-grSl).
monogram, mOn'-o-gram
{not m6'-no-gr3,m).
monograph, mOn'-o-graf
(not mo'-no-graf ).
monologue, mon'-o-log,
monomania, mon'-o-ma'-nt-
S, (not mo'-no-ma'-ni-S,). So
monomaniac, mdn'-o-
ma'-ni-ak.
monosyllabic, mon'-o-sl-
lab'-ik.
monsieur, mOs-su'.
monument, mon'-u-mgnt
(not mOn'-i-inSnt).
morale, mo-rai'.
morphine, mOr'-fIn (not
mOr'-fen).
morsel, mOr'-s6l (not mOr'-sl).
mortal, mOr'-tal (not mOr'-tl).
Mosaic, mo-za'-ik,
Moslem, mOz'-l6m (not mOs'-
Igm).
mosquito, mOs-ke'-to.
moth, mOth ; moths, m6ths.
mountain, mownt'-in or
-an.
mountainous, mown'-tin-
iis (not mown-ta'-ni-us).
mouths, (n. pi.) mowthz.
multiplicand, miil'-ti-pli-
kand'.
multiplication, mtll'-tt-pli-
ka'-shtin.
multitude, marti-tud.
municipal, mii-iiis' i-j)a] {not
mu'-ni-sIp-Sl.
munificent, mu-nif-I-s6nt.
murderer, mur'-der-er (not
miir'-drer).
muscovado, miis'-ko-va'-do.
museum, mu-ze'-tim (n^t
mu'-zS-um). <
Mussulman, mus'-ul-m4n.
ale, me, file, note, pure, f^r, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, bov.
62
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
mustache or moustache,
mus-tasli' or moos-tjisli'.
myopia, mi-o'-pi-a.
Naiad, na'-jad or ni'-ad,
naive, na'-ev [not nav).
naively, na'-ev-ii.
nape, nap {not nap).
naphtha, nap'-tha.
narrate, nar-raf.
narrow, nar'-io.
nasal, na'-zal (^not na'-.'-al).
nascent, nas'-ent {not na'-
s6nt).
national, nash'-un-ai {not
na'-shun al).
nature, na'-tui- or -choor.
nausea, naw'-slu-a {7iot naw'-
.se-a). So nau'-se-ate.
nauseous, naw'-slms or naw'-
slii-iis.
nearest, ner'-6st {not -ist).
nebula, neb'-ii-la, pi -le.
necrology, nfik-rol'-o-ji, but
ne-crol'-o-gist.
nectarine, uek'-ter-in.
n6e, Fr., na.
ne'er, nar {not ner).
nefarious, n6-fa' -rf-us.
neglige, Fr., na'-gle'-zha'.
negotiate, nC-go'-shi-al. So
ne-go'-ti-a-ble, ne-go'-
ti-a'-tion.
myrmidon, nier'-ml-d6n.
mythology, mitli-ol'-o-ji {not
nu-thOl'-C-jl).
N.
neighbouring, na'-ber-Ing
{'not na'-brlng).
neither, ne'-itAer or ni'-thei:
Nemesis, ngm'-g-sis.
nephew, nSv'-u.
nepenthe, ne-p6u'-thg.
nepotism, nSp'-O-tizm or ne'-
])5-tizm.
nescience, nSsh'-r-ens.
nestle, ngs'-l {not nes'-tl).
nethermost, n^th'-er-moat
(not n6th'-er-mdst).
neuralgia, nu-rarji-a {not
nu-ral'-ji nor nu-iai'-i-ji).
neuter, nu'-ter {not noo'-ter).
neutral, nu'-ti-al {not noo'-
tral),
new, nu {not noo).
newspaper, nuz'-pa'-per
{not noos'-pa'-ptir).
niche, nich.
nicotine, nik'-O-ttn {not nik'-
0-ten).
nihilist, ni'-hil-ist
noblesse oblige, Fr., no-
bles' o-blOzh'.
nomad, nOm'-ad {not no'-
niad') ; but no-niad'-ic.
nomenclature, no'-mgn-
kla'-tur.
ale, me, file, note, pore, fai-, her, m6ve, awl. owl, good, boy.
ORTHOEPY.
63
nominative, nom'-i-na-tiv
{not ii6m'-na-tiv).
none, nun {not non).
nonpareil, non'-pa-rgl.
noose, ndz.
nosology, no-sol'-O-ji or no-
z5l'-5-ji.
notable, no'-ts,-bl.
Notre Dame, no'-tr dam.
nothing, nuth'-ing {not n6tli'-
ing).
novel, n6v'-6l {not n5v'-l).
novitiate, nO-vlsh'-i-at {not
no-vi'-shat).
nucleus, nu'-klS-ttS.
nuisance, nu'-sans {not XI oo'-
sans).
numerous, nu'-mer-us {not
noom'-rus).
numismatics, nu'-mls-mat'-
iks.
nuncio, ntln'-shi-o.
nuncupative, nun-ku'-pS-
tiv.
nuptial, nup'-shSl {not niip'.
dial),
nutriment, nu'-trl-mSnt {not
noo'-tii m6nt). So nu'-tri-
tive, but nu-tri'-tious,
nu-tri'-tion.
O.
Oasis, o-a'sTs.
oath, otli {^iiot bth). oaths,
bth-L {not oths).
obdurate, db'-du-rat. So
ob'-du-ra-cy.
obeisance, o-ba'-sans.
obelisk, ob'-S-lisk.
Oberon, O'-ber-On.
obese, o-bes'.
obit, o'-bit.
obligatory, 6b'-hg-a-ter i.
oblige, o-blij'.
oblique, 5b-lek'.
obloquy, ob'-lo-kwi.
obscene, Ob-Sen', but ob-
scen'-ity.
obsequies, 5b'-s6-kwiz.
obsequious, Ob-se'-kwi-us.
obsolete, 5b'-.s6-let.
obstinacy, ob'-sti-na-si.
obstreperous, 0V>-str6p'-er-
us.
obstruct, 5b-stiukt'.
obtrude, ob-tiod'.
obtuse, ob-tus'.
obverse, ob'-v6rs.
obviate, 6b'-vi-at, ob'-vi-
ous.
occasion, Ok-ka' shun.
Occident, 6k'-si-d6nt.
occult, 6k-kfilt'.
Oceanic, o'-shs a,n'-ik.
octagon, Ok'-tA-gC>n, but
octag'-onal.
ale, me, file, note, pure, fftr, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
64
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
octavo, 6k-ta'-v5.
octosyllabic, Ok'-to-all-lab'-
ik.
ocular, Ok'-u-ler.
OCUliform, O-ku'-li-fawim.
Odeon, o-de'-6n.
Odin, o'-din.
odious, o'-di-iis.
odium theologicum, o'-
di-iim the'-O-lOj'-i-kum,
odoriferous, o-der-if -er us.
Odyssey, od'-is-.st.
cesophagus, e-s5f-a-gus.
offertory, Of-fer-ter-L
ofiO-cial, of-fish'-ai.
Oflacinal, Of-fts'-I-nal.
ogle, o'-gi.
oleaginous, o'-lg-Sj'-i-nus.
Olefiant, o-le'-fi-ant.
oleomargarine, o'-16-o-mar'-
gS,r-in.
olfactory, Ol'-fak'-ter-l
oligarchy, cl'-i-gar-ki.
olio, o'-li-5.
olla podrida, ol'-l&' po-die'-
da.
Olympiad, o-iim'-pi-ad.
omelette or omelet, Om'-
6-l6t or Om'-let.
omen, o'-mSn, but om -in-
ous.
Omni (a prefix), 5m'-nJ.
omniscient, 0ni-nish'-i-6nt.
omnium gatherum, fic^'-
nl-tim gath'-er-utn.
once, wiins.
onerous, 6n'-er-tis.
only, on'-li, {not un'-li).
onomatopoeia, oa'-o-ma-to-
pe'-ya.
onus proband! o'-niis pro-
ban'-di.
onyx, On'-iks.
Oolite, o' o-lifc.
opal, o'-pal.
opaque, o-pak'.
opera, dp -ra.
ophicleide, of-i-klid.
ophidian, 6f-id'-i-an.
ophthalmia, of-thai'-mi-a
opiate, o'-pi-at.
opine, o-pin'.
opodeldoc, op'-o-dei'-dok.
opossum, o-pos'-stim.
opponent, Op-po'-ngnt.
opportune, 0p'-p6r-tun.
opposite, 6p'-po-zit {not -sit),
opprobrious, Op-prC-bri-us.
oppugn, Op-pun'.
optimism, Op'-ti-mizm.
opulent, 6p'-u-l6nt
opuscule, o-pus'-kul.
oracle, or'-a-kl, but o-rac'-
ular.
orang-outang, o-iang'-oo-
tang'.
ale, me, file, note, pure, far, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
ORTHOEPY.
65
oration, 5-ra'-shun, hut ov'-
atory.
oratorio, 6r'-&-to'-ri-o.
orchestra, Or'-kgs-tra, but
or-ches'-tral.
orchid. Or -kid, also orchis,
Oi-'-kla.
ordeal, 6r'-d6-al {not Or-de'-
al).
ordinance, Or'-di-nans.
ordinary, Or'-di-na-ri {not
5rd'-na-n).
ordnance, 6rd'-nS,ns.
organ, Oi'-gan, hut organ'-
ic.
orgies, Or'-jiz {not 6r'-jez).
orifice, Or'-i-fis.
Orion, o-rl'-un {not o'-ri-un).
orison, Or'-I-zOn {not 5r'-i-
stln).
ormolu, 6r'-ni5-16'.
ornate, Or'-nat o,- Oi-nat'.
orotund, o'-ro-ttind or Or-o-
tUnd'.
Orphean, Or-fe'-Sn.
orpheon, Or'-fe-On.
orthoepy, 0r'-tho-6-pI or 6i
tho'-s-pi. So or'-tho-e-
pist or ortho' epist,
Osiris, Os-i'-ris.
ostentatious, ds'-tsn-ta'-
shus {not aws-).
ostler, Os'-ler.
ostracism, Os'-tra-slzm.
ostrich, O.s'-tiich {not Os'-trij
nor aws'-trich).
ought, awt {not ort).
oust, owst {not oost).
outre, 6'-tra.
ovation, o-va'-slmn.
overseer, o'-ver-ser',
overt, o'-vert {not 0-vert').
overthrow, o'-ver-thro' {not
5'-ver-thru').
oxide, Oks'-Id (yr 6ks'-Id.
oyer, o'-yer {not oi'-er).
P.
Pacha or Pasha, pS,-sli§,'.
pachydermatous, pak'-i-
der'-ma-tus.
pacification, pS-sif'-i-ka'-
shun.
pacificator, pS,-sif'-i-ka'-ter.
pageant, paj'-gnt or pa'-jSnt;
hut pag'-eant-ry.
palace, pai'-as.
paladin, pal'-S-din.
palanquin, pal'-ang-ken'.
palaver, paia'-ver.
Palestine, pal'-Ss-tin {not
pal'-gs-ten),
palfrey, pawl'-frl or pal'-frl.
palisade, pal'-i-sad.
palHative, pal'-li-a-tir
palm, pS.m {not pSm).
ale, me, file, note, pure, fdr, her, move, awl, owl, good, boy.
6
66
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
palmy, p&m'-i {not i)S,m'-i nor
pal'-mi).
palsied, pawl'-zld {not pal'-
sid).
paltry, pawl'-tri,
panegyric, pfin'-g-jii' ik.
pannier, pfin'-yer or pan'-nl-
er.
panorama, pan'-5-r&'-ma,.
pantaloons, pan'-ta-lOuz'.
Pantheon, pau'-the-on.
pantechnicon, p3,n-t6k'-nt-
kOn.
pantisocracy, p3,n'-ti-sok'-
ra-si.
pantomime, pan'-to-mim.
papa, pa-pa' {not pa'-p)a.
papier-mach6, pap'-ya-ma'-
sha.
papoose, pa-p6z'.
papyrus, pa-pi'-i-iis.
parabola, pa-i-ab'-o-ia.
parabolical, par'-a-bor-i-kai.
parachute, i)ai-'-a-sL6t'.
Paradise, par'-a dis.
paraflSne, p&r'-a-f in {7iot par'-
ftf-fen).
parcel, par'-s6l {not p&r'-sl).
paregoric, par'-5-gOr' ik.
parent; pa'-r6nt {not p5r'-
6nt) ; hut par'-ent-age.
parenthesis, pa-rSn'-the-sls,
hut par'-enthet'-ic
parhelion, pS-r-hel'-yGn ()
])ai-lie'-]i-On.
Pariah, i)ar'-i-a or pa'-rl-a.
parietal, pa-ii'-g-tai.
Parisian, pa-rlz'-i-an.
parlance, p^r'-iaiis.
parley, par'-lr.
Parliament, par'-li-mSnt
parochial,pa-ro'-ki-ai.
parody, pai'-o-di, hui
parod'-ic.
Parmesan, par'-m6-zan'.
parole, pa-rol'.
paronomasia, par'6-n5-ma'
zhia.
paronym, par'-o-nlm.
parotid, p&-iot'-id.
parquet, pfir-ka' or par'-ket.
parterre, pSi-tar'.
Parthenon, ])ai'-thg-nOn.
partial, p4r'-shal.
partiality, par'-shi-ai'-i-tL
participle, par'-ti-si-pl {not
part'-sl]^>-l).
partisan, par'-tl-zan {not pfir-
tl-zan').
partner, part'-ner {not pftrd
ner).
partridge, par'-Mj {not pai
rij, nor par'-tilch).
parvenu, par'-v6-n6'.
Pasha, pa-sha' or pa'-siia.
pasquinade, pas'-kwin-ad.
pass6, pas'-sa.
&le, me, file, nOte, pure, far, her, mdve, awl, owl, good, boy.
ORTHOEPY.
67
Passover, p&s'-o-ver.
pastel, pas'-t6l.
pastil, pas-tel'.
pastime, pas'-tim.
patent, pS,t'-6nt or pa'-tent.
patentee, pS.t'- or pa'-tgn'-te.
paterfamilias, pa'-tei-fa-
mllM-As.
paternal, pa-ter'-nfil. So
pater'nity.
Paternoster, pat'-er- or pa'-
ter-n0s'-t6r.
path, pS-th (jiot \ifdK) ; pi.
ipkthz (not paths).
pathos, pa'thOs (not pSth'-
6s).
patois, pSt'-waw.
patriarch, pa'-tii ark.
patrimony, ))at'-ii-ni6-ni
(not pa'-tri-mO-ni).
patriot, pa'-tii-Ot (not pat/-
ri-ot). So pa'-tri-ot'-ic
patriotism, ]>a'-tri-ot-iziu
{not i)at'-ri-Ob-izin).
patron, pa'-tiou (not pat'-
i'5n). So pa'.troness.
patronize, pat'-rou-Iz or pa'-
trdn-iz. So pat'-ronage.
patronymic, pat'-io- or pa'-
tro-nim'-ik.
paunch, pawnsh.
penn, or paean, pe'-an.
PeCCavi, pSk-ka'-vI.
pectoral, pek'-to-ral.
peculiar, p6-kul'-y&r or p6-
ku'-li-fir.
peculiarity, pS-kul'-i-ar'-i-tr.
pecuniary, p5-ku'-ni-a-ri.
pedagogism, p6d'-a-gOg-Tzm
(not p6d'-a-go-jizm).
pedagogue, p6d'-a-gOg.
pedagogy, p6d'-a-go-ji or
pSd'-a-gOj-I.
pedal, (adj.) pe'-dai; (n.)
pgd'al.
pedant, p6d'-ant, but ped-
an'-tic
pedestal, psd'-6s-tal.
Pegasus, p6g'-a-sus.
pellucid, p6l-l6'-sid).
penance, pen'-rms.
Penates, p6-na'-tez.
penchant, pkng-shkng'.
pencil, i)6n'-sil (not p6n'-sl).
penitentiary, ' p6n'-i-ten'-
shar i {not pgn'-i-t6n'-shi-a-
n).
pentameter, pSn-tam'-6-ter.
penult, pe'-ntilt or pg-nult'.
penury, p6ii'-u-ri, but penu-
rious.
peony, pe'-o-ni.
people, pe'pl.
Pentateuch, p6n'-ta-tuk.
penumbra, pe- or pS-uum'-
bra.
peradventure, pSr'-ad-vSn'-
ttir (not piii"'-).
ale, me, file, note, ])ure, f&r, her, move, awl, owl, good, boy.
68
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
perdu, perdu'.
peremptory, p6r'-Smp-tcr-i
(not p6-r6rnp'-to-n).
perfect, {v.) p6r'-f6kt or per-
fgkt'.
perfidious, per-fid'-i-iis.
perfume, («.) per'-fum.
perfume, [v.) pei-fum'.
perfunctory, per-fungk'-
ter-i.
perhaps, per-ha,ps' {not
praps).
periodic, pe'-ri-od'-ik.
peripatetic, pSr'-i-pa-tgt'-ik.
periphrase, pSr'-i-fraz ; also
periphrasis, p6r-if-ra-sis
[not p6r-i-fra'-sis).
periphrastic, pSrM-fras'-tik.
permit, («.) per'-mit; (u)
per-mit'.
Persian, per'-shan or per'-
shi-au (not pgr'-zhan).
Personse. dramatis per-
SOnse, dram'-S,-tis per-so'-ue.
persuasive, per-swa'-siv {7iot
-ziv).
peruke, pSr-6k'.
peruse, pgr-6z'.
pestle, p6s'-tl or pSs'-l.
petal, p6t'-al.
petrel, pSt'-x-Sl {not pe'-trel).
pewit, pe'-wit {not pu'-it).
phaeton, fe'-S-tOn {not fe'-).
phantasmagoria, fan-tas'
lua-go'-rl-a.
phalanx, fal'-angks.
pharmaceutic, far'-ma-su'-
tik {not far'-ina,-ku'-tlk.) So
phar'-ma-ceu'-tist.
pharmacopoeia, far'-ma-ko-
pe'-a {not far-ma-ko'-pe-S).
philanthropy, fil-an'-thro-
pT {not fi-). So phil-an'-
thro-pist, hut phil'-an-
throp'-ic
Philistine, filMs-tin or -tin.
philology, fn-5r-5-ji {not
fi). So philol'-o-gist.
philosophy,. fil-lOs'-o-fi {not
f i-). So phil-os'-o-pher.
phlegm, fl6m.
phoenix, fe'-niks.
phonics, fOn'-iks or fo'-nlks.
phosphorus, f6s'-f5i-us.
photographer, fo-tog'-ra
fer {not fo'-to-gra-fer). So
pho-tog'-ra-phist.
Phrenological, fr6n'-o-loj'-i-
kal {not fre-no-l6j'-ik-al).
phthisis, thi'-sis.
phthisic, tiz'-ik.
physique, fi-sek'.
physiognomy, fiz'-i-Og'-no-
mi {not fIz'-i-5n'-o-mi).
pianist, pl-an'-ist {not pe'-
an-ist).
piano, pi-an'-o.
ale, uie, file, note, pure, fllr, lier, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
ORTHOEPY.
69
pianoforte, pi-ftn'-o for'te.
The pronunciation pl-an'o-
fOrt, so often heard, is not
sanctioned by the orthoe-
pists.
piazza, pi-Sz'-zi
pibroch, pe'-brOk.
picayune, pik-a-un'.
picture, pik'-tur or -choor.
pigeon, pij'-un.
pilaster, pMfis'-ter.
pincers, pin'-serz {not pln'-
sherz, unless spelled pin-
chers).
pinchbeck, pinsh'-bSk {not
pinsh'-bak).
piony, pi'-o-ni ; also peony,
pe'-o-ni, is a better spelling
and pronunciation.
piquant, pe'-kant.
pique, pek.
piqu6, pek'-a.
pismire, piz'-mir.
placable, pia'-ka-bl or piak'-
&-bl.
placard, {n.) plak'ard; {v.)
pla-kard'.
placid, pias'-id.
plagiarism, pla'-j'a-rizm.
plagiarise, pla'-j'a-iiz.
plaintifif, plant'-if.
plait, plat (not plet).
plateau, i)la-to'.
platina, piat'-i-na.
platinum, piat'-i-nfim.
plebeian, plS-be'-Sn.
Pleiades, ple'-ya-dez or pli'-
a-dez.
plenary, ple'-na-ri or plgn'-a-
ri.
plenipotentiary, pl6n'-i-po-
tSn'-shar-i.
plenitude, plSn'-i-tud {not
pl6n'-I-tood).
pleonasm, p'e'-O-nazm.
plethora, plsth'-o-ra {not
pl6-tlio'-ra).
plethoric, ple-thOr'-Ik.
pliosaurus, plr-o-saw'-rtts.
poetaster, po'-6t-as'-ter.
poignant, poy'-nant So
poign'-an-cy.
poison, poy'-zn {not pi'zn).
police, po-les' {not pies).
polonaise, po'-lo-naz'.
polype, pol'-ip.
polysyndeton, pol'-i-sin'-de
ton.
pomade, po-mad' or i)o-mS,d'T
poniard, pOn'-y^rd {not
poin'-y^rd).
porcelain, pOrs'-lan, or pOr'
s6-lan.
porch, porch {not pawrch).
porphry, pOr'-fi-ri.
porpoise, pOr'-ptts.
porridge, pOr'-rij.
Porte, port.
portend, p0r-t6ud'.
ale, me, file, nOte, pure, f^r, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
70
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
portent, pOr'-tgnt
portfolio, p5rt-fo'-h-5.
porte-monnaie, port-msn'-
na.
portrait, pOr'-trat {not p6r'-
tvat). So por'-trai-ture.
position, po-zish'-un.
possess, p6z-z6s' {not pOs-
s6s'). So pos-ses'-sive,
pos-ses'-sion, etc.
posterior, pOs-te'-i-i-er (not
pos-).
posthumous, pOst'-u-mus.
postpone, p5st-pon'.
posture, pOs'-tur or -choor.
potato, pO-ta-'to.
potentate, po'-tSn-tat {not
pOt'-6n-tat).
potentiality, po-ten'-shi&l'-
pourtray, por-tm'.
prairie, pmr -L
prebendary, prSb'-Sn-der-l
•precedence, pr6-se'-d6ns.
precedent, (adj.) prS-se'-
dSnt ; (n.) prgs'-S-d6nt.
precept, pre'-s6pt.
preceptory, pr6-s6p'-ter-i.
precis, pra-se' or pra'-se.
precise, pr6-sls' {not prg-slz').
So pre-cise'-ly.
predatory, pr6d'-a-ter-i or
pre'-da-ter-i.
predecessor, pr6'-d6-s6s'-ser.
predilection, pre-drlck-
shan {not prgd-1 15k'-shaii
nor prg-di-lik'-shiin).
preface, {n. and V.) prSf'-as
{not pre'-fas).
prefect, pre'-ffekt.
preference, prgf-er-gns.
preferment, prg-fer-m6nt
prehensile, prS-hen'-sil {not
pr6-h6n'-sil). *"
prelacy, prSl'-ft-sI {not prg'-
prelate, prgl'-at {not prg'-lat).
prelude, (n.) prSl'-ud or pre'-
lud ; {v.) pi-e-lud'.
premature, pre'-ma-tur.
premier, pre'-ml-er or pr6m'-
yer.
premium, prg'-ml-ttm.
premunire, pre'-mu-nl'-r6.
preposterous, prg-pOs'-ter-
iis {not prS-pOs'-trus).
presage, («.) prSs'-aj.
Presbyterian, pr6s'-bi-te'-ri-
S.n.
presbytery, prgs'-bi-ter-i.
prescience, pre-shl-6ns {not
pre'-shens nor prSsh'-fins).
So pre'-sci-ent.
presentation, pr6z'-Sn-ta'-
shan {not pr6'-z6n-ta'-shun).
presentiment, pr6-s6n'-ti-
mgnt {not pre zSn'-tI-m6nt
nor pr6-z6nt'-mgnt).
ale, me, file, nOte, pure, fftr, her, mdve, awl, owl, good, boy.
ORTHOEPY.
71
president, pr6z'-i-dSnt (not
prgz'-I-dtint).
prestidigitator, pr5s'-tt-
dlj'-I-ta'-ter.
prestige, piSs'-tezh or prS.s -
«j.
presumptuoas, prg-zum'-
tu-iis (not pre-ztini'-shus).
pretence, prg-tgns'.
preterit, pr6t'-er-it.
pretext, pre-tSkst'.
pretty, prit'-ti.
preventive, pre- or prS-vSi '-
tlv (not prS-vSn'-ta-tlv).
primary, pn'-mer-i.
primer, prim'-er or pvi'-mcr.
primeval, pri-me'-vai.
primogeniture, pri'-mo-
jgn'-I-tur.
primordial, prI-mOr'-dl-al.
princess, prIn'-sSs (not prm-
sfis').
prism, prizm (not pnz'-um).
pristine, pris'-tin or -tin.
prithee, ipvuh'-i.
privacy, pri'-va-si (not prlv'-
privity, priv'-i-tl
probity, prOb'- or pro'-bl-tl.
proboscis, pro-bOs'-sIs.
proceeds, prs'-sedz.
process, prOs' sSs or pro'-sSs.
Procrustean, pio-krus'-te-
procuress, prOkur'-Ss or
p"5k'-u-r6s.
prodigy, prod' i-ji.
produce, (n.) prOd'-us; (v.)
pro-dua'.
product, prOd'-ukt (not pro'-
dukt).
proem, pro'-Sm.
proemial, pro-e'-mi-&l.
profile, pro'-fel or pro'-fll.
profuse, pro-fus' (not pro-
fuz').
progress, (n.) prOg'-rgs or
pro'-gr6s. (v.) pro-grSs'.
prohibition, pi o'-hi-bish'-un
(not pro-I-bish'-un).
prohibitory, pro-hib'-i-ter-i.
project, (n.) pr6j'-6kt (not
pvo'-jSkt) ; (v.) pro-j6kt'.
projectile, pro-j6k'-til.
proletariat, pro'-ls-ta'-ii-at.
prolix, pro'-liks.
prolocutor, pro-lOk'-u-ter or
pr0l'-5-ku'-ter.
prologue, pro'-log.
promenade, prOm'-g-nad'.
Promethean, pvo-me'-thg-
an.
promiscuous, prQ-mis'-ku-
iis.
promissory, prOm'-tsser-i.
promontory, pr0m'-5n-tei' i.
promulgate, pio-mul'gat
(not prOm'-ul gat).
ale, me, file, note, piiie, fir, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
72
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
promulgator, prOm'-fll-ga'-
ter.
proimnciation, pro-nttn'-si-
a'-shun.
prophecy, piOf-5-si.
prophesy, (v.) prOf'-6-si.
propitiate, pro-pish'-i-at.
prorogue, pro-rog'.
prosaic, pro-za'-ik,
proscenium, pro-se'-nl-um.
proselyte, prOs'-g-lit.
prosody, piOs'-o di.
prosperous, prOs'-per-tis (not
prOs'-prus).
Protean, pro'-t6 -Sn or pro-
te'-S,n.
prot6g6, prO'-ta-zha' (not
prOt' S-zha).
protest, (n.) pro'-tSst; (v.)
pro-t6st'.
prothonotary, pr5-thon'-«-
ter-I.
protocol, prO'-tO-kOl.
protoplasm, pro'-to-pia,sm.
protrude, pro-tr6d'.
protuberant, pro-tu'-ber-
S,nt.
Provencal, pro-vawg-'-sai,
provender, prOv'-6n-der.
proviso, pio-vi'-zo.
provocative, pvo-vok'-a-tiv.
provocation, prov'-u-ka'-
shtin.
provoke, piO-vOk' (not ptlr-).
provost, prOv'-Ost or pro'-
vost.
prowess, prow'-6s (not pro).
prudence, pro'-dgns.
prune, pron.
Prussian, prash'-ftn.
prUSSic, prtts'-ik.
psalmist, sam'-lstor sal' mKst.
psalmody, sar-mO-di 07
8S,m'-o-dI.
Psalms, sS-mz.
psalter, sawl'-ter.
pseudo, su'-do.
pseudonym, su'-do-nira.
psyche, si'-ke.
psychology, si-kol'-o-ji.
Ptolemaic, tol'-g ma'-lk.
puerile, pu'-er-il or pu'-cr-Il.
puerperal, pu-er'-per-al.
puisne, pu'-ng.
puissance, pu'-is-sans,
puissant, pu'-is-S,nt or pu-
is'-s&nt.
pulmonary, ptH'-mOn-er i.
pulpit, pool'-pit.
pumice, pu'-mis or pttm'-is.
pumpkin, pump'-kin, often
mispronounced pQnk'-in.
punitive, pu'-ni-tiv.
purlieu, per'-lu.
purloin, per-loyn'.
purport (n. and v.) per'-pOrt
ale, me, file, note,, pure, fkr, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, l>oy.
ORTHOEPY.
73
purulent, pu'-roo-lSnt {not
ptir'-yoo-lSnt).
pursuit, per'-sut'.
pursuivant, per'-swe-vant.
purview, per'-vu.
Puseyism, pu'-zi-izm (wo<
pu'-si-izm).
pusillanimous, pu'-sil-ian'-
i-mus.
pustule, ptis'-tul.
put, poot (not put).
putrescent, pu-trSs'-sgnt.
pyaemia, pi-e'-mi-a.
pygmean, pig-me'-an,
pyramidal, pir am'-i-dal.
pyramidic, pir'-a-mul' ik.
pyrites, pi-ri'-tez.
Pythagorean, pi-thag'-o-re -
Pythoness, pr-thon-ss.
Q.
Quadrille, ka-dril' or kwSr
drll' (not kvv5d-rll').
quadrupedal, kw6d'-r6'-pe-
dai
quaff, kwaf.
quagga, kwag'-gS.
quagmire, kwag'-mir (rwt
kwOg'-mir).
quality, kwOl'-i-tl (not kwOl'-
ii-tl).
qualm, k^am.
quandary, kwOn-da'-ri.
quantity, kwon'-titi.
quarantine, kwOr'-au-ten.
quarrel, kwOi'-r6l.
quasi, (jyrefix) kwa'-sL
quassia, kwSsh'-i-&.
quaternion, kwa-ter'-nl-On.
quatorze, ka-torz'.
quatrain, kwOt'-ran or ka'-
tran.
quay, ke.
quelque chose, kelk'-s shoz.
query, kwe'-i-i.
queue, ka.
quid nunc, kwld'-ntlngk.
quid pro quo, kwid pro
kwo.
quiescent, kwi-6s'-s6nt.
quinine, kwl-nln' or kwln'-lu
Quirinal, kwi-ri-nal.
qui vive, ke vev'.
quoit, kwoyt or koyt.
quondam, kwOn'-dam.
quote, kwot (no' kot).
quotient, k\vo'-sb6nt.
quoth, kwoth.
ale, me, file, note, pure, f4r, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
74
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
R.
Rabbi, rSb'-bl or rSb'-bl.
raddish, i-ad'-ish (not vM'-
ish).
raillery, rai'-er-I or ral'-er-i.
rajah, ra'-ja or ra'-ja.
rampage, ramp'-aj.
rapacious, ra-pa'-shtls.
rapine, rfip'-in.
raspberry, ras'-bSr-i (not
rawz'-b6r-ri).
rather, rkth'-er.
ratio, ra'-shi-O.
ratiocinate, rasli'-i-os'-i-nat.
ratiocinative, iSsli '-i os'-i-
na-tir.
ration, ra'-shtln (not v&sh'-
tin).
rational, rSsh'-iin-ai (not la-
shiin-al).
rationalist, rash'-un-al-ist.
rationale, i-ash'-un-a'-is.
ravin, iSv-in.
ravine, ra-ven'.
realization, re'-ai-i-za'-shtin .
rebel, rgb'-Sl (not r6b'-l).
rebus, re'-biis.
recapitulate, re'-ka-pit'-u-
lafc.
receptivity, re'-sSi)-ti v' i ti.
recess, rg-sSs' (not re'-s6s).
Rechabite, r6k'-ab-it.
recherch6, 16 sher'-sha.
reciprocal, r6-sip'-r5-kal.
reciprocity, r6s'-i-pr6s'-i-tl.
recitative, r6s'-i-ta-tev (not
-tlv).
reclamation, rgk'-ia-ma'-
shun.
recluse, r^-kW (not rS-kluz').
recognizable, rgk'-og-niz'-Sr
bl.
recognisance, rg-kog'-ni-
zans or rg-kOn'izans.
recognize, rgk'-Og-niz (not
rgk'-o-nlz nor rg-kOg'-nIz).
recollect, (to call to mind)
rgk'-Ol-lgkt' (7iot re-).
Recollet (a monk) ra'-kOl-la'.
recondite, igk'-On-dlt or rg-
lOn'-dlt
reconnaissance, rg-kon'-
na-saw/s'.
reconnoitre, rgk'-On-noy'-
ter.
recourse, rg-kOrs' (not re'-
kors).
recovery, rg-kuv'-er-l
recreant, rgk'-rg-ant (not re'-
kre-Snt).
recreate, (to give fresh life
to) igk'-rg-at (not re'-kre-at).
So rec'-re-a-tion.
recruit, rg-kr6t',
rectitude, rgk'-ti-tud (not
. rgk'-tl-tood).
ale, me, file, nSte. pure, fS,r, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
ORTHOEPY.
75
recusant, r6k'-u-zant. So
recusancy,
redowa, rgd'-o-vi
referable, r6f-er-a-bl [not r6-
fer'-a-bl).
referrible, rg-fer'-i-bl.
reflex, {adj.) re'-flSks.
refulgent, r6-ful'-j6nt.
refuse, (v.)r6 fuz'; (w.)r6f'-us.
refutable, rg-fu'-ta-bl or igf-
u-ta-bi.
regicide, igj'-i-sid.
regime, la-zhem'.
regimen, r6j'-!-mgn.
regius, re'-jl-us.
regnancy, rgg'-nSn-st
regress, (n.) re'-grSs; {v.)
rS-grSs',
regular, rSg'-u-ler {not rSg'-
ler).
rehabilitate, re'-ha-bil'-i-tat.
Reichstag, richs'-t&g.
relaxation, re'-iaks-a'-shun
or rgl'-Sks-a'-shtin.
relevant, iSr-5-vant
reliquisB, rS-lik'-wi-e,
remainder, rS-man'-der {not
rgm'-Sn-der).
reminiscence, r6m'-i-nis'-
s§ns.
remonstrate, rg-mon'strat.
remunerative, rg-mu'-ner-
a-tiv.
renaissance, rs-na'-sangrz.
rencontre, Ytng-'kJ6ng'-iv.
rendezvous, xgn'-d6-v6 or
rS,w^'-dS-v6.
rendition, rSn-dlsh'-iin.
renunciation, r&-niin'-si-a'-
shun.
reparable, rgp'-fi-rS-bl.
repartee, rgp'-ar-te',
repertoire, ra'-per-twar'.
repertory, rgp'-er-ter-L
repOUSS§, ra-p6s'-sa.
reprieve, rg-piev'.
reprimand, rgp'-ri-m&nd'.
reprisal, rg-pri'-zal.
reptile, rgp'-tll or rgp'-tU.
repugnant, rg-pug-nant. So
repug'-nancy.
reputable, rgp'-u-ta-bl {not
rg-put'-a-bl).
requiem, rgk'-wi-gm.
reredos, re'-rg-dos.
research, rg-serch'.
reservoir, rgz'-er-vwawr'.
residue, rgz'-I-da {not rgz'-I-
doo), hut resid'uary.
resignation, rgz'-ig-n&'-shun
{not igs'-),
resin, rgz'-in {not rgz'-n).
resonance, rgz'-6-nans.
resource, rg-sOrs' {not re'-).
respirable, rS-spir'-a^bl {not
r6s'-pl-ra-bl).
ale, me, file, nOte, pure, fUr, her, mdve, awl, owl, good, boy.
76
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
respite, (n. and V.) r6s'-pit
(not r6s'-}>it).
respited, rSs'-pit-ed (not r6-
spit'-6d).
restaurant, i gs'-to-i-an^'.
restitution, r6s'-tl-tu'-shun.
restorative, rS-stor'-a-tiv.
resume, ra-z6'-ma.
resurgent, rS-ser'-jgnt.
resuscitation, rg-«us'-si-ta'-
shiin.
retail, (v.) rg-tal' (not re'-tal);
(n.) rS'-tal (not r6-tal').
retailer, rg-tal'-er.
retaliate,rs-tal'-i-at.
retardation, i-e'-tar-da'-shun
retch, rSch or lech.
reticence, rSt'-i-sgns.
retina, rgt'-i-nS.
retinue, r6t'-i-nu.
retributive, rg-trib'-u-tiv.
retroact, re'-tro-akt' So
re'-tro-ac'-tive.
retrocede, re'-tro-sed' or rgt'-
rosed'; but re'-tro-ces'-
sion.
retrograde, re'-tio-grad or
rgfc'-ro-grad. So re'- or ret-
ro-gres'-sion.
retrospect, re'-tro-spekt or
rgt'-ro-si)gkt. So re-tro-
spec'-tion, etc.
retrovert, re'-trO-verfc' or
rgt'-ro-vert'. So re'-tro-
version.
reveille, ra-vgl'.ya or rS-val'-
ya.
revelry, rgv'-gl-rl (not rev'l-
rf),
revenue, rgv'-g-nu; rg-vgn'-
yoo is now obsolete.
reverie, rgv'-gr-e.
revocable, rgv'-o-karbl (not
re-vo'-ka-bl).
revolt, rg volt'. So revolt'-
ing.
Reynard, ra'-nard or igu'-
4rd.
rheum, r6m.
rheumatism, r6'-ma-tizm,
but rheumat'-ic.
rhomb, rOm.
rhubarb, rd'-birb.
rhyme, rim.
rhythm, rithm or rUhm.
rhythmic, nth'-mik or rlth'-
mik.
ribald, rlb'-ald (not ri'-bal(i
nor lib'-awld'). So rib'-
ald-ry.
ricochet, nk'-o sha'.
ridicule, rid'-i-kul (not rgd'-).
ridiculous, li-dlk'-u-lus (not
rl-dik'-lus).
rind, rind (not rin).
rinse, rlns (not rgns).
risible, liz-i-bl.
rivalry, li'-vai-rL
robust, ro-btist'.
ale, me, file, note, pure, f&r, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
ORTHOEPY
77
rococo, i'5-ko'-k5.
roisterer, roys'-ter-er.
r61e, rol.
romance, rO-mans' {not ro-).
roseate, ro'-ze-at,
rote, rot.
roue, lo'-a.
rouge, r6zh.
rout, rowt.
route, r6t.
routine, r6ten'.
Rubicon, r6'-bi-kOn.
rubicund, r6'-bi-kund.
ruby, r6'-bl (not i-u'-bi).
rudiment, r6'-di-mgnt.
rue, 1-6.
rufiBan, ruf'-fi-Sn.
ruin, r6'-ia. So ru'-inous.
rule, r61.
rumour, r6'-mer.
rural, r6'-ral.
Russian, rush'-an (not roo'-
shan).
ruthless, r6th'-l6s.
rustle, lus'-l.
ryot, li'-ob.
S.
Sabaoth, sa-ba'-Oth.
saccharine, sak'-ka-rin or
s&k'-ka-rin.
sacerdotal, sas'-er do'-tal
(not sa'-ser-do'-tal).
sacrament, sak'-ra-m6nt
(not sa'-ki-a!-iii6nt).
sacrifice, (n. and V.) sSk'-ri-
fls (not sa'-kri-fis).
sacrilege, sak'-rl-lSj (not sa'-).
sacrilegious, sak'-ii-le'-jus
(not sak'-ri-llj'-iis).
sacristan, sak'-rls-tan. So
sac'-ris-ty.
saffron, s&f -rOn.
sagacious, sa-ga'-shtts (not
sS,-gS,sh'-us).
said, sSd (not sad).
salam or salaam, sa-iam'.
salary, s&l'-a-ri (not sal'-i'i).
saleratus, sai'-e-ra'-tus.
Salic, sal'-Ik (not sa'-lik).
salient, sa'-li-Snt (not sal'-i).
saline, sa-lln' or sa'-lin.
saliva, sa-ii'-va.
salmon, sam'-un.
salon, s&-\6ng'.
salutary, sal'-u-ter-l
salubrious, sa 16'-brl-tis.
salute, sa-l6t'.
salutatory, sal-u'-ta-ter-i.
salve, sav.
salver, (a plate) sai'-ver.
sal-volatile, sai'-voi-at'-ii-g,
but popularly pronounced
sal-v5l'-at-il.
Samaritan, sS-mar'-i-tan.
ale, me, file, note, pure, tar, her, ra6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
78
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
Samian, sa'-mi-an.
samite, sSni'-it.
Sanable, san'-a-bl (not san-).
So sanitory, sanatori-
um, etc,
sanctimonious, s5ngk'-ti-
m5'-nl-us.
sanctuary, sangk'-tti-er-g,
Sangfiroid, Fr., sang'-frwl
sanguine, sang'-gwin (not
san'-gwin). So san'-guin-
a-ry, san-guin'-e-ous.
Sanhedrim, san'-6-drim.
sapience, sa'-pi-6iis. So
sa'-pi-ent.
sapphire, saf-fer or saf'-flr.
sarcasm; sar'-k&zm, but sar-
cas'-tic.
sarcenet, s&rs'-nSt (not sar'-
sS-nSt).
sarcophagus, s4r-kof'-fi-gus.
Sardanapalus, sai-dan-a-
pa'-lQ.s.
sardonic, sar-dOn'-ik.
Sardon37X, s4r'-d6-uiks.
sarsaparilla, sar'-sa-pa-ril'-
1& (not s&s'-a-pa-rH'-la).
satiate, sa'-shl-at (not sa'-
shat).
satiety, sa-ti'-s-ti.
satin, sat'-in (not sat'-n).
satire, sat'-Ir (not sa'-tir), but
satiric, sa-tir'-ik.
satrap, sa'-trap. So sa'-
trapy.
saturnine, sat'-er-nln.
satyr, sac'-er.
saucy, saw'-sl (not .sSs'-I).
saunter, sawn'-ter.
sausage, saw'-saj (not s&s'-
sj).
sautern, so tern',
savant, sa-van-/'.
Saviour, sav'-ydr.
savour, sa'-ver.
scald (to burn with fluid),
skawld.
scald (a bard), skawld.
scallop, skOl'-lttp or skal'-
iGp.
scarce, skars. So scarcely.
scared, skard (not skart).
scarify, skar'i-fi.
scarlatina, sk4r'-lat-g'-n&.
scathed, skatht or skhtM.
scathing, sk&th'-ing.
scenic, sSn'-ik or s6n'-ik.
sceptic, skSp'-tik.
schedule, skSd'-yul or s6d-
yul, or sh6d'-yul.
schism, sizm (not siz'-iim).
schismatic, siz-mat'-ik.
scholastic, sko-ias'-tik.
scholiast, sko'-li-ast.
schooner, sk6n'-er.
sciatica, si-at'-X-ka.
sciolist, si'-o-list.
scion, si'-On.
ale, mS, file, n5te, pure, f&r, her, mdve, awl, owl, good, boy.
ORTHOEPY.
79
scire facias, si'-rg fa'-si-Ss.
SCirrhus, skir'-rus.
scissors, siz'-erz.
Sclav, sklkv, but sclavo'-
nian.
scorbutic, skOr-bu'-tlk.
scourge, skerj.
SCrivner, skriv'-6n-er.
scrofula, skrof-uia.
scrupulous, skr6'-pu-lus (yiot
skroop'-liis).
scrutinize, skr6'-ti-nlz.
scurrilous, skur'-rll-tis.
Scylla, sil'-ia.
Scythian, sith'-i &n.
seamstress, sem'-str6s or
sempstress, sSm'-strgs.
seance, ^^nga'.
seclude, s6-ki6d'.
secretary, sgk'-i-S-ter-L
sedative, sSd'a-tiv.
sederunt, sg-de'-rtint.
seidlitz, ssd'-litz.
seigneurial, sen-ur'-i-&l.
seigneury, sen'-u-ri.
seignior, sen'-yOr.
seine, (a net) sen.
Seine, (a river) san.
seismic, siz'-mik.
semi, (a prefix), s6m'-i.
senatUS, sg-na'-ttls.
seneschal, s8n'-S-sh&l.
senile, ss'-nil.
senna, s6n'-na.
sentient, s6n'-shl-6nt (not
s6n'-sh6nt).
sentiment, sgn'-ti-mgnt (not
s6n'-ti-munt).
separatist, s6p'-a,-i-a-tist.
septenary, s6]j'-tgn-er-i, but
septen'nial. So sep'-
tenate, but septen'nial.
septuagenarian, sep'-tu a-
jSn-a'-rl-an.
septuagesima, s6p'-tu-a-
j8s'-I-ma.
Septuagint, sgp'-tu-a-jint.
sepulchre, s6p'-iil-ker, but
sepul'chral,
sepulture, sgp'-iil-tur.
sequel, se'-kwSl (not s6k' wil)
sequence, se'-kw6ns.
sequestration, sSk'-w6s-
tra'-shiin (not se'-).
seraglio, sg-rai'-ys.
sergeant, sir'-jgnt.
series, se'-ri-5z or se'-rSz.
servile, sgr'-vll or sgr'-vll.
sesame, sgs'-a-me.
sesquipedal, sgs'-kwi-pg'-
dai.
seventy, sSv'-ntt (n(4 s6v'-
tln-tl).
several, s6v'-er-ai (not sSv'-
rul).
sew, so (not su).
sewer, (a drain) s6'-er.
ale, mi, file, nOte, pure, fir, her, m6ve, awl, owl, goo*', boy
80
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
Sha'nt (shall not), shant.
sheath, (n.) sheth ; sheaths,
(pi.) shethz (not sheths).
sheik, shek.
shekel shek'l (not she'-kl).
shone, shon.
short-lived, shOrt'-lIvd (not
-livd).
shrewd, shr6d.
shriek, shiek.
shrievalty, shieV-al-tL
sibilant, sib'-i-lant.
sibyl, sib'-il.
sibylline, sib'-il-lln or -lin.
Sideral, sl-de'-rS-al.
siege, sej.
sierra, si-6r'-r&.
siesta, si-Ss'-ta.
sieve, siv (not sey).
signatory, sig'-na-ter-L
Sikhs, seks.
silhouette, sir-oo-6t'.
siUca, sU'-I-ka.
simile, sim'-i-16.
simony, sTm'-5 ni.
simulacrum, sim'-u-l&'-
krum.
simulate, sim'-u-lat.
simultaneous, sim'-til-ta'-
n6-us.
Sinaitic, sl'-ua,-it'-ik or sl-
nit'-Ik.
sine die, si'-nS di'-e.
I sinecure, si'-n6-kur.
I sinew, sin'-a.
I sine qua non, si'-ng kwa
I n6n.
i
singular, sing'-gu-iar (wo^
sing'-glar).
sinister, siu'-is-ter.
siphon, si'-fOn.
sire, sir.
siren, si'-rgn (not str'-6n).
sirrah, sir'-ia.
Sisyphus, sis' i-fus.
situated, sit'-u-a-ted.
slabber, slab'-ber, colloqui
ally sl5b'-ber.
sleek, slek {not silk),
slept, slept (not sl6p),
sloth, sloth (not sloth),
slough, (v.) sluf.
slough (a mire-hole), slow. .
sloven, sluv'-6n or sliiv'-n
(not slOv'n).
smudge, smuj.
smutch, siniich.
snout, snowt (not snoot).
sobriquet, s6'- or so'-bri-ka.
sociable, so'-shi-a-bi or sc-
sha-bl.
sociaUty, so'-shi-ai'-i-ti.
sociology, so'-shi-or-o-jt
sofa, so'-f^ (not so'-fi).
soft, soft (not sawft).
ale, me, file, note, pure, far, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
ORTHOEPY.
81
soften, sOf-n (not siif -tSn nor
sawf-t6ii).
softly, s5ft'-li (not sawft'-ll).
soiree, swawr'-a.
sojourn (n. and v.), so'-jern.
solacement, sol'-as-mSnt.
solder, sOl'-der or sOd'-er.
solecism, sOl'-S-sizm (not so'-
l6-sizm).
solemn, sOl'-gm (not sOl'-um).
solstice, sOl'-stls {not sOl'-
stis).
solution, s6-16'-shtln.
sombre, sOm'-ber. So som'-
brous.
something, sum'-thing (not
stt'-thin).
somewhat, sum'-whOt (not
s6m'-w0t).
somnolent, sOm'-no-lSnt
(not sOm-iio'-l6nt).
sonata, so-na'-ta.
sonnet, sQn'-nSt (not sun'-).
sonorous, so-no'-rus (not
s6n'-0-rus),
soot, s6t (not Slit). So SOOt'y.
soothsayer, s6th'-sa-ei- (not
sooth -sa-er).
sophism, sOf-izm.
soporific, sOp'- or so'-pO-iif-
ik.
sortie, sOr'-te.
sough, suf or sow. So
sough'ing.
soupgon, s6p'-sOwp.
souse, (v.) sows (not sowz).
southerly, stt^A'-er-lI. So
south'ern.
southward, sowth'-wird or
suth'-erd.
souvenir, s6v'-ner.
sovereign, sav'-Sr-in or sov'-
er-in.
spaniel, spSn'-ygi.
specialty, spgsh'-al-ti
species, spe'-shez or spe'-
shSz.
specious, spe'-shtls (not
spSsh'-us).
spectacles, spsk'-tfi-klz.
spermaceti, sper'-ma-se'-tl.
sphere, sfer.
spheroid, sfe'-royd or sfSr-
oyd'.
Sphinx, sfingks.
spinach, spin'-aj (not spin'-
atsh).
Spinoza, spi-no'-za.
spiracle, spi'-ra-kl.
spirit, spir'-It (not spSr'-it nor
spe'-rlt).
splenetic, sple-ngt'-ik.
spouse, spowz (not spows).
spurious, spu'-ri-us.
squabble, skwob'-bl.
squadron, skwod'-rOn.
squalid, skwOl'-id (not
skwal'-td nor skwawl'-id).
ftle, me, file, note, pure, fS,r, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, bov
7
82
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
squalor, skwOl'-er or skwa'-
ler.
squirrel, skwh-'-v6l. This is
the generally accepted Eng-
lish pronunciation.
stallion, stal'-ytin.
stalwart, stawl'-wert {not
stal'-wSrt).
stamen, sta'-men, hvi stam'-
ina.
stanch, stansh or stawnsh.
starboard, star'-bord, collo-
quially stS,rb'-erd.
statics, stat'-iks {not sta'-
tiks).
statu quo, {L.), stftt'-yu
kwo.
steelyard, stel'-yS,rd, collo-
quially stil'-y&rd.
stenography, stSn-og'-ra-fL
steppes, stgps.
stereoscope, ste'-re-o-skop
or st6r'-6-o-skop.
stereotype, ste'-reo-tlp or
st6r'-6-o-tip.
steward, stu'-erd {not stoo'-
Srd).
stint, stint {not stent).
stipend, sti'-pSnd.
stirrup, stir'-rup.
stolid, stOl'-Id {not sto'-lld).
stomacher, stum'-S-ker or
stiim'-S,-cher.
stomachic, sto-mak'-ik.
strata, stra'-t& {not stra'-ta).
Sostra'tum. Butstrat'-
ify, strat'ifica'tion.
strategic, stra-tSj'-Ik. There
is some authority for strS,-
te'-jik.
strategist, strftt'-S-jist.
strength, strength {not
strgnth).
strew, str6 or str5.
strident, stri'-dgnt
strophe, strof-e.
strychnine, strik'-nin or
strik'-nln.
student, stu'-dgnt {not stoo'-
d6nt).
stupendous, stu-p6n'-dtls
{not stu-p6nd'-yu-us nor stu-
p6n'-jus),
stupid, stu'-pid {not stoo'-).
suasion, swa'-zhiin.
suavity, swav'-i-ti.
subaltern, sfib'-ftl-tern {not
siib-awl'-tern).
subaqueous, stib-a'-kwg-us.
subdue, sub-du'(wo« siib-doo')
subjacent, sfib-ja'-sSnt.
subjected, siib-jSkt'-6d {not
Sttb'-j6kt-6d).
sublimate, siib'-li-mat.
sublunary, stib'-l6-ner-i {not
stib-lu'-nfi-rl).
suborn, sttb-Om'.
subpoena, siib-pe'-n& {not
sttp-pe'-na).
&le, mS, file, note, pure, fS,r, her, mdve, awl, owl, good, boy.
ORTHOEPY.
83
subsidence, siib-sid'-gns.
subsidiary, stib-sid'-i-er-i.
subsidy, sub'-si-dr.
substantiate, sab-stan'-shi-
at {not sub-stSn'-shat).
substantively, siib'-fitan-
tiv-li {not sub-stan'-tlv-li).
subterfuge, sub'-ter-fug.
subterranean, sab'-tSr ra'.
nS-an.
subtile, (thin or rare), sub'-
tll.
subtle, (sly), siit'-l.
subtract, stlb-trfikt' {not
stib-trakt').
subtrahend, sttb'-tra-hSnd.
suburb, stib'-erb, hut subur'-
ban.
succinctly, stlk-singkt'-ll.
succour, siik'-ker.
succumb, siik-ktimb' {not
siik-kum').
succulent, stlk'-ku-lSnt.
such, sach {not sSch nor sich).
sudden, stld'-dSn {not sud'-n
nor stid'-ding). So sud'-
denly.
SUflaoe, siif-fls' or sttf-fii'.
suggest, sug-j6st' &r siij-jSst'.
suicidal, su'-i-sid'-ai
suite, swet.
sulphuric, stil-fu'-rlk.
sultan, sui'-tan, but sulta-
na, sttl-tS.'-n&.
sumach, su'-mfi,k.
summary, sum'-mer-I.
summoned, sum'-mtind {not
sum'-miirzd).
sumptuary, siim'-tu-er-l
supercilious, su'-per-sll'-i-
lis.
supererogation, su'-per 61'-
O-ga'-shiin, but SUper-
erog'atory.
superficies, su-per-flsh'-i-ez.
superfluous, su-pei-'-floo-Qs
{yiot sup'-er-floo-iis).
supine, su'-inn.
supple, sQp'-pl {not soo'-pl).
supplement, {n.) siip'-j)lg-
mSnt {not 8up'-pl-m6nt) ;
{v.) stlp'-plg-m6nt'. .
suppliant, sttp'-pli-Snt.
suppose, sup-poz'.
SUrnamed, ser'-namd.
surreptitious, stir'-rgp-tish'-
tis.
SUrtout, ser-t6'.
surveillance, ser-var-ySns.
survey, (w.) ser'-vS; {v.) ser-
va'.
sustenance, stts'-ts-nans,
suture, su'-tur.
suzerain, s6'-z6-ran.
swarthy, swawrth'-l
swath, swawth or swOth.
swept, swgpt {not swep).
swiftly, swift'-li (not swif-ll).
ale, me, file, note, pure, f4r, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
84
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
sycophant, sik'-o-fant.
syllogism, sil'-lo-jizm.
symphony, sim'-f6-nT.
symposium, slm-po'-zT-um.
synchronous, sm'-krO-ims
Tabernacle, tab'-^r-nHk-l.
tableau, t&b'-lo
taboo, t&bo'.
taciturn, ts,s'-i-tem.
tactician, tak tish'-an.
talc, t&lk (not tawk).
talCOSe, talk'-os.
talisman, tai'-iz-man or tai'-
tapestry, t&p'-6s-tri (not
tai)s'-trl).
tapioca, tap'-i-o'-ks.
tapis, ta-pe'.
tariff, tar'-if (not ta-rif).
tarpaulin, tar-paw'-ltn.
Tartarean, tai-ta'-rg-an (not
t&r-ta-i'e'-S,n).
tartaric, tar-tar'-ik.
Tasmanian, tas-ma'-ni-Sn.
tassel, tas'-sl (not taw'sSl,
nor fcOs'-l).
tatterdemalion, t&t-ter-ds-
mal'-yiin.
tattoo, t&t-td'.
taunt, tfint or tawnt.
tautology, taw-t5l'-6-jI.
tautophony, taw-tof-o-ni
syncope, sin'-kO-pe. '
synecdoche, sin-gk'-dO-ke
synonym, sin'-o-nim.
synthesis, sin'-thg-sia.
T.
taxidermy, taks'-i-der'-mi.
Te Deum, te de'-um.
tedious, te'-di-us.
telegraphist, tsi-6g' ra-fist
or tSl'-Sgraf-Ist; but teleg'-
raphy.
teleology, tei'-g-ol'-o-jL
telephone, tgl'-S-fon (not
-fOn).
telephonic, tsi'-6-f0nMk.
telescopy, tsi-gs'-ko-pi but
tel'escop'ic.
temerity, tg-mgr'-i-ti.
temperament, tem'-pcr-a-
rngnt, (not -munt).
temperature, tgm'-pei-a-
ttir.
tempestuous, tgmpSst'-u
tis.
tenable, tgn'-a-bl (not te'-na-)
tenacious, tg-na'-shiis.
tendril, tgn'-diil (not -dril).
tenebrious, tg-no'-brr-Qb ;
also ten'ebrous.
tenet, tgn'-et or te-ngt.
tenor, tgn'-er.
tentative, tgn'-ta-tiv (not
tgn-ta'-tiv).
ile, me, file, note, pure, fftr, her, mdve, awl, owl, good, boy.
ORTHOEPY.
85
tenuity, te-nu'-i-til.
tenure, tgn'-ur.
tepid, t6p'-Id {not te'-pid).
tergiversation, ter'-ji-ver.
sa'-shun,
terniagent,ter'-m§,-gant {not
-jant).
terminable, term'-i-na-bl.
terminative, term'-i-na-tiv.
terminology, term'-l-nol'-o-
terminus, term'-I-ntts ; {pi.)
termini, term'-i-ni.
Terpsichore, terp-sik'-o-re.
terpsichorean, terp'-sik-o-
re'-S,n.
terra incognita, tsr'-i-a \n-
kdg'-ni-ta.
terrapin, t6r'-rSrpin.
terraqueous, t6r-ra'-kwg-us.
terrestrial, t6r-r6s'-tii-ai {not
tSr-rSs'-shal).
tertiary, ter'-sher i.
testator, tSs-ta'-ter ; {/em.)
testa'trix.
tetanus, tSt'-S-ntis.
t^te-^-tete, tat'-a-taf.
tetrahedron, t g t ' - r a - h e ' -
drOn.
tetrarch, tet' rark. So tet'-
rarchy.
Teutonic, tu-ton'-ik.
textile, t6ks'-til or tgks'-tll.
Thalia, tha-li'-a;
thane, than. So thane'-
dom.
thanksgiving, thSngks'-
giv-Ing {not thangks-giv'-
ing).
thaumaturgic, thaw-ma-
ter'-jik.
theatre, the'-a-ter {not the-
a'-ter).
theism, thS'-izm, hut theis'-
tic
theocracy, the ok'-i-a-si, bvt
the'ocrat'ic.
theorem, the'-o-rgm.
theosophy, the-os'-o-fl.
therapeutics, thgr'-a-pu'-
tiks.
therefore, ^Aer-ftjr'.
therewith, ^Aar-wrth'.
thermometrical, tlier'-mo-
m6t'-n-kai.
thesaurus, thg-saw'-rus.
thesis, the'-sis; {pi.) the-
ses, -sez.
thews, thuz.
thither, thUh'-er {not thith'-
er).
thoroughly, thui'-o-li.
thorough-bass or base,
thur'-o bas.
thraldom, thrawl'-dOm {not
thrOl')-.
threepence, thre'-pSns, col-
loquially thrip'-6ns.
ale, me, file, nOte, pure, f^r, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
86
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
threshold, thrgsh'old or
thrgsh'-hold.
Thule, thu'-le.
thjmae, tim {not thlm).
tiara, tl-a'-ra {not ti-a'-rS).
tic-douloureux, tik'-doo-
loo-rd.'
tid-bit, tid'-bit, improperly
tit'-bit. [Origin A. S., tid-
der, tended.)
tiers-6tat, terz'-a-ta'.
tincture, tingk'-tur.
tirade, ti-rad' {not tl-rad').
tirailleur, tir'-I-yer'.
titular, tit'-u-ler.
tocsin, t6k'-sin.
toga virilis, to'-ga vi-rr-iis.
tomato, to-ma'-to or -ma'-,
tonsure, tOn'-shoor ; but
tonso'rial.
topography, to-pOg'-r&-fi ;
but top'ograph'ical.
toreador, tor-g-a-Jor'.
tortise, tor'-tis.
tourist, t6r'-ist {not tow'-).
toward, te'-erd ; also tow'-
ards, erdz {not to-wawrdz').
trachea, tra-ke'-a, but
trach'eot'omy.
trajectory, tra-jSk'-ter-I.
tranquil, tran'-kwil {not
trang'-kwil).
transact, trSns-akf {not
tranz-akt').
transcendentalism, tran'-
sSn-d6nt'-al-izm.
transept, tran'-s6pt {not
-Sep).
transient, trSn'-sh'-Snt or
-si-6nt.
transferable, also trans-
ferrible, traiis'-fer-&-bl or
*• traus-fer'-S^bl.
transmigratory, trans-mi'-
grS,-ter-i.
transference, trans'-fer-6ns.
transition, tr&n zish'-iin.
translucent, trans-l6'-s6nt.
transmigrate, trans'-mi
grat ; but transmi'gra-
tory.
transparent, trSns-pa'-rgnt
{not trSns par'-6nt).
transpire (to become public;
misused in the sense of to
happen), tran-spir'.
trapeze, tra-pez' ; trape'-
zium.
travail, trSv'-si.
travesty, tr&v'-6s-ti.
tremendous, tr6-m6n'-dus
{not -jus).
tremor, tr6m'-0r, w tre'-
mOr.
tribune, tnb'-un {not tri'-
bun nor trib-yoon').
tribunal, tri-bu'-nSl.
trichinae, tr!-kr-ne, trichi-
- nosis, trik'-i-no'-sis.
ale, me, file, nOte, pure, f§,r, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
ORTHOEPY.
87
tricolour or tricolor, tri'-
truncate, tiang'-kat.
kiil-er or tre'-.
truncheon, trun'-shttn.
trident, tri'-dSnt.
tryst, trist.
trilobite, tn'-lo-bit.
Tsar or Tzar, {see Czar) zftr.
triology, tiil'-5-ji.
tuberculosis, tu-ber'-ku-lo'-
trio, tri'-o or tre'-O.
sls.
triolet, tri'-o-l6t.
Tuesday, tuz'-da.
trioxides, tn-oks'-idz.
tuition, tu-Ish'-ttn.
tripartite, trip'- or tri-par'-
Tuileries, Fr., twe'-le-re'.
tit.
tulip, tu'-lip.
tripthong, trip'- or trif-'
tumid, tu'-mid.
thOng.
tumult, tu'-malt hut tu-
tripos, tri'-pOa.
mult'uous.
triptych, tnp'-tik.
tumulus, tu'-mu-ltts.
Triton, tn'-ton.
tune, tuh {not toon).
triturate, trit'-u-rat.
turbulent, ter'-ba-lgnt.
triumvirate, tri-um'-vi-rat.
Turcoman, ter'-ko-man.
triune, tn'-un.
tureen, tu-ren'.
trivial, triV-I-al or triv'-y&l.
turgid, ter'-jid.
troche, (a lozenge), trOch or
turmoil, ter'-moyl.
trOsh.
turpentine, ter'-pgn-tin.
trochee, tro'-ke, hit troch-
turpitude, ter'-pi-tud.
-a'-iC (-ka-ik).
turquoise, ter'-kojz' or
Trojan, tro'-j&n.
-kwoys'.
trophy, tr5'-f L
tutelage, tu'-te-laj.
troth, troth {not trOth).
tutor, tu'-ter, hut tuto'rial.
troubadour, tr6'-ba-d6r'.
Tycoon, ti-k6n'.
trough, trOf (not traf).
tympanum, tim'-pa-ntim.
trousseau, tr6s-so'.
type, tip, hut typical, tip'-i-
trow, trO {not trOw).
kal.
truckling, (servile), trttk'-
typhoon, ti-f6n'.
ling.
typhus, ti'-ftis.
truculent, (savage), truk'-u-
typography, ti- or ti-pOg'-
I6nt.
ra-fl.
ale, me, file, note, pure, fS,r, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
88 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
typology, ti-p5l'-o ji. j Tyrian, tiv'-i-aii.
tyranny, tir'-an'-nt ; hut j tyro, tl'-ro.
tyran'nical, ti-r3,n'-ni-ka]. ! Tyrolese, tii'-olcz.
U.
ubiquitous, u-bik'-wl-ttta
Uhlans, u'-ians.
ukase, u-kas'.
Ultima Thule, al'-ti-ma
thti'-le.
ultimatum, ul'-tl-ma'-tum.
ultimo, (usually contracted
into ult.) ur-ti-nio.
ultramontane, ul'-tr&-mOn'-
tan.
Ulysses, u-lis'-sez {not u-
lis-s6z).
umbilical, um-bU'-i-kftl, o
um'-bil-i'-kai.
umbrage, um'-biaj.
umbrageous, ttm-bra'-jus.
umbrella, um-brSl'-ia {not
um'-ber-€l'-a).
unalterable, tin-a wl'-ter-a-bi .
unanswerable, tin-an'-ser-
a-bi.
uncial, tin'-shi-ai.
unconscionable, tln-kon'-
shun-S-bl.
uncouth, iin-kdth'.
unction, tlngk'-shun.
unctuous, ungk'-tu-tis.
undersigned, ttn'-der-sind'.
undertone, tin'-der-ton.
undertow, tin'-der-tO.
undiscerned, un'-diK-zemd'
Undulatory, un'-du-la-ter-i.
unenviable, iiu-6n'-vi-a-bl.
unfrequented, tin'-fie-
kw6nt'-6d,
ungual, tiiig'-gwai.
ungentlemanly, ttn-jgu'-tl-
man-ll {not un-jSn'-tl-man-l).
unguent, ung'-gwgnt.
uniclinal, u'-ni-kli'-nai.
unideal, tin'-i-de'-ai.
unigenous, u-nij'-g-ntis.
uninteresting, un-in'-ter-
Sst-Ing.
uniparious, u-mp'-a-rtis.
unique, u-nek'.
unison, u'-ni-slin.
univocal, u-niv-o-kai.
unlearned, {pp.) au-lemd' ;
{adj.) un-lern'-Sd.
unostentatious, tin-os'-t6ii-
ta'-shiis.
unprecedented, un-prSs'-s-
d6nt'-6d.
impremeditated, tin'-piS.
m6d'-i-ta'-t6d.
unsavoury, tin-sa'-ver-i.
ale, me, file, note, pare, f&r, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
ORTHOEPY.
89
unscathed, tin-skatht' or un-
ska^Ad'.
apas-tree, u'-pas-tre.
upholsterer, up-hol'-ster-gr.
iiraeniia, u-re'-mi a.
Urania, u-ra'-ni-a.
Uranus, u'-rS,-nus.
urban, er'-ban,
urbane, erban', but urban-
ity, er-ban'-i-ti.
urethra, u le'-thra.
urinary, u'-ri-nei-i ; u'rinal.
Ursa Major, er'-sa-ma'-jOt .
UrSUlines, er'-su-llnz.
usquebaugh, us'-kw6-baw.
usufruct, u'-zu-frukt.
usurpation, u'-zer-pa'-shun,
but usur'patory.
usury, u'-zhoo-rl.
usurious, u-zh6'-rl-us.
uterine, u'-ter-in or -in ; u'-
terus.
utilitarian, u-til' i-ta'-d-an.
Utopian, u-to'-pi-an.
uvular, u'-vu-Iei-.
uxorious, ug-zo'-ri-iis (not
uks'-o-ri-iis).
Vaccine, vftk'-stn or -sin (not
-sen').
vaccinate, vSk'-si-nat.
vacuum, vak'-u-iim, but va-
cuity, va-ku'-i-ti.
vade-mecum, va-d6-me'-
kiim.
vagabondage, vag'-S-bond-
aj.
vagary, v&-ga'-ri (not va'-
ga-ri).
vagrant, va'-grant (not vag'-).
vague, vag.
valance, vai'-ans.
vale (farewell), va'-18.
valedictory, vai'-g-dik'-ter-i.
Valenciennes, va.-l&nff'-s^-
6n'.
valet de chambre, vai'-a-
dg-shaum'-br.
valetudinarian, val'-etu'-
dl-na'-ri-an.
Valhalla, val-hai'-ia.
valiant, val'-yant.
valid, vai'-id, but validity.
valise, va-les'.
valorem, ad, ad-va-lor'-Sm.
valor ously, var-er-us-ii.
valuable, vai'-u-a-bi (not
val'-u-bl).
vampire, vam'-pir.
vandalism, van'-dal-!zm.
vanquish, vang'-kwish.
vapid, vap'-id, but vapid'-
ity.
ale, me, file, nSte, pure, fftr, her, m6ve, awl, owl, good, boy.
90
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
variegated, va'-ri e-ga'-ted.
variorum, va'-ii-o'-ium.
vascular, vas'-ku ler.
vase, ^'^z or vaz {not vas).
vaseline, vas'-S-iin.
Vaticanism, vat'-i-kSn-izm.
vaticinal, va-trs'-i-nal.
vaticination, vfi-tis'-i-na'-
shun.
vaudeville, vod'-vil.
Vaudois, vo-dwa'.
vehement, ve'-g-mgnt.
vehicle, ve'-i-kl.
velocipede, vg-los'-i-ped.
velocity, v8-l6s'-i-ti.
velvet, v6l'-vSt {not v6l'-vTt).
venal, ve'-nal, but venal'-
ity.
Venetian, vg-ne'-sh'an {not
vS-nlsli'-an).
venial, ve'-ni-fil.
venison, v6n'-zn.
Venite, vg-ni'-ts.
venous, ve'-niis.
ventriloquism, vgn-tril'-o
kwizm.
venue, vSn'-u.
Venus, ve'-nus.
veracious, vg-ra'-shus.
veranda, also verandah,
v6-ran'-da.
verbena, ver-be'-nS.
verbiage, ver'-bi-aj.
verdigris, ver'-dl-grls.
verdure, ver'-dur.
verisimilitude, ver'-i-si
mil'-Uud.
vermicelli, vei'-mi-chgl'-li or
-s6l'-li.
vernacular, ver-nfik'-u-ler.
Veronica, v6-rOn'-i-ka.
versatile, ver'-sa-tii or -til.
Versicular, ver-slk'-u-ler.
vertebra, ver'-tS-bia ; {pi.)
vertebrae, ver'-t6 bie.
vertex, ver'-tsks; {pi.) ver-
tices, ver-'-ti-s6z.
vertigo, ver-tl'-go.
Vertu, ver'-tu,
vessel, v6s'-s6l {not v6s'-l).
vestige, vgs'-tij.
veterinary, vgt'-gr-i-ner-i.
via media, vf-a me'-fii-a.
vibratory, vi'-bra-ter-i {not
vi-bra'-).
vicar, vik'-er.
vicegerent, vis-je'-rgnt.
vice versa, vi'-se ver'-sS.
vicinage, vis'-inaj.
vicinity, vi-sin'-i-ti.
vicious, vish'-iis.
vicissitude, vx-sis'-si-tud.
victory, vik'-ter-l {not vlk'-
tri).
victuals, vit'-lz.
vide, vi'-de; vidimus, vi'-
di-mus.
ale, me, file, note, pure, fir, her, mdve, awl, owl, good, boy.
ORTHOEPY.
91
videlicet (contracted foini,
viz.), vl-del'-i sgt.
vignette, vln-y6t' or vT-n6t'.
vigorous, vlg'-er-iis {not vlg'-
rtis).
Vikings, vi'-kfrigz.
villain, vil'-lan.
vindicative, vin'-dl-ka-tlv ;
vin'dica'tory.
vineyard, vin'-yard.
vinous, vin'-iis.
violable, vr-o-ia-bl.
violent, vi'-o-l6ut. So vi'-
olence.
violet; vi'-o-ist.
violinist, vi'-o-lin-ist.
violoncello, vi'-o-lon-sgl'-lo,
or -ch6l'-l5.
virago, vi-ra'-gO.
virile, vir'-U, or -il ; virility,
virulent, vir'-oo-l6nt ; vir'-
ulence.
virus, vi'-rtis.
ViS-^-viS, viz'-§,-v§'.
viscera, vis'-sgr-a.
viscid, vis'-sid, Imt viscid'-
ity.
viscosity, vis-kosM-ti
viscount, vi'-kownt.
viscous, vis'-ktis.
vis inertise, vis'-in-er'-shi-e.
visor, or vizor, viz'-ei-.
visual, vizh'-u-ai.
vitiate, viah'-i-at.
vitriol, vit'-ri-Ol {not vlt'-rOl).
vituperative, vita'-per-a-
tlv.
vivacious, vi-va'-shas.
vivacity, vi-vas'-i-ti.
vivandiere ve-vant/'-de ar.
viva voce, vi'-va vo -se.
viviparious, vi-vip'-a-ius.
vivisection, viv'-i-s6k'-shun.
vocable vo'-ka-l)l {not vOk'-).
vocabulary, vo-kab'-a-ler-i.
vociferous, vo-sif-er-iis.
vogue, vog.
volatile, voi'-a-til or -til.
volcano, v6l-ka'-no, hut vol-
can'ic.
volition, vo-llsh'-tin.
VOltigeur, vOl'-ti-zher'.
volume, AOl'-um {not yum),
voluptuous, v6-lup'-tu-us.
voracious, vO-ra'-shtls.
vortex, vOr'-t6ks ; {pi.) vor-
tices, vOr'-tl-sez.
votary, vO'-ter-I {not vOb'-).
voyage, voy'-aj.
vraisemblance, vra'-san^r.
blanks.
vulnerable, val'-nei-a-bl.
vulpine, vul'-pin.
ale, me, file, note, pure, ikv, her, mOve, awl, owl, good, boy.
92
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
w.
Wagner, vkch'-ner.
Wahabees, wk-M'-hez.
wainscot, wan'-skOt.
Walhalla or Valhalla,
vai-hai'-ia.
Wallachian, wai-la'-ki-an.
wallet, wol'-igt.
Walloon, wai-i6n'.
walnut, wawl'-niit.
walrus, wawl'-rus.
waltz, wawlts.
wampum, wOm'-i>tim.
wan, wOn (not wan). So
wand, wOnd.
wanderer, wOn'-derer.
wane, wan. So wa'ning.
want, wawnt or wOnt.
wanton, wOn'-ton.
warehouse^ war'-hows (not
war'-ows).
warily, wa'-ri-li.
warning, wawm'-Ing (not
wawr'-nin).
warrant, wOr'-rant.
warrior, wOr'-ri-er or wawr'-
yer.
wassail, wOs'-sSl.
water, waw'-ter (not wOt'-er).
wayward, wa'-werd.
weald, weld; also wold,
wold.
weapon, w6p'-n or w6p'-un.
weary, wer'-i.
weasel, we'-zsi.
weather, ^v&tk'-er.
weird, werd.
welkin, wgl'-kin.
weregild, wet-'-gild.
werewolf, wer'-woolf.
westward, wgst'-werd (not
w6st'-tird).
wharf, hwOrf ; pi. wharves
hwOrvz.
wherefore, hwar'-fOr (not
hwSr'-fOr).
whether, hwgth'-er.
whey, hwa.
which, hwich (nj .«ich).
while, hwil (not \>\V,
whilom, hwi'-l6m.
whinny, hwin'-ni (not win'-
ni).
whisk, hwisk (not wisk).
whiskey, hwis'-ki (not wis'-),
whistle, hwis'-sl.
whither, hwlth'-er (not
with'-er).
Whitsunday, hwit'-sun-da.
whole, hoi (not hul). So
whole'sale, whole'-
some.
whooping- or hooping-
cough, hdp'-Ing-kOf.
whorl, liw6il or hwerl.
ale, me, file, note, pure, fdr, her, mdve, awl, owl, good, boy.
ORTHOEPT.
93
whortleberry, hort'-l-bgr'-
ri, colloquially huckle-
berry, huk'-l-bSr'-ri.
why, liwl {not wi).
wife's, (possessive case) wifs
{not wivz).
wigwam, wig'-wam.
wind (n.) wind ; {v.) wind.
window, win'-do {not win-
der).
windward, wind'-werd.
wiseacre, wiz'-a-ker {not
wiz-a'-kcr).
witenagemot, wit'-Sn-ag'-g-
mot.
with, wI^A {not with). So
withdraw', etc.
withe, wi(!A.
woman, w6in'-an ; pi.
women, wim'-gn.
won't (will not), wont.
wont (use), wiint.
world, werld {not wur'-S,ld).
worst, werst or wiirst {not
wiist).
worsted, woos'-tSd or wool'
st6d.
worth, werth or wurth {not
wtith).
wound (n.), w6nd; (u)
wownd.
wrack, i-ak.
wraith, rath,
wrath, rawth or rSth.
wreath, reth ; wreathe,
YQth.
wrestle, rgs'-sl {not r6s'-tl
nor rSs'-I).
wrist-band, rlst'-b&nd {not
rlz-).
writhe, nth.
wrong, I'Ong {not rawng).
wroth, rawth or roth.
wrought, rawt.
wry, ri.
Xanthian, i-an'-thi-an.
Xanthine, ziin'-thin.
xiphoid, zif-oyd.
xylanthrax, zi-iau'-thrfiks.
Yacht, yttt {not yat).
yahoo, ya-h6',
yclad, e-kiad'.
xylocarpous, zf-lo-kar'-ptts.
xylography, zi-lo'-gra-fi.
xylographic, zi'-l6g-rat'-ik.
xylophilans, zi-lof'-i-lanz.
Y.
yclept, 6-klSpt'.
yea, ya; yes, y6s {not yfe
nor yaas).
ale, me, file, note, pure, fS,r, her, mdve, awl, *^^\, good, boy.
94
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
yeast, yest, but yeasty,
yCst'-I.
yeoman, yo'-man.
yesti-een, y6s-tren'.
yolk, yok {not yolk).
yonder, yOn'-der {not yun-)
Yosemite, yo-sSm'-i-tg.
yourself, y6r-s6lf' {not yv\
youths, jtthz {not yootbs).
Zambezi, zSm'-be'-zi
zealot, z6l'-ut.
zealous, z6l'-tis {not zel-).
zemindar, zSm'-in-dar'.
zenana, z6-an'-na.
Zend Avesta, z6nd' a-vSs'-
ta.
zenith, zSnMth.
zephyr, z6f-er.
zero, ze'-ro.
zest, z6st.
zeugma, zug'-m&.
Zeus, zus, {not ze'-tis).
zinciferous, zing-klf-er-us.
zincography,zing-k5g'-ra-fr.
Zingari, zing'-gar-i.
zither, zlth'-er, alsozithern:
zith'-ern.
zodiac, zo'-di-a,k.
zoetrope, zo'-6-trop.
Zollverein, zol'-fei-m.
zoolite, zo'-ol-it.
zoology, zo-Ol'-O-ji; hvi ZO-
olog'ical.
zoophyte, zo'-o-fit.
zoophytic, zo'-o-fit'-ik.
Zoroaster, zor-'-o-Ss'-ter.
Zouave, zwav or z6'-ky.
zounds, zownds.
Zuider-Zee, zoy'-der-za.
zymosis, zi-mo'-sis.
zymotic, zi-mot'-ik.
ale, me, file, ndte, pure, fkv, her, mdve, awl, owl, good, boy
II.— SYNONYMY.
A.
N0T>. — When practicable, and where deemed expedient, the antonym (or opposite)
is added immediately after the synonym of the word illustrated.
abandon, v., to give up finally.
Syn. : forego, surrrender, quit, i-elinquish, renounce.
Ant. : cling to, seize, retain, occupy, hold, own.
Synonyms discriminated : Desert, unless in referen'^e to
places, implies blame. Not so abandon, the general term ;
forsake, said of what we have been connected with; re-
linquish, to give up under pressure.
abandoned, given up, wholly forsaken; hopelessly
corrupt.
"He abandoned himself without reserve to his favourite vice."
— Macaulay .
Syn. ; deserted, forsaken ; vUe, pi-ofligate, reprobate, de-
praved.
Ant. : occupied, cherished, precious, virtuous, approved,
incorrupt.
Syn. dis. : By evil associations a person may be depraved,
he may become unprincipled in his dealings, and by
abandoning himself to temptation may grow openly
profligate, and finally become utterly reprobate.
Abase, V. (S-bas') to bring low, to cast down.
"But the Hydas abased themselves in vain." — Macaulay.
Syn. : depress, lower, humble, degrade.
Ant. : exalt, elevate, raise ; proud.
Syn. dis. : To abase or humble oneself may be meritori-
ous ; degrade, debase, imply blame; one is humbled inter-
nally, humiliated externally.
abasement, n. (a-bas'-mSnt), humiliation, the act of
humbling or bringing low.
" The austerities aud abasement of a monk."
— Wealth of Nations.
96
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
Syn. : degradation, humiliation, shame, ignominy.
Ant. : elevation, exaltation.
abash, v., to make ashamed, to strike with sudden fear.
" He was a man whom no check could abanh." — Macaulay.
Syn. : confuse, confound, disconcert, discompose.
Ant. : countenance, encourage.
Syn. dis. : Abashed in the presence of superioi*s ; con
fused, unable to speak collectedly — often the result, it may
be, of modesty ; confounded by some extraordinary phe
nomena, or when one's villainy is suddenly detected.
abate, v., to beat down, lower in price ; subside.
" The wind was fallen, the rain abated." — Wordsworth.
Syn. : lessen, moderate, mitigate, decrease, slacken.
Ant. : enlarge, intensify or aggravate, increase.
Syn. dis. : Lessen is generally transitive; diminish is
used as its intransitive. A thing may be instantly di-
minished, but only gradually decreased.
abatement, n., a reduction, a lessening, the sum
abated.
"The spirit of accumulation requires abatement rather than
increase." — John Stuart Mill.
Syn. : diminution, subsidence, discount, drawback.
Ant. : enlargement, increase, addition.
abbreviate, v., to shorten, to abridge.
" It is one thing to abbreviate by contracting, another by cutting
off." — Bacon's Essays.
Syn. : compress, contract, curtail, condense, epitomize.
Ant. : expand, amplify, enlarge, extend.
Syn. dis. : Abridge by compressing, abbreviate by cut-
ting ; contract sounds. Contract and curtail imply di-
minution of value.
abdicate, v., to give up right or claim to.
" But Christ as soon would abdicate his own,
As stoop from heaven to sell the proud a throne." — Cuwper,
Syn. : relinquish, renounce, resign, vacate.
Ant. : seize, claim, retain, occupy.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 97
Syn. dis. : Abdicate a high office, resign to a superior
or the giver, renounce pleasures or possessions.
abduct, v., to cari-y off secretly and forcibly.
" His Majesty had been abducted or spirited away." — Carlyle.
abduction, n. (ab-diik'-shun), a can-ying away by
fraud or open violence.
Syn. : absti-action, appropriation, kidnapping, seizure.
Ant. : surrender, restoration, restitution.
aberration, n. (ab-gr-ra'-shun), wandering from oi- away.
Syn. : deviation, divergence, inconsecutiveness, discon-
nectedness.
Syn. dis. : Aberration, metaphorically speaking, is a
wandering or lapsing from continuity of thought ; hence,
where this is constitutional or becomes chronic, insanity is
the result.
mental aberration, unsoundness of mind.
Syn. : insanity, lunacy, mania, madness, derangement.
aberrance, aberrancy, n. (ab-gr'-rans, ab gr'-ran-si),
a wandering from the right path.
aberrant, «. (ab-gr' rant), deviating from the type.
We apply the term aberrant to that which seems to be
a heedless or haphazard divergence from the typical char-
acter of some division, great or small, in the animal oi-
vegetable kingdom ; abnormal does not convey the idea of
heedlessness in the action, design, or plan of a thing, but
simply that which is not according to rule ; erratic, that
which has no fixed course, showing a tendency to wander,
or act in an irregular manner ; excejMonal expresses that
which is occasional or unusual in its occurrence.
See eccentric.
abet, v., to aid, incite, encourage, used chiefly in a bad sense.
" Amd you that do abet him in this kind
Cherish rebellion. " — Shakespeare.
Syn. : aid, assist, favour, help, promote, sustain.
Ant. : thwart, baffle, deter.
abettor, n., one who abets or encourages, generally
to do evil.
" Authors or abettors of evil." — Orote^s Greece.
98 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGMSH WOKJ) HOOK.
Syn. : an accessory, an accomplice, a backer-up.
Ant. : baffler, foe, adversary, rival.
Syn. dis.: ^' An abettor incites, proposes, encourages, but
takes no part ; an accessory aids, conceals, helps forward ;
an accomplice designs or executes. Blackstone says an
accessory is not the chief actor nor even present."
abeyance, n. (a-ba'-ans), the state of being held back for a
time, sus])ension.
The matter was left in abeyance — i. e., was not proceeded with
— for a time .
Syn. : sus[)ension, reservation, dormancy.
Syn. dis. : ^'Abeyance, according to usage, is suspension*
with the expectation or possibility of revival."
abhor, v., to regard with horror or detestation.
" I hate and ahJior lying ; but thy law do I love." — Psalms.
Syn. : abominate, detest, dislike, hate, loathe.
Ant. : approve, relish, enjoy, love.
Syn. dis. : Loathe implies disgust ; abhor— lit. shudder
at— is instinctive ; abominate, reflective and voluntary ;
detest involves judgment as well as feeling. We abomi-
nate what is offensive, abhor what is uncongenial, loathe
what is nauseous and disgusting.
ability, w., power to act, mentally or physically.
Syn. : energy, power, force, might, genius, talent, skill.
Ant. : weakness, imbecility, incapacity, maladroitness.
Syn. dis. : This word is sometimes confused with capacity:
the two are not exactly synonymous. Capacity denotes
power or capability of receiving; ability implies action — the
power to do. Abilities denotes all our powers, but chiefly
our mental endowments. " Capacity is the power of re-
ceiving and retaining knowledge with facility ; ability is
the power of applying knowledge to practical purposes.
Capacity is shown in quickness of apprehension. Ability
supposes something done ; something by which the mental
power is exercised in executing, or performing, what has
been received by the capacity."
abject, adj., mean, low, woi-thless, sunk to a low condition.
SYNONYMS DISt;RIMINATED. 99
Syn. : despicable, servile, base, degraded, grovelling.
Ant. ; esteemed, exalted, honoured.
Syn. dis. : " The low and mean are qualities whether of
the condition or the character ; but abject is a peculiar
state into which a man is thrown, sometimes by the pres-
sure of advei-se circumstances. A man in the course of
things is low ; he is voluntary mean, and involuntary ab-
ject. By birth, education or habits, a man may be low ;
but meanness is a defect of nature which sinks a person in
spite of every external advantage." Mean i« derived from
O.E. maene, wicked. {See Skeat).
abjure, v., to renounce, recant, or retract upon oath.
Syn.: disclaim, disown, disavow, foi'swear, repudiate.
Ant. : assei't, acknowledge, own.
" To abjure for ever the society of man." — Shakespeare.
Care is here necessary to distinguish between this word
and adjure, which means, to implore, or charge solemnly.
Syn. dis. : We can abjure, not recant, what we never
have held or acknowledged ; we repudiate only what has
been charged upon us ; retract a promise or an accusation.
To renounce is to disown, repudiate, or forego all claim to.
abnegate, v., to deny, renounce, repudiate.
"The very possibility of heroism had been, as it were, abne-
gated in the minds of all." — Carlyle.
abnegation, n., a denial, self-denial, renunciation,
disclaimer.
Syn. : renunciation, abjuration, stint.
Ant. : claim, license, assertion.
Syn. dis. : Abnegation is applied rather to rights and
objects of desire than to statements, as the abnegation of
self or evil desires.
aonormal, adj., irregular, anomalous, deviating from the
ordinary rule or type. [See aberi-ant.)
Syn. : erratic, exceptional, unnatural, unusual.
abolish, v., to annul, to do away with.
" It was therefore impossible to abolish kingly government."
Syn. : abrogate, destroy, nullify, repeal, suppress.
Ant. : affirm, re-enact, maintain, restore.
100
TUE HIGH SCHOOL KNOLISH WORD-BOOK.
Syn. dis. : Abolish is general; repeal (said of a legisla-
ture) and abrogate apply to laws ; annul, is to render in-
operative ; suppress, to put down forcibly.
abolition, «.., the act of putting an end to, destroying,
or sweeping out of existence ; emancipation.
" The introduction of new customs will cause the abolition of
the old."
abominate, v., to loathe, as ill-omened or morally foul.
Syn. : {See abhor) execrate, detest.
Syn dis. : To abominate a thing is to feel an avereion
towards it ; the detestable thing is that which excites in
us hatred and revulsion ; the execrable thing, indignation
and horror.
abominable, adj., very hateful, detestable.
abomination, n., the act of doing something hateful,
the state of being greatly hated, or, (objectively) an object
of loathing or aversion.
"Abominable comes from abominor, which again is from ab
omen (a portent) ; it conveys the idea of what is in a re-
ligious sense profane and detestable — in short, of evil omen." —
Mathews' " Words: Their Use ami Abuse."
abortive, adj-, fruitless, ineffectual ; immature.
" A plan may be abortive, but an act cannot."
abridge, v., to lessen, curtail, shorten ; to epitomize.
" Besides, thy staying will abridge thy Wie." —Shakespeare.
Syn. : contract, reduce, diminish, condense, compress.
{See abbreviate).
abridgment, n., the thing abridged; the act or pro-
cess of abridging.
Syn. : an epitome, a couipend, abstract, summary,
synopsis, draught, precis, digest; reduction, contraction,
I'estriction.
Syn. dis. : "An abridgment contains the more important
parts of a larger work. A compendium or an epitome is a
condensed account of a subject. An abstract or a sum-
mAiry is a brief statement of a thing in its main points. A
synopsis is a bird's-eye view of a subject or work in its
several parts."
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. ,^1
abrogate, v., to repeal, annul, abolish, make void. (See
abolish ).
abstain, v., to hold back, to keep or refrain from.
" But not a few abstained from voting." — Macaidai/.
Syn. : to forbear, refrain from, give up, relinquish,
withhold.
Ant. : indulge, exceed, revel, wanton.
Syn. dis. : "Abstaining smd forbearing are outward ac-
tions ; but re/raining is connected with the operations of
the mind. We abstain from whatever concerns our food
and clothing; we forbear to do what we may have parti-
cular motives for doing ; we refrain from what we desire
to do, or have been in the habit of doing."
abstemious, adj., temperate, or sparing in the use of food
or strong drinks.
Syn. : abstinent, temperate, sparing, frugal.
Ant. : self-indulgent, gluttonous,
Syn. dis. : A person is said to be abstemious who is spar-
ing in the indulgence of the appetites or passions. Abste-
miousness is the quality of being sparing. Tem,perance is
the act of using or enjoying with moderation ; abstinence,
the act of refraining altogether.
accomplish, v., to execute, to fulfil, to complete.
Syn. : achieve, consummate, finish, realize, perform.
Ant. : frustrate, lose, fail.
Syn. dis. : We accomplish a task, achieve success, fuljU,
an agreement, execute a mission, perform a duty or an act,
complete a work or a bargain, realize an expectation.
•We accomplish a plan proposed by oneself; we execute
another's plan ; effect a purpose ; achieve under special
circumstances of difficulty ; perform a part assigned to us.
account, «., a sum stated ; result of a summing up ; a narra-
tive or statement ; also verb, to reckon or compute.
Syn. : computation, reckoning ; recital, narration, des-
cription.
" An account is a statement of a single event, or a
series of events taken as a whole, — as a shipwreck, a
JQ2 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
battle ; a narrative is a story of connected incidents, — as
the events of a siege, or of one's life ; a descrijytion is a
sketch or picture in words, — as of a person, a sunrise."
accountable (tdj., liable to be held for one's conduct.
Syn. : answerable, amenable, responsible, liable.
" Accountable is used to mean, not that may be accounted for,
but that may be held to account ; but answerable is used to mean
both that may be answered and that may be held to answer ;
while unaccountable is used only to mean that cannot be accounted
for, and unanswerable only that cannot be answered." — Richard
Grant White.
accurate, adj., very exact, free from error or mistakes, in
careful conformity to truth.
Syn. : correct, precise, just, strict, careful, right.
Ant. : vague, loose, careless.
We say " accurate account, statement or calculation ;
exact date, amount or likeness ; p^-ecise moment in mean-
ing ; precise in dress or language." Exact means conform-
able to the thing represented ; accurate {cur a, care), re-
fers to the pains bestowed ; correct refers more to the
doer ; precise, ( precisus, cut down) denotes exact limita-
tion as opposed to vague. An exact drawing is one per-
fectly faithful ; a correct drawing, one fulfilling all the
rules of the art ; an accurate one, that which pains have
made exact. (See perspicuity.)
accuse, v., to complain against, to find fault with.
Syn. : charge, impeach, arraign, indict, blame, criminate.
Ant. : defend, vindicate, absolve, acquit.
Syn. dis. : The term charge is the most general. Jt is
an informal action, while accuse is properly a formal
action. Accuse, in the proper sense, is applied particularly
to ci'imes, but it is also applied to every species of offence ;
charge may be applied to crimes, but is used more com-
monly for breaches of moral conduct : we accuse a person
of murder ; we charge him with dishonesty. " Impeach
and ao-raign are both s])ecies of accusing ; the former in
application to statesmen and state concerns, the latter in
regard to the genei-al conduct or principles."
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED.
103
achieve, v., to accomplish, to finish or complete successfully,
to carry on to a final close.
" For aught that human reasoning can achieve." — Wordsworth.
Syn. : perform, execute, complete, fulfil, realize, finish.
acMevenieilt, n., act of achieving or performing; a
great or heroic deed.
Syn. : exploit, feat, deed, performance, accomplishment.
Syn. dis. : " The words deed, exploit, achievement, rise
progressively one on the other ; deed, compared with the
others, is employed for that which is ordinary or extraor-
dinary ; exploit and achievement are used only for the extra-
ordinary ; the latter in a higher sense than the former."
acquiesce, v., to assent to, to submit to, or remain passive
under.
Syn. : to accede, assent, agree, conform, concur, comply.
Ant. : dissent, object, demur.
Syn. dis. : Agree is a general term ; accede, yield assent,
acquiesce, consent, are voluntary ; accord, concur, coincide,
are involuntary. Acquiesce implies a less hearty feeling
than accord ; accord of feeling, cothcur of opinion. To
comply expresses more strongly our feeling and wishes than
to consent.
address, v., to speak to; to pay court to; to write a direction,
as on a letter.
address, n., manner of speaking, delivery; tact; the
act of making a verbal or written communication, or the
communication itself.
Syn. : appeal, invocation, petition; tact, dexterity, adroit-
ness ; discourse, speech, harangue, oration.
Syn. dis. : "A speech is a form of words bearing on some
topic of common interest to speaker and hearer; an ad-
dress is a form of woi'ds directed to some person or body of
persons ; an oration is an elaborate speech for a special
occasion ; a harangue is a noisy, vehement appeal to the
passions ; a declamation is the delivery of a memorized
speech or exercise, as in schools ; the latter also means
loud or empty speaking in public."
104 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
addicted, v., habituated to ; wholly given over to ; over
mastered, generally by some bad habit, or enslaved by
some low vice.
' ' Young men addicted to low company seldom ever dedicate
themselves to the highest service of the State."
Syn. : accustomed, prone, inclined, habituated.
Ant. : averse, unaddicted.
Syn. dis.: " To addict is to indulge oneself in any particu-
lar practice ; to devote is to direct one's powers and means
to any special pui-suit ; to apply is to employ one's time or
attention about any object. Men are addicted to vices :
they devote their talents to the acquirement of any art or
science : they apply their minds to the investigation of a
subject."
adduce, v. (ad-dus'[-ywce']), to cite, name, offer or bring for-
ward by way or proof.
" People of no great weight were addticed on both sides ; for
neither party ventured to speak out." — Macaulay.
Syn. : allege, assign, advance, offer, mention, present.
Ant. : contradict, withdraw.
Syn. dis. : "An arguu\ent is add iced ; a statement or a
charge is alleged ; a reason is assigned ; a position or an
opinion is advanced. What is adduced tends to corrobo-
rate or invalidate ; what is alleged tends to criminate or
exculpate ; what is assigned tends to justify ; what is ad-
vanced tends to explain and illustrate. . . We may con-
trovert what is adduced or advanced ; we may deny what
is alleged ; and question what is assigned."
administer, v., to manage or conduct (public affairs); to direct
the application of laws (as a king or judge) ; to comfort,
relieve, or bring aid to (the needy or distressed),
Syn. : Intransitively, to conduce, to tend, (the simple
form minister is genei-ally used in this sense) ; transitively,
to manage, to dispense, to supply.
Syn. dis. : Administer is commonly used in the good
sense of serving another to his advantage ; contribute^ on
the other hand, is used in either a good or bad sense : we
may contribute to a man's relief, in suffeiing, or to his
vices and follies.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. -.^
105
Newspaper Englisli sometimes speaks of a man coming
to his death from blows administered by a constable.
Avoid this incorrect use of the word. Blows are dealt ;
comfort and consolation are administered.
admirable, adj., worthy of esteem or praise ; of a quality to
excite wonder or esteem.
"His fortitude was the more admirable, because he was not
willing to die." — Macaulay.
Syn. : astonishing, wonderful, rare, choice, exquisite,
excellent.
Ant. : ordinary, common.
Syn. dis. : We use the term admirable when speaking
of those things, qualities, prospects, manners, etc., that
excite approving wonder, thus : an admirable trait or char-
acteristic, an admirable record, an admirable future, an
adm,irable view, admirable restraint, etc. A writer gives
examples of the use of kindred adjectives, thus :
* ' Beautiful, having that assemblage of graces or properties
which pleases the senses (especially the sight) or the mind, as :
beautiful scenery, woman, or thought.
Pretfy, pleasing by delicacy or grace — applied to things com-
paratively small ; as : pretty face, flower, or cottage.
Handsome, agreeable to the eye or to correct taste ; suitable ;
aa : handsome face, house, apology, or fortune."
adroit, cidj., possessing or exercising skill or dexterity.
Syn. : clever, ready, apt, skilful, expert, dexterous.
Ant. : awkward, clumsy, unskilful, inexpert.
Sidopt, v., to choose for oneself; to take, receive or assume.
" The measures suggested by the Minister were adopted by the
House."
Syn. : choose, assume, endorse, appropriate.
Ant. : reject, decline, repudiate, disavow, disclaim, dis-
card.
Syn. dis. : It is not well to use adopt of a measure
unless it is suggested by another. To adopt is to take to
oneself, by choice or approval, principles, opinions, or a
course of conduct that have previously been well approved,
or a line of action that our reason will justify. We may,
on the other hand, adopt a course inimical to our interests
and bringing in its train a legacy of trouble.
106 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
" Adopt is sometimes so misused that its meaning is
inverted. ' Wanted to adopt,' in the heading of adver-
tisements, not infrequently is intended to mean that the
advertiser wislies to be relieved of the care of a child, not
that he wishes to assume the care of one."
adjoin, v., to be next, or close to ; to join or unite ; to be con-
tiguous.
Syn. : annex, add, attach, couple, link, border, touch,
combine.
Ant. : disjoin, disconnect, dismember, disunite.
adjoining', p. par. and adj., joining to, adjacent to,
contiguous.
" What is adjoining must touch in some part ; what is
contiyuous must be fitted to touch entirely on one side ;
what is adjacent may be separated altogether by the inter-
vention of some third object. Adjoining farms meet or
join at some point ; houses are contiguous when they touch
or join closely ; fields are adjacent when they lie near to
each other."
advantage, v,., Lit. something that puts one forward; supe-
riority in any state, condition, or circumstance.
Syn, : benefit, gain, profit, interest, assistance.
Ajit. : disadvantage, loss, drawback.
Syn. dis. : "An advantage is anything the possession of
which secures, promotes, or indicates success. It is used
in the plural in no specific reference, but briefly, as, the
advantages of education. {See Hodgson's " Errors," Part T.,
" Advantage.")
advantageous, adj., promising or actually conferring
advantage ; profitable, beneficial, favourable, convenient.
adverse, adj., inimical, hostile, antagonistic, opposed to.
"Though time seems so adverse, and means unfit." — Shakespeare.
Syn. : contrary, op])osite, conflicting, unfavourable, un-
propitious.
Ant. : favourable, friendly, lucky, fortunate.
Syn. dis. : '■^Adverse is commonly employed of that which
tends to thwart our plans or movements by an opposing
force or influence, as adverse fate, adverse circumstances
adverse winds ; contrary — the far wider term — is employed
rather of the course or character of evenis, as running
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED, 107
counter to one's expectations or designs, though we some-
times speak of contrary winds ; opposite rather belongs to
that which is widely nnlike." Inimical and hostile belong
strictly to personal character and feeling, the latter being
the stronger term of the two.
affable, adj., easily approached and spoken to ; accessible and
inviting ; of courteous and pleasing manners.
Syn. : approachable, courteous, condescending, gracious.
Ant. : inaccessible, discourteous, haughty, forbidding.
Syn. dis. : Affable denotes being approachable, easy of
address, inviting to strangers or inferiors ; courteous,
(suitable to a court) in one's manner and bearing ; polite
(polished) in behaviour and address ; civil (belonging to a
citizen, not rude) in person and reply ; condescending (com-
ing down from one's level to that of another) to one's infe-
riors; complaisant (desiring to please) towards others —
their views, opinions or fancies : affability we look for in a
superior ; courtesy may be between equals.
aflOlueilCe, n., overflowing abundance ; wealth of money or
other material property ; also, wealth of intellect, emo-
tion, or other immaterial thing.
Syn. : opulence, wealth, riches, plenty, abundance, ex-
uberance.
Ant. : want, penury, poverty, scarcity.
Syn. dis. : In common usage, affluence expresses the ag-
gregate, rather than the process, of an inflowing abund-
ance ; in other words, prolific resources. '* Affluence air-
ries with it the idea of large sources and unfailing sup})lies
of the good things of this life, especially of those elegancies
and luxuries which are the tokens of wealth. Wealth (the
simple and the generic term) and opidence are a])plied to
individuals and communities ; affluence is applicable only
to an individual."
affront, v., to give cause of oflTence to, to insult one to the
face by language or demeanour. Also n., contemptuous
and rude treatment. Trench considers affront to have
originally meant to strike on the face. Wedgwood, Skeat,
and many others think it was to meet face to face— to
confront, we now say.
•jQg THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
Syn. : ' aflfront, t>.,' to insult, offend, provoke, otitrage,
pique, nettle ; ' affront, n.,' indignity, disgrace, contumely,
provocation.
Syn. dis. : "An affront is a mark of reproach shown in
the presence of others ; it piques and mortifies ; an insult
is an attack made with violence ; it irritates and provokes ;
an outrage combines all that is oflensive ; it wounds and
injures."
aggrandise, v. (ag'-gran-dlz'), to exalt, to raise to wealth,
honour, or power ; to make great or greater — applied to
individuals and families, or their condition in life.
" If the king should use it no better than the pope did, only to
aggrandise covetous Churchmen, it cannot be called a jewel in his
crown,"
Syn. : advance, augment, exalt, enrich, ennoble, elevate,
dignify, promote.
Ant. : retard, curtail, lower, impoverish, degrade, de-
press, detract.
agnostic, n., one who disavows any knowledge of God, the
origin of the universe, or of any anything but material
phenomena.
Syn. : unbeliever, doubter, sceptic, Positivist, atheist.
" Facts, or supposed facts, both of the lower and higher
life, are accepted {by Agnostics), but all inferences deduced
from these facts as to the existence of an unseen woiid, or
of a being higher than man, are considered unsatisfactory,
and are ignored."
agnosticism, n., the religion of modern scepticism ; a
school of thought which believes that, beyond what is
known by the senses, nothing can be known.
alien, n. (al'-ySn), a stranger, a foreigner, one born in or be-
longing to another country.
adj., foreign, or of foreign extraction.
alienate, v. (al'-ygn-at), to estrange, to misapply, to
withdi'aw love, loyalty, or affection from ; to transfer pro-
perty to another.
" I shall recount the errors which alienated a loyal gentry and
priesthood from the House of Stuart." — Macaulay,
Syn. : estrange, wean, convey, transfer, make over.
Ant, : endear, bind, conciliate.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 109
Syn. dis. : " From stranger and alien come tlie verbs to
estrange and alienate, which are extended in their meaning
and application ; the former signifying to make the under-
standing or mind of a person strange to an object, and the
latter to make the heart or affections of one person strange
to another : thus we may say that the mind becomes allevi-
ated from one object when it has fixed its affections on
anotlier ; or a person estranges himself from his family."
alienation, n. (al'-ySn-a'-shun), the state of being
alienated ; estrangement ; mental derangement.
allegory, n., a continued description of one thing under the
image of another.
Syn. : fable, parable, metaphor, image, illustration.
Syn. dis. : The distinction between an allegory and a
metaphor and between an allegory and a parable is very
slight. A bi'ief allegory may be considered as a single
metaphor; a parable is mostly employed for moral purposes,
and an allegory in describing historical events, or abstract
subjects. An allegory differs from an enigma or riddle in
not being intended to perplex. Bunyan's " Pilgrim's Pro-
gress" and Spenser's "Faerie Queen" are allegoi-ies,
allude, v., to make indirect reference to, to hint at.
Syn. : to refer, hint, suggest, intimate, insinuate.
Ant. : specify, demonstrate, declare.
Syn. dis. : "To allude is indirect; refer is direct and
positive." If we quote an author, for instance, not by
name, but by description, style, or subject matter, we al-
lude to him ; but if we point, specifically and plainly, to
something he has said or written, wc refer to him. The
fault of reference is not obscurity, but inexactness ; the
fault of alhision is often its vagueness and indefiniteness :
We say a wrong or inaccurate reference, a vague or ob-
scure allusion. Hint, in the main, has to do with matters
of knowledge ; suggest, with matters of conduct. We re-
receive a hint of danger, a suggestion how to avoid it.
amend, v., to correct a fault or error, to improve, to make or
grow better.
"Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, saith the
Lord."
110 THE niGII SCHOOL ENGLISH W0R1VI500K.
Syn. : correct, reform, emend, mend, rectify, improve,
better.
Ant. : spoil, corrupt, vitiate, mar.
Syn. dis. : Amend, emend, and mei/// are really the same
word, their common root being menda, Lat., for a blemish.
In oi-dinary usage, amend means to better morally, while
emeiid means to remove faults, chiefly literary blemishes.
To correct is to bring into conformity with moral or arti-
ficial rule ; to reform, is to correct in a moi-e continuous and
lasting manner. To rectify means to set right or straight
what formerly was wrong or false. " We am,end our
moral conduct, correct errors, reform our way of life,
rectify mistakes, emend the readings of an author, improve
our mind, mend or better our condition."
ample, ac(;., wide, extensive, large; liberal, more than sufii-
cient.
Syn. : Spacious, capacious.
Ant. : scanty, narrow, small.
Syn. dis. : Ample is employed for whatever is extended
in quantity ; spacious for whatever is extended in space ;
capacious may refer to both quantity and space. We say
ample stores, means, or allowance ; we say spacious house,
garden, or grounds ; we say capacious vessel, also capa-
cious mind, soul, or heart. A ruple is equally applicable to
things moral and intellecual, for we say ample powers, or
ample scope for the exercise of our moral and mental
faculties.
Binimate. v., to give life to, inspire, inspirit, invigorate.
" Thus armed, he animates his drooping bands,
Revives their ardour, turns their steps from flight,
And wakes anew the dying flames of tight. "
— Pope's Homer.
Syn. : cheer, enliven, inspire, embolden, exhilarate.
Ant. , dishearten, depress, discourage.
Syn. dis. : Ani7nate and inspire imply the communica-
tion of the vital or mental spark ; enliven, cheer, and ex-
hilarate signify action on the mind or body. The lower
influence is expressed by the word animate, as "the soul
animates the body ; " the higher, more energetic, and
finer faculties ai'e said to be imparted by inspiration, as :
SYNONYMS DISOKIMINATED.
Ill
to be inspired with a sublime courage or devotion. To
enliven respects the mind; cheer relates to the heart;
exhilarate regards the spirits, both animal and mental ;
they all denote an action on the frame by the communica-
tion of pleasui'able emotions.
annals, n., year-book ; a brief narrative of events divided
into periods.
Syn. : Chronicles, memoira, history, anecdotes.
Syn. dis. : Chronicles, memoirs, and anecdotes mark a
species of narrative, more or less connected, that may
serve as materials for a regular history. Mernoirs are a
partial narrative respecting an individual, and compre-
hending matters of a public or private nature ; chronicles
and annals are altogether of a public nature, and approach
the nearest to genuine and regular history. Chronicles
detail the events of small as well as large communities, or
of j)Mrticular districts and cities ; annals detail only the
events of nations or of a people.
answer, v. to speak in return, to rei)ly, to suit, to correspond
with.
n., something said in reply, correspondence with, re-
taliation.
Syn. : reply, rejoinder, response.
Ant. : challenge, affirmation, question.
Syn. dis. : " Under these terms is included the idea of
using words in return for other words. An answer is
given to a question ; a reply is made to an assertion ; a
rejoinder is made to a repli/ ; a response is made in accor-
dance with the words of another. An answer may be
either sjjoken or written ; reply and rejoinder ai'e used in
personal discourse only ; a response may be said or sung."
apology, n., an excuse, a defence, a speech in excuse or de-
fence.
Syn. : excuse, plea, defence, justification, exculpation.
Ant. : insult, injury, wiong, offence.
Syn. dis. : 'An apology had originally the simple mean-
ing of defence, as Jewell's ' Apology for the Churcli of
England.' " As at present employed, the term apology im-
]|2 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
jilics something said by way of ariKnids. In this way it
would differ materially from both JeJ'ence nxiA justification,
as implying wrong committed," which is not implied in the
two latter terms. A p^ett is a specific point of self-defence ;
excuse admits the fact charged, but endeavours to show
that there are extenuating circumstances. Exculpation re-
lieves one from censure or punishment, by advancing facts
calculated to exonerate and hold blameless him who is
accused. An apology mostly respects the conduct of indi-
viduals with regard to each other as equals ; it is a volun-
tary act springing out of a regard to decorum, or to the
good opinion of others.
apparent, «^., that may be easily seen, obvious, plain.
Syn. : clear, visible, manifest, evident, plain, seeming.
Ant. : dubious, hidden, inapparent, unobservable, real.
Syn. dis. : Apparent, as a scientific term, means seem-
ing, as opposed to real ; here we deal with it in the sense
of being clear, visible, in opposition to concealed or du-
bious. In the general sense, the synonyms of apparent
agree in expressing various degrees in the capability of
seeing ; visible is the only one used purely in a physical
sense ; clear, plain, obvious, as well as apparent, are used
physically and morally ; evident and manifest solely in a
moral acceptation. Obvious is applied to what we cannot
help understanding ; evident denotes what is easily recog-
nisable as a fact or truth ; manifest (lit. " struck by the
hand") is that which is palpably plain, and exhibits itself
without question.
apprehend, v. to take hold of, to seize, to understand, to
think on with fear.
Syn. : conceive, imagine, fear, dread.
Ant. : misconceive, comprehend.
Syn, dis. : In its first sense, apprehend is a laying hold
of by the mind of certain facts which we have a more
or less clear idea of; conceive expresses what is shaping
itself in our mind, with perhaps the help of the imagina-
tion. In its second sense, apprehend marks the sentiment
of pain and uneasiness at the prospect of coming trouble ;
apprehend respects things only ; fear and dread relate to
persons as well as things. See understand.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 113
arduous, o^j-, Lit. steep and lofty ; of difficult attainment,
involving much labour.
" Such an enterprise would be in the highest degree arduous
and hazardous." — Macaulay.
Syn. : hai'd, difficult, laborious, onerous.
Ant. : easy, light.
Syn. dis. : ^' Hard expresses in a blunter and more gen-
eral way what difficult and arduous represent in a more;
particular and refined way." Arduous denotes a high de-
gree of difficulty. What is difficult requires the efforts of
ordinary powers to surmount ; what is arduous requires
the sustained exertion, in a high degree, of mind or body.
ascribe, v., to impute to, to assign to as a cause, to attribute.
" The Letters of Junius have been falsely ascribed to many per-
sons in succession, as the author to this day remains concealed. ' '
Syn. : impute, assign, attribute.
Ant. : dissociate, deny.
Syn. dis. : To ascribe is to assign anything, in one's
opinion, as the possession or the property of another ; to
attribute is to assign things to others as their causes ; to
impute is to assign qualities to persons. Ascribe is mostly
used in a favourable or indiffeient sense ; impute is either
favourable or unfavourable.
asperse, v., to slander, to bespatter one with calumnies, to
cast evil reports at one.
Syn. : defame, detract, slandei*, calumniate, vilify.
Ant. : praise, extol.
Syn. dis. : "All these terms denote an effort made to
injure the character by some representation. Asperse and
detract mark an indirect representation ; defame, slander,
vilijy, and calumniate, a positive assertion. To asjyerse is
to fix a moral stain on a character ; to detract is to lessen
its merits and excellence. Aspersions are generally the
effect of malice and meanness ; detraction is the effect of
envy ; defamation is the consequence of personal resent-
ment. If I speak slightingly of one I asperse him ; if I take
away from the merit of his conduct, I am guilty of detrac-
tion ; if I publish any thing openly that injures his reputa-
tion, I am a defamer ; if I communicate to others things
114 THK HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH W0U1J-15OOK.
that are not true of him, I am a slanderer ; if I fabricate
anything false myself and s])read it abroad, I am a calum
niator."
assent, n., act of admitting or agreeing to, consent, accord.
Syn. : consent, appi-obation, concurrence, agreement.
Ant. : dissent, disavowal, repudiation.
Syn. dis. : ^'Assent resj)ects the judgment; consent re-
spects the will. We assent to what we admit to be true ;
we consent to what we allow to be done. Some men give
their hasty assent to ])i-opositions which they do not fully
understand; and their hasty consent to measures which are
very injudicious. Approbation is a species of assent ; con-
currence of consent." To ajyprove is not merely to assent
to a thing, but to signify that it has the su|)[>ort of our
reason and judgment. Concurrence is generally used only
of numbers, not of single individuals.
assent, v., to admit as true, to yield to, to agree to.
Syn. : to accede, acquiesce, concur, comply, accord.
Syn. dis. : " To assent is purely mental, and denotes a
concurrence with approval as an act of the judgment ; to
acquiesce is to concur with what is said or done by
another ; to consent is to agree to act according to the
will of another."
assert, v., to declai-e positively, to aver, to maintain.
Syn. : affirm, avow, protest, maintain, vindicate.
Ant. : deny, disavow, (see affirm).
Syn. dis. : We assert anything we believe to be true ;
we maintain it by adducing proofs, argument, etc. ; we
vindicate our own conduct or that of another when it is
called in question. Assertions which are made hastily
and incon.siderately are seldom long maintained without
exposing one to ridicule ; those who attempt to vindicate
a bad cause expose themselves to contumely and reproach.
averse, adj., Zi^., turned away from; disinclined to, un-
favourable to.
Syn. : reluctant, unwilling, indisposed, loath, backward
Ant. : ready, inclined, eager.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 115
Syn. dis. : " Averse is positive, it marks an actual senti-
ment of dislike ; unwilling is negative, it marks the
absence of the will ; backward is a sentiment betwixt the
two, it marks the leaning of the will against a thing ;
loath and reluctant mark strong feelings of aversion.
Aversion denotes the quality of being averse : its chief
synonyms are : antipathy, dislike, repugnance : its an-
tonyms are liking, and attachment.
avocation, n., Lit., a calling oflF, a directing of the attention 'i
a calling away from any business or work in which one is
chiefly engaged.
Syn. : calling (by common but incorrect usage), em-
ployment, business, occupation.
Syn. dis : This word is often and wrongly confounded
with vocation, which means one's steadily-pursued pro-
fession, business, or calling in life. One's avocations are
the things that interrupt or call away from business or
pursuit, the objects that occupy one incidentally. "The
term avocation is properly used of the minor affairs of life,
less prominent and engrossing than business, or such calls
as are beside a man's duty or occupation in life." One's
vocatio7i may be to teach ; one's avocations may be any-
thing in which one finds relief fiom the drudgery and
routine of teaching.
austere, ac//., harsh, sour, stem, severe.
" For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man." — St. Luke.
" He clothed the nakedness of austere truth." — Wordsworth.
Syn. : stern, rigid, severe, rigorous, strict, morose.
Ant. : mild, yielding, kindly, afiable.
Syn. dis. : Austere is said of the behaviour, severe of
the conduct ; strictness is rigour in reference to rule :
austerity is the result of a stern view of life ; rigour is an
unbending adherence to rule or principle ; severity is the
tendency to enforce the rigour of justice or discipline, un-
moved by pity or tenderness of disposition. Sternness it
more applicable to look, demeanour, and manners.
axiom, w. (ak'-si-tim), a self-evident truth ; an established prin
ciple in an art or science.
116 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
Syn. : maxim, aphorism, proverb, bye-word, adage,
apothegm, saying, truism.
Syn. (lis. : "The axiom is a truth of the first value ; a
self-evident proposition which is the basis of other truths.
A maxim is the truth of the first moral importance for all
practical purposes. An aphorism is a truth set apart for
its pointedness and excellence. Adage and proverb are
coinmon sayings, the former among the ancients, the
latter among the people of to-day. The bye-word is a
casual saying, originating in some local circumstance.
An apothegm is a terse, concise saying, of a sententious
character."
B.
baflB.e, v., to foil or render ineffectual the efforts of another ;
to elude ; to thwart ; to confound.
*' By wily turns, by desperate bounds,
Had baffled Percy's best bloodhounds." — Scott.
Syn. : defeat, disconcert, confound, foil, frustrate.
Ant. : aid, abet, assist, promote, advance, encourage.
Syn. dis. : (1) "When applied to the derangement of
the mind or rational faculties, baffle and defeat, i-espect the
powers of argument, disconcert and confound the thoughts
and feelings. Baffle expresses less than defeat ; disconcert
less than confound. A person is baffled in argument who
is for the time nonplussed and silenced by the superior
address of his opponent ; he is defeated in argument if his
opponent has altogether the advantage of him in strength
of reasoning and justness of sentiment. A person is dis-
concerted who loses his presence of mind for a moment or
has his feelings in any way discomposed ; he is confounded
when the powers of thought and consciousness .become
torpid or vanish.
(2) When applied to the derangement of plans, baffle
expresses less than defeat ; defeat less than confound ; and
disconcert less than all. Obstinacy, perseverance, skill or
art baffles; force or violence o^e/eate ; awkward circum-
stances disconcert ; the visitation of God confounds.
(3) To frustrate is to make the purpose miss its end ,
hence we say, ' purposes or hopes are frustrated.^ The
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 117
term /oil, which most resembles bq^e, seems to imply an
undertaking already begun, but defeated in the course of
execution. Baffle, defeat, and /oil imply relation to ex-
ternal powers or persons ; the rest are applicable to under-
takings made solely on our own account."
balance, n., a pair of scales ; (in commerce,) the diiference
between the debtor and creditor side of an account ; over-
plus ; the sum due on an account.
The use of the word balance, in the sense of rest or
remainder, is utterly without authority. Balance pro-
perly means " the excess of one thing over another," and
in this sense only should it be used. " Balance," says a
writer, " is metaphorically the difference between two sides
of an account — the amount which is necessary to make
one equal to the other. Balance, in the sense of rest,
remainder, residue, remnant, is an abomination."
balance of trade, the difference in money- value
between the imports and exports of a country.
balance of power, (politically,) the endeavour not
to permit any nation to have such a preponderating power
as to endanger the peace or independence of the others.
banish., v., to send away, to condemn to exile, to compel to
leave a country.
• * " bherefore we banish you our territories." — Shakespeare.
** And bids the world take heart and banish fear. — Cowper.
Syn. : exile, expel, transport, dispel.
Ant. : retain, harbour, foster, protect.
Syn. dis. : The idea of exclusion, or coercive removal
from a place, is common to the terms banish, exile, and
expel. " Banishment is a coi;ipulsory exercise of power
which must be submitted to ; exile is a state into which
we may go voluntarily ; banishment and expulsion both
mark a disgraceful and coercive exclusion, but banishment
is authoritative ; expulsion is simply coercive ; it is the act
of a private individual or a small community. Banish-
ment always supposes a removal to a distant land ; expul-
sion seldom reaches beyond a particular house or society, —
e.g., a univei-sity or public school, etc." In a figurative
sense, also, we banish that which it is not prudent to
113 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
retain, — e.g., groundless hopes, fears, etc. ; we expel that
which is noxious, e.g., envy, hatred, and every evil passion.
base, adj., of low station, mean, vile, worthless, n., that
which is morally bad ; plu., persons low or despised.
Syn. : vile, mean, low, sordid, ignoble, grovelling, dis-
honourable, ignominious.
Ant. : lofty, exalted, noble, esteemed.
Syn. dis. : " Base is a stronger term than vile, and vile
than mean. Base marks a high degree of moral turpi-
tude : vile and mean denote in different degrees the want
of all value or esteem. What is base excites our abhor-
rence, what is vile provokes disgust, what is mean awakens
contempt. Base is opposed to magnanimous, vile to noble,
mean to generovis. Ingi-atitude is base; it does violence
to the best affections of our nature : flattery is vile ; it
violates truth in the grossest manner for the lowest pur-
poses of gain : compliances are m,ean which are deroga^
tory to the rank or dignity of the individual."
base-born, adj., bom out of wedlock, or of humble
though legitimate birth.
base-hearted, adj., having a low, mean, vile, of
treacherous heart.
beat, v., to strike, to knock; to overcome in a contest.
Syn. : defeat, overpower, overthrow, conquer, vanquish.
Ant. : defend, protect, shield, shelter.
Syn. dis. : Beat respects personal contests between indi-
viduals or parties ; defea,t, rout, overpower, and overthrow
are employed mostly for contests between numbers. "To
beat is an indefinite term expressive of no particular
degree : the being beaten may be attended with greater or
less damage. To be defeated is a specific disadvantage ; it
is a failure in a particular object of more or less import-
ance. To be overpowered is a positive loss ; it is a loss of
the power of acting, which may be of longer or shorter
duration. To be routed is a temporary disadvantage,
always arising from want of firmness, though it may not
disable. To be overthrown is the gx'eatest of ;j11 mischiefs,
and is applicable only to gi-eat armies and great concerns :
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 119
an overthrow commonly decides a contest," — though it may
not imply dishonour.
becoming', pr. par., adj. and n. (become v.), befitting, suit-
able, in harmony or keeping with, appropriate.
Syn. : decent, fit, suitable, comely, gi'aceful.
Ant. : unseemly, unbefitting, indecent, derogatory.
Syn. dis. : " Becoming expresses that which is hai--
moniously graceful or attractive from fitness. The becom-
ing in dress is that which accords with the appearance,
age, condition, etc., of the wearer. Becoming is relative ;
it depends on taste and opinion : comely and graceful, how-
ever, are absolute; they are qualities felt and acknowledged
by all. Becoming is often applied, also, in the sense of
morally fit, as modesty is becoming in a youth, gravity in
a judge. It always relates to persons. Comely respects
natural embellishments, graceful natural or artificial ac-
complishments : figure is comely ; air, figure, or attitude
is graceful. Decent indicates a due attention to moral
and social requirements, and, like becoming, is external
or internal. Proper denotes an adaptation to an end or
purpose — the ends, for instance, of order, taste, moi'ality,
or the circumstances of persons and cases. As proper
indicates natural fitness, so fit comprehends artificial
adaptation or qualification. Seemly occupies a middle
place between decent and becoming, being more than the
first and less than the second." Just and right are used
in the sense of apt, fit, proper, and well-suited.
beg, v., to ask earnestly, to solicit, to supplicate, to desire.
Syn. : beseech, solicit, expect, supplicate, crave, implore,
request, entreat, adjure.
Ant. : insist, exact, extort, require, demand.
Syn. dis. : ** To beg marks the wish ; to desire, the will
and determination. Beg is the act of an inferior ; desire,
of a superior. We beg a thing as a favour, we desire it as
a right. To beg indicates a state of want ; to beseech, en-
treat, and solicit, a state of urgent necessity ; supplicate
and implore, a state of abject distress ; crave, the lowest
state of physical want. One begs with importunity ; be-
seeches with earnestness ; entreats by the force of reasoning
120 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
and strong representation. One solicits by virtue of one's
interest; supplicates by a humble address; implores by
eveiy mark of dejection and humiliation. * * Graving
is the consequence of longing ; it marks an earnestness of
supplication, an abject state of suffering dependence."
begin, v., to commence ; to take the first step ; to enter upon
something new.
Syn. : commence, enter upon, essay, inaugurate.
Ant. : achieve, complete, conclude, finish, end.
Syn. dis. : Begin and commence are employed by many
speakers and writers interchangeably, though the use of
the latter is largely tabooed by those who justly prefer a
simple, idiomatic Saxon word to a grandiloquent fox'eign
one. How strange to our ears, for instance, would be this
Latinized rendering of the opening verse of the Bible :
" In the commencement God created the heavens and the
earth." There are some, however, who hold that comr-
mence, like all words of Latin origin, has a more emphatic
force than begin; hence, formal and public transactions,
ceremonies, and the like, are said to commence ; common
and familiar things to begin. Begin, it is said, moreover,
refers only to time or order, while com,mence implies
action. The former is certainly more colloquial, and for
that reason, if for no other, it should be preferred. To
begim is either transitive or intransitive ; to commence is
mostly transitive. To begin is used either for things or
persons ; to commence for persons only. To commence
seems rather to denote the making an experiment ; to enter
upon, that of first doing what has not been tried before :
we begin or commence an undertaking ; we ent&r upon an
employment.
behaviour, n., conduct, good or bad ; manner of conducting
one's self; propriety of carriage, bearing, dej)ortment.
Syn. : conduct, carriage, deportment, demeanour, manner.
Ant. : misbehaviour, misconduct, misdemeanour.
Syn. dis. : " Behaviour respects corporal or mental
actions ; conduct, mental actions : carriage, deportment,
and demeanour are different species of behaviour. Be-
haviour respects all actions exposed to the notice of
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 121
others ; conduct, the general line of a person's moral pro-
ceedings ; the former applies to the minor morals of
society, the latter to those of the first moment. Carriage
respects simply the manner of carrying the body ; deport-
ment includes both the action and the carriage of the body
in performing the action ; demeanour respects only the
moral character or tendency of the action."
belief, n., trust in a thing as true ; persuasion, conviction.
Syn. : credit, trust, faith, credence, confidence, reliance.
Ant. : dissent, distrust, misgiving, rejection.
Syn. dis. : " Belief is the general term ; the others are
specific. We believe when we credit and trust, but not
always vice-versa. Belief rests on no particular person or
thing ; but credit and triost rest on the authority of one or
more individuals. Things are entitled to our belief; per-
sons are entitled to our credit; but people repose a trust
or have a /aith in others. * * * Belle/, trust, and
faith have a religious application, which credit has not.
Belief is simply an act of the understanding ; tritst and
faith are active moving principles of the mind in which
the heart is concerned."
beneficent, ac^-, kind, generous, charitable, doing good.
•' God, beneficent in all His ways. " — Cowper.
Syn. : bountiful or bounteous, munifi.cent, generous,
liberal.
Ant. : cruel, oppressive, hard, illibeiul, uncommiserat-
ing.
Syn. dis. : " Beneficent inspects everything done for the
good of others ; bounty, munificence, and generosity are
species of beneficence ; liberality is a qualification of all.
The first two denote modes of action ; the latter three
either modes of action or modes of sentiment. The sincere
well-wisher to his fellow-creatures is beneficent according
to his means ; he is bountiful in providing for the comfort
and happiness of others ; he is munificent in dispensing
favours ; he is generous in imparting his property ; he is
liberal in all he does." Bountiful applies to persons, not
to things, and has no reference to quantity.
122
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
benignity, n., kind-heartedness, loving-kindness, good-feel-
ing.
"The king was desirous to establish peace rather by benignity
than by the shedding of blood."
Syn. : benevolence, humanity, kindness, tenderness.
Ant. : hai-shness, malignity, ill-will, churlishness.
Syn. dis. , " Benevolence and benignity lie in the will ;
humanity lies in the heart; kindness and tenderness in the
affections ; benevolence indicates a general good-will to
all mankind ; benignity, a particular good- will flowing out
of certain relations ; humanity is a general tone of feeling ;
kindness and tenderness are particular modes of feeling.
Benignity is always associated with power and accom-
panied with condescension ; benevolence, in its fullest sense,
is the sum of moral excellence."
bent, n., disposition towards something, tendency, proclivity.
Syn. : bias, inclination, prepossession, proneness, pre-
dilection.
Ant. : indisposition, aversion, prejudice.
Syn. dis. : These various terms denote a predisposing
and preponderating influence on the mind. " Bent is
applied to the will, affections, and powers in general; bias
solely to the judgment ; inclination and prepossession to
the state of the feelings. The bent includes the general
state of the mind, and the object on which it fixes a
regard; bias, the particular influential power which sways
the judging faculty. Inclination is a faint kind of b&nt ;
prepossession is a weak species of bias."
beside, besides, prep., by the side of, over and above.
ad. or conj., moreover, more than that.
" It is beside my present business to enlarge upon that."
"And the men said unto Lot, hast thou here any besides?"
Syn. (beside) : also, moreover, except, likewise, too,
unless.
Syn. dis.: (n) ^'Beside marks simply the connection
which subsists between what goes before and what follows ;
moreover marks the addition of something particular to
what has been said. * * (b) Besides expresses the idea
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 123
of addition ; except that of exclusion." The distinction in
usage between beside and besides is indicated in the last
edition of Webster's " Unabridged Dictionary " as fol-
lows : " Beside and besides, whether used as prepositions
or adverbs, have been considered synonymous from an
early period of our literatui-e, and have been freely inter-
changed by our best writers. There is, however, a ten-
dency in present usage to make the following distinction
between them : 1. That beside be used only and always as
a preposition, with the original meaning by the side of ;
as, to sit beside a fountain ; or with the closely allied
meaning aside from, or out of; as, this is beside our
present purpose : ' Paul, thou art beside thyself.' The ad-
verbial sense to be wholly transferred to the cognate wox'd.
2. That besides, as a preposition, take the remaining sense,
in addition to ; as, besides all this ; besides the considera-
tion here offei'ed: 'There was a famine in the land besides
the first famine.' And that it also take the adverbial
sense of moreover, beyond, etc., which had been divided
between the words ; as, besides, there are other considera-
tions which belong to this case."
between, prep., in the middle, from one to another.
"How long halt ye between two opinions ?" — / Kings xviii., 21.
Syn. : betwixt, intermediate, intervening, and (wrongly)
among.
Syn. dis. : "In strict accui-acy, between is used only of
two. When there are more than two the proper term to
use is among ; but this distinction is not always, as it
should be, observed. Between (from twain) is used in
reference to two things, parties, or persons; among, in
reference to a greater number, as : There was a perfect
understanding between the two leaders of the people,
though there was great dissension and disagreement among
the rioters. Betwixt and interm^ediate signify between
two objects ; intervening signifies coming between : the
former is applicable to space and time, the latter either to
time or circumstances."
bla/ine, v., to find fault with, to express disapproval of.
Syn. : reprove, reproach, upbraid, censure, condemn.
Ant. : acquit, exculpate, exonerate, praise, approve.
124 THE HIGH school English word-book.
Syn. dis. : "The expression of one's disapprobation of a
person, or of that which he has done, is the common idea
in the significance of these terms ; but to blame exj)resses
less than to reprove. We simply chai-ge with a fault in
blaming ; but in reproving severity is mixed with the
charge. Reproach ex[)resses more than either; it is to
blame harshly. To blame and reprove are the acts of a
superior ; to reproach, upbraid, that of an equal ; to cen-
sure and condemn leave the relative condition of the agent
and the sufferer undefined. Blams, reproach, upbraid,
and condemn may be applied to ourselves ; reproof and
censure are applied to others. We Maine ourselves for
acts of imprudence ; our consciences reproach us for our
weakness, and upbraid or condemn us for our sins."
bold, adj., daring, courageous, confident.
Syn. : The Encyclopoidic Dictionary diflferentiates the
synonyms of bold as follows :
I. — 0/ persons, or other responsible beings capable of
action :
(1) In a good sense: heroic, brave, gallant, fearless,
intrepid,
(2) In an indifferent sense : confident, not doubting,
with regard to a desired result.
(3) In a bad sense ; bad, stubborn, impudent, rude, fuU
of efii-ontery.
II. — Of things :
(1 ) Of an enterprise : requiring courage for its execution.
(2) Of figures and expressions in literary composition,
etc. — In a good sense : executed with spirit, the i-e verse of
tame. In a slightly bad sense : overstepping the usual
limits, audacious, even to temerity, in conception or exe-
cution.
(3) Of a coast or line of clijBf : high and steep, abrupt or
precipitous.
(4) Of a type of handwriting : conspicuous, easily read.
Syn. : fearless, intrepid, undaunted ; brave, courageous.
Ant. : timid, fearful, shy, bashful, retiring.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. ^25
8yn. djs. : " Boldness is positive ; fearlessness is nega-
tive, and is also a temporary state : we may he fearless of
danger at this or at that time, fearless of loss and the like.
Boldness is a characteristic : it is associated with constant
fearlessness. Intrepidity denotes a still higher degree of
fearlessness : it is collected, sees the danger, and faces it
with composure : undauntednesss is associated with uncon-
querable firmness and resolution ; it is awed by nothing.
These good qualities may, without great care, degenerate
into certain vices to which they are allied." Care should
be taken to distinguish between bravery and courage,
terms that are sometimes used interchangeably. " Bravery
is inborn, is instinctive ; courage is the product of reason,
calculation. There is much merit in being courageous,
little merit in being merely brave" Fortitude is passive
courage or resolute endurance.
border, n. (of a country), its confines, its limits, its boundary
line, or the districts in the immediate vicinity.
Syn. : boundary, frontier, confine, precinct.
Syn. dis. : "All these terms are applied to land, except
the latter, which may apply to space in general. Border
marks the extremities of one country in relation to
another ; boundary respects the precise limits of any
place ; frontiers denote the commencement of a country,
and confines those parts adjoining or lying contiguous to
any given place or district. Borders and frontiers are
said of a country only ; boundary and confines of any
smaller political division. Precinct signifies any enclosed
place. In the United States it answers to our polling
sub-divisions."
bound, v., to limit, to terminate ; to indicate the boundaries of.
Syn. : limit, confine, circumscribe, restrict.
Syn. dis. : Bound, limit, confine, circumscribe are em-
ployed in the proper sense of parting off" certain spaces ;
in another sense they convey the idea of control which is
more or less exercised, as, we bound our desires according
to principles of propriety. To limit or confine are the acts
of things iipon persons, of persons upon persons ; but
restrict is only the act of persons upon jiersons. " Bounded
■,<^n THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORDBOOK.
is opposed to unljounded, limited to ext(;nded, confined to
expanded, circumscribed to ample, restricted to unshackled."
Be careful to discriminate between bound and determined
— a wholly indefensible use of the word bound : " He is
bound to have it," should be, " He is determined to have
it." Bound to have it means obliged by duty (or law) to
have it.
bountiful, adj., genei'ous, munificent, liberal in bestowing
gifts and favours. See beneficent.
brace, n. (etymoL), a pair, referring principally to the two
aims [F. bras ; O. F. the arm, strength],
Syn. : couple, ])air.
Syn. dis. : " Couple or pair are said of persons or things.
When used for persons, the word couple has relation to
the marriage tie ; the word pair to the association of the
moral union. * * When used for things, couple is
j)romiscuously employed in familiar discourse for any two
things joined together; brace is used by sportsmen for
birds which are shot and supposed to be coupled. Brace
signifies things locked together, after the manner of the
folded arms, which on that account are confined to the
number of two. Brace is sometimes employed of men,
but then contemptuously." The term couple should never
be employed for two, brace, or pair unless when referring
to persons or things joined or linked together.
burlesqUG, n. and adj., also v., n.: verbal language or other
composition in which a subject is treated in such a way
as to excite laughter.
adj.: droll, comic, ludicrous, mocking, jocular.
V. : to parody, to comment with ridicule.
Syn. (w. ) : parody, satire, travesty, irony, sarcasm, cari-
cature, wit.
Ant. : (adj.) grave, truthful, severe, historic. See
parody.
" Burlesque draws its amusement from incongruous representa-
tion of character, placing persons in situations not proper to their
actual positions and circumstances in society. Travesty makes a
thing distort and misrepresent itself ; irony is a mode of censuring
by contraries ; sarcasm is that kind of personal allusion which is
vented by indignation and spite."
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 127
o.
cabal, n. (ka-bal'), a few men united secretly for some party
purpose ; v., to design secretly, to intrigue.
Syn. : conspiracy, combination, faction, junto, league,
coterie, clique, plot, intrigue.
Ant. : parliament, legislature, government, council.
Syn. dis. : Cabal (Fr. cahale) is from the Hebrew Kabala,
a mystic tradition, which it was pretended had come down
from Moses along with the Jewish law ; hence the term
WHS applied to any association that had a pretended secret.
"In its modern sense of 'political intiigue or plotting,'
cabal was first used 1671, when ' by a whimsical coinci-
dence,' it was found to be formed of the initial letters of
the names of the members of the English cabinet Clifford,
Arlington, Buckingham, Ashley, and Lauderdale." "6W-
Hpiraay denotes a treasonable attempt for the purpose of
subverting a dynasty, or re-establishing one, or generally
for altering the political face of affairs. Combination is an
association of persons united for the purpose of acting or
resisting in a matter of their own interests — not necessar-
ily for a bad purpose. It differs from cabal in being moi-e
active than deliberative, and from conspiracy in being
open and not secret. Faction is now used moi-e com-
monly of a minoiity than of a majority, but in either case
denotes a party acting unscrupulously for the promotion of
their own interest. A Plot is a complicated plan for the
accomplishment of a purpose always evil or mischievous."
calamity, n., a great misfortune or cause of misery, either
public or private, but more frequently the former.
Syn. : disaster, misfortune, mischance, mishap, visitation.
Ant. : blessing, boon, God-send.
Syn. dis. : A calamity seldom arises fi'om the direct
agency of man ; like visitation, it is a term sometimes
used to denote pi-ovidential infliction or retribution. In
its general sense, it is a great misfortune ov disaster ; a
misforlime is a great mischance or mishap. "The devast-
ation of a country by hurricanes or earthquakes, or the
desolation of its inhabitants by famine or plague, are great
calamities ; the overturning of a carriage, or the fracture
128 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
of a limb, are disasters ; losses in trade are misfortunea ;
any minor misadventure is a mischance or a mishap."
calculate, v., to arrive at a result by an arithmetical operation
of any kind ; to compute, to reckon, to estimate.
Syn. : compute, reckon, count, enumei'ate, estimate.
Syn. dis. : "To calculate is the generic term ; the rest
are specific ; computation and reckoning are branches of
calculation, or an application of those operations to the
objects of which a result is sought. To calculate compre-
hends arithmetical operations in general, or particular
applications of the science of numbers, in order to obtain a
certain knowledge ; to compute is to form a numerical
estimate, though it is applicable to magnitude. Count is
etymologically another form of compute, bub its significa-
tion is nearer to that of reckon : it is to reckon one by one,
to add up the individual items. Estimate is to compute
more generally, as to estimate the average or probable
market value of goods, distance, and the like, in a rough
manner. Enumerate is to tell the number by expressing
the items, and is a process of speech rather than of arith-
metic."
Avoid the use of calculate as the equivalent of think or
believe; also avoid its more vulgar form, when used for
expect, intend, purpose. As a synonym for likely or apt,
when we say a thing is calculated to do harm, its use is
also objectionable.
calibre, n. (kal'-I-ber), In mechanics : the diameter of a body ;
the bore of a gun. In letters : capacity of the mind ; the ex-
tent of mental or intellectual qualities possessed by anyone.
Syn.: gauge, diameter; capacity, ability, powez', strength.
Syn. dis. : Metaphorically, calibre is used to express the
capacity or compass of mind, as, "men of greater or smaller
calibre " — referring to their mental vigour and attainments.
It is improper to apply it to the productions or efforts of
the mind, though this use is common, as in the sentence :
" This author's later works are of a higher calibre than his
former writings."
Caluniny, n. (kal'-um-nl), slander, false accusation, the mak-
ing and spreading of reports injurious to character.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 129
Syn. : aspersion, detraction, defamation, slander, libel,
reviling, vilification.
Ant. : vindication, cleai'ance, eulogy, panegyric.
Syn. dis. : "Calumny is that evil-speaking which is based
in any degree on what the speaker knows to be false ; os-
persion is like the bespattering a person with foul water.
It brings no definite charge, but seeks by any means to
convey an unfavourable impression morally of the charac-
ter and conduct of another. Detraction is that mode of
cheapening another in public or private estimation which
consists in granting facts as to his character, but interpret-
ing them so as to diminish or contradict favourable infer-
ences. Defamation is essentially pviblic ; it is the spread-
ing far and wide what is injurious to reputation. Slander
differs from defamation in being not only public, but also
secret and underhand. Libel is written slander oi' defa-
mation (libellus, a little book). Reviling is a direct act,
vilification, an indirect : we revile a person to his face : we
mlify him or his character generally in the eyes of the
world." (^See asperse).
calm, adj. and n., still, quiet, undisturbed ; stillness, peace-
fulness.
" * * 'mid the calm, oblivious tendencioa of Nature." —
Wordsworth.
"Thy life a long dead calm of fix'd repose." — Pope.
Syn. : placid, serene, composed, collected ; tranquillity.
Ant. : agitated, excited, ruffled, discomposed, discon-
certed.
Syn. dis.: These terms agree in expressing a state.
Composed and collected almost exclusively refer to the air
and manners of a pei-son, or to the condition of his
thoughts and feelings ; the othei-s are applied to the ele-
ments, as well as to the thoughts and feelings. Placid,
though it may refer to an undisturbed condition of water
— lake, sea, etc. — is mostly applicable to a serene state of
the mind ; a state of being pleased or free from uneasiness.
Calm respects the total absence of all perturbation, and
may refer to the thoughts and feelings as well as to Nature.
'* Q'iiiet, as applied to the mind, denotes rather an habitual
than a passing state ; though it is more generally applica-
lO
1«« THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
ble to the external circumstances of life than to temper or
manners. A peaceful atmosphere in the natural and the
moral world is one in which there is no strife of warring
elements. Placid denotes more than peace/id. One may
be peaceful on principle, but persons are placid by
natui-e."
candid, a^j. {Lit. white, bright, clear), Fig., free from malice,
or from any intention to deceive.
Syn. : frank, fair, open, sincere, ingenuous, cordial.
Aiit. : reserved, close, disingenuous, insincere.
Syn. dis. : '■^Candour arises from a conscious jmrity of
intention ; openness, from a warmth of feeling and a love
of communication ; sincerity, from a love of truth. A
candid man will have no reserve when openness is neces-
sary ; a sincere man will maintain a reserve only as far as
it is consistent with truth. Frankness and candour may
be either habitual or occasional ; ingenuousness is a per-
manent characteristic." Candour uiay refer to our judg-
ment of othera.
Ciptious, adj., disposed to fin'd fault; apt to cavil or raise
jections ; cros.s-grained.
Syn.: peevish, fretful, petulant, carping, censorious.
Ant.: appreciative, commendatory, laudatory, approving.
Syn. dis. : " Captious marks a readiness to be offended ;
cross indicates a readiness to offend ; peevish expresses a
strong degree of cvossness ; fretful, a com|)laining impa-
tience ; petulant, a quick or sudden impatience or capri-
cious peevishness." Another writer aptly defines captious
as " given to catching at defects or objections," and cross,
as exhibiting a consciousness, with or without grounds,
of being thwarted. Cross-grained is that characteristic
trait or disposition which " finds adversity and opposition
in every circumstance and person."
care, n., thoughtful attention ; uneasiness of mind ; caution.
Syn. : concern, regard ; solicitude, anxiety ; charge,
management.
Ant. : inattention, neglect, indifference, disregard, care-
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. igj
Syn. dis. : " Care and concern consist both of thought
and feeling ; but the latter has less of thought than feel-
ing ; regard consists of thought only. Care, solicitude,
and anxiety express mental pain in different degrees ;
care less than solicitude, and less than anxiety. Care
respects the past, present, and future ; solicitude and
anxiety regard the present and future. Care will include
both charge and management ; but, in the strict sense, it
comprehends personal labour : charge involves resfjonsi-
bility \ management includes regulation and order."
cause, n., the piimal or original thing ; anything which pro-
duces an effect, v. to effect or produce, to occasion.
Syn. {n.) : reason, motive ; {v) occasion, create.
Ant. : effect, result, production, issue.
Syn. dis. (rt.) : "■Cause respects the order and connection
of things ; reason, the movement and o])erations of the
mind ; motives, the movements of the mind and body, or
the actions of a responsible being. Cause is properly gen-
eric ', reason and motive are specific ; every reason or motive
is a cause, but not every cause is a reason or a motive.
Cause is said of all inanimate objects ; reason and motive,
of rational agents." * # * ^^ -^ "What is caused
seems to follow naturally ; what is occasioned, follows in-
cidentally ; what is created I'eceives its existence arbi-
trarily. A wound causes pain, accidents occasion delay,
but bodies create mischief."
cautious, adj., very careful in conduct, discreet, watchful.
Syn. : wary, circumspect; vigilant, watchful.
Ant. : rash, hasty, unguarded, reckless.
Syn. dis. : " The epithets cautious, wary, circumspect,
denote a peculiar care to avoid evil or trouble ; but cautious
expresses less than the other two. It is necessary to be
cautious at all times ; to be wary in cases of peculiar
danger ; to be circumspect in mattex"s of peculiar delicacy
and difficulty." Vigilant denotes being keenly on the
alert, and expresses a high degree of watchfulness or
wariness.
celebrate, v., to praise or extol ; to render famous ; to honour
bv marks of joy or by ceremonies.
132 TIIK HIGH SCHOOL hNGLISH WORD ROOK.
Syn. : commemorate, distinguish, honour, solemnize.
Syn. dis. : To celebrate is to distinguish by any marks
of honour and attention, without regard to the time of the
event, whether past or present ; but nothing is commemo-
rated but wliat has been past. The latter term is confined
to whatever is thought of sufficient importance to be borne
in mind, whether of a public or a private nature. A mar-
riage or birthday is celebrated ; the anniversary of any
national event is commemorated.
chance, n., that which happens without being contrived, in-
tended, or foreseen ; accident, o})portunity.
Syn. : fortune, fate ; probability ; hazard ; accident.
Ant. : law, rule, sequence, piirpose, design, certainty.
Syn. dis. : Chance is the generic, fortune and fate, the
specific terms : chance applies to all things personal or
otherwise : fortune andy^^e are mostly said of that which
is personal. Chance and 'probability are both employed
in forming an estimate of future events ; but the chance is
either for or against ; the probability is always for a thing.
Chance and hazard are terms employed to mark the course
of future events, which is not discernible by the human
eye. Chance denotes a hidden senseless cause of things,
as opposed to a positive intelligent cause : acrident is used
only in respect to particular events, as it was pure accident.
changeable, adj., prone to change, wavering, unsettled, vola-
tile.
Syn. : variable, inconstant, fickle, mutable, versatile.
Ant. : uniform, undeviating, regular, settled, i*esolute,
firm, steady.
Syn. dis. : " Changeable is said of persons or things ;
k mutable is said of things only : human beings are change-
able, human affairs are mutable. Changeable respects the
sentiments and opinions of the mind ; variable, the state
of the feelings ; inconstant, the affections ; fickle, the in-
clinations and attachments ; versatile, the ap])lication of
the talents. Changeable, variable, inconstant, and fickle,
as applied to persons, are taken in a bad sense ; but versa-
tility is a natural gift, which may be employed advanirtgc-
ously." Versatile, though meaning in its etymological
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 133
sense, " easily turned from one thing to another," also
denotes "easily applied to a new task, or to various sub-
jects," as a man of versatile or prolific genius.
character, n., pei-sonal qualities or attributes, good or bad ;
a man's moral and mental constitution.
Syn. : reputation, credit, temperament.
Syn. dis. : " Character lies in the man ; it is the mark
of what he is ; it shows itself upon all occasions : reputa-
tion depends upon othei'S ; it is what they think of him.
A character is given particularly ; a reputation is formed
generally." " Character is used of the whole complex
constitution of a man's personal qualities. It therefoi-e
exists anterior to and independent of his reputation. It
is possible for a man to have a fair reputation who has not
in reality a good character ; although men of really good
character are not likely to have a bad reputation." "Credit
is that trustworthiness which is based upon what is known
of character [credere, to trust), and relates both to right
conduct and the truth of propositions. Credit may be
given on specific occasions only ; cJuiracter and reputation
are permanent." The two latter terms are often used in-
discriminately, without noting ihsit reputation is really the
I'esult of clmracter ; character representing what one
essentially is, and reputation, the estimation in which one
is held. One leaves behind him a reputation, good or bad,
not a character. The etymology of the two words will help
to distinguish them in the minds of those ai)t to confuse
the terms : character signifies an impression or mark, and,
figuratively, the woi'd is employed for the moral mark
which distinguishes one man from another : rejmtat/on,
comes from the Fr. reputer, Lat. rejimto, to think, and sig-
nifies what is thought of a person.
choose, v., to take by preference out of several things oflered ;
to pick, select, prefer (persons, it may be).
Syn. : prefer, select, elect, adopt.
Ant. : reject, refuse, discard.
Syn. dis. : " To choose is to prefer, as the genus to the
species : we always choose in preferring, but we do not
always prefer in choosing. To choose is to take one thing
134 '''HE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
from among others ; to prefer is to take one thing before,
or rather than, another. * * Our choice is good or bad,
according to knowledge ; our preference is just or unjust,
according as it is sanctioned by reason. One who wants
instruction, chooses a niaster, but he will mostly prefer a
teacher whom he knows to a perfect stranger. * * *
To choose does not always spring from any particular de-
sign or preference ; to pick and select signify to choose with
care. * * Choosing is the act either of one person or
of many ; election is always that of a number ; it is per-
formed by the concuirence of many voices."
circumstance, n., that which stands round a thing or is
attached to another ; an attendant state of things.
Syn. : situation ; incident, fact, event, occurrence.
Syn. dis. : " Circumstance is to sitv/ition as a part to a
whole ; many circumstances constitute a situation ; a situ
ation is an aggregate of circumstances. Circumstance
res{)ects that which externally affects us : situation is em-
ployed both for the outward circumstances and the inward
feelings. Incident and fact are species of circumstances ;
incident is what hap})ens, fact is what is done ; circum-
stance is not only what happens and is done, but whatever
is or belongs to a thing."
cite, v., to call upon authoritatively ; to adduce as an author-
ity, to bring forward or adduce as an example.
Syn. : quote, recount, summon, call, adduce.
Ant. : discard, contradict, disprove, discredit.
Syn. dis. : " To cite is employed for pei-sons or things ;
to quote for things only ; authors are cited, passages from
their works are quoted ; we cite only for authority ; we
quote for general purposes or convenience. * * The
idea of calling a person authoritatively to appear is com-
mon to the terms cite and summon. Cite is used in a gen-
eral sense ; summon, in a particular and technical sense :
a person may be cited to appear before his superior ; he is
8um,m,oned to appear befoi'e a court : the station of the in-
dividual gives authority to the act of citing ; the law itself
gives authority to that of summoning."
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED.
135
cla<illl, n., a demand for anything as one's due or right.
Syn. : demand, right, pretension, privilege, prerogative.
Ant. : disclaimer, surrender, abjuration.
Syn, dis. : " Claim su])poses an acknowledged right, de-
mand, either a disputed right or the absence of all right,
and a simple determination to have it. Right is not, like
claim and demand, developed, but lies, as it were, doi--
mant. It is the latent power to claim or demand upon
occasion. Pretension is the holding out the appearance of
right or possession, without directly urging it. Privilege
is a right, immunity, or advantage posses.sed by some, but
not enjoyed by others. Prerogative denotes a right of pre-
cedence, or of doing certain acts, or enjoying certain
privileges, to the exclusion of others."
clandestine, adj., (klSn-dSs'-tln) Lit., hidden from daylight ;
kept back from public view or knowledge for a bad purpose.
Syn. : secret, hidden, private, underhand.
Ant. : open, unconcealed, public, unreserved.
Syn. dis. : "Clandestine expresses more than secret. To
do a thing clandestinely is to elude observation : to do a
thing secretly is to do it without the knowledge of any one :
what is clandestine is unallowed, which is not necessarily
the case with secret." * * « What is secret is known
to some one ; what is hidden may be known to no one : it
rests in the breast of an individual to keep a thing secret ;
it depends on the course of things if anything remains
hidden." See privacy.
close, V. (kloz). Fig., to end, to bring to a conclusion, to con-
summate.
Syn. : finish, conclude, complete, end.
Ant. : open, begin, initiate ; protract.
Syn. dis. : " To close is to bring to an end : to finish is
to make an end : to conclude is a species oi finishing, that
is to sa,y , finishing in a certain manner ; we always finish
when we conclude, but we do not always conclude when
we finish. A history is closed at a certain reign ; it is
fvnished when brought to the period proposed : it is con-
cluded with a recapitulation, it may be, of the leading
136 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WOKD BOOK.
events." * * " It is a laudable desire in everyone to
wish to close his career in life honourably, and to finish
whatever he undertakes to the satisfaction of himself and
others."
commercial, adj., pertaining to, or connected with, com-
merce ; relating to trade or traffic.
Syn. : mercantile.
Syn. dis. : "Commercial is the widest term, being some-
times made to embrace mercantile. In that sense it ex-
tends to the whole theory and practice of commerce, as a
commercial speculation, a commercial education, a commer-
cial people. Mercantile respects the actual transaction of
business ; and, as commercial relates strictly to the ex-
change of commodities, so mercantile relates to their sale
when brought to market."
common, adj., jiertaining or relating to all in general ; of
inferior character or quality.
Syn. : vulgar, ordinary, mean, commonplace, universal.
Ant. : unusual, rare, exceptional, refined, infrequent.
Syn. dis. : " Familiar use renders things common, vulgar,
and ordinary ; but what is mean is so of itself. Common
is unlimited in its aj)plication ; it includes both vulgar and
ordinary." * * " Common is opposed to rare and re-
fined ; vulgar, to polite and cultivated ; ordinary, to the
distinguished ; mean, to the noble ; commonplace, to the
unique and striking ; universal, to the local and particular."
Vulgar implies pretension and often manifests itself in
ostentatious display and the offensive parade of wealth
and social position.
compensation, n., what is given to supply a loss or make
good a deficiency.
Syn. : remuneration, recompense, requital, reward, satis-
faction.
Ant. : depravation, injury, nonpayment, damage.
Syn. dis. : "A compensation is something real ; it is
made for bodily labour, or for some positive injury sus-
tained : in the latter case, justice requires that it should
be equal in value, if not like in kind, to that which is lost
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 137
or injured. Remuneration is made for mental exertions,
for litei'ary, civil, or political services. A recompense is
voluntary, both as to the service and the returns ; it is an
act of generosity : requital is the repayment of injuries or
a return for a kindness ; the making of the latter is an act
of gratitude. A satisfaction may be imaginary, both as
to the injury and the return, it is given for personal slights
or injuries, and depends on the disposition of the peison
to be satisfied whether it really satisfies or makes full
repai*ation."
competition, n., strife foi- superiority.
Syn. : emulation, rivalry.
Ant. : partnership.
Syn. dis. : "Com^Jetilion and em,ulation — the latter par-
ticularly— have honour for their basis ; rivalry is but a
desire for selfish gratification. Oomq^etition is the attempt
to gain something desirable, with or against others who
are aiming at tlie same thing ; emulation expresses a dis-
position of the mind towards i)articular objects ; rivalry
expresses both a relation and the disposition of a rival."
complaisance, n. (kOm'-pla-zans' or k5m-plas'-ans), a dispo-
sition characterized by a desire to please, oblige, or gratify.
Syn. : deference, condescension, affability, courtesy,
urVjanity.
Ant. : churlishness, moroseness, austerity.
Syn. dis. : "All these qualities spring fr<5m a refinement
of humanity ; but complaisance has most of genuine kind-
ness in its nature ; deference, most of respectful submis-
sion ; condescension, most of easy indulgence. Complai-
sance is the act of an equal ; deference, that of an inferior ;
condescension, that of a superior. Complaisance is due
from one well-bred person to another ; deference is due to
all superiors in age, knowledge, or station, whom one
approaches ; condescension is due from all superiors to
such as are dependent on them for comfort and enjoyment."
conciliate, v., to reconcile or bring to a state of friendship
those formerly at enmity or variance.
Syu. : reconcile, pacify, propitiate, enlist.
138 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
Ant. : alienate, irritate, estrange.
Syn. dis. : " Conciliate and recoricUe are both employed
in the sense of uniting men's affections, but under different
circumstances. The conciliator gets the good-will and
affections for himself ; the reconciler unites the affections
of two persons to each other. The conciliator may either
gain new affections, or regain those which are lost ; the
reconciler always either lenews affections which have been
once lost, or fixes them where they ought to be fixed. The
best means of conciliating esteem is by reconciling all that
are at variance."
conclusive, adj., putting an end to debate or argument;
leading to a conclusion or determination.
Syn. : final, decisive, ultimate, definitive.
Ant. : uncertain, dubious, hypothetical, indeterminate.
Syn. dis. : These terms agree in expressing that char-
acter of what is said or done which leaves no room for
subsequent modification or procedure. Conclusive is com-
monly used of that which terminates agreement or debate
by its overwhelming or irresistible force, as "a conclusive
proof," " conclusive evidence "; JinMl, to that which brings
with it an intentional end. Decisive is that which has the
power of prompt or summary deteimination, as " a decisive
victory "; ultimate denotes that beyond which all attempts
to go are stopped, as " an ultimate concession."
conduce, v., to lead or tend to; to help forward some
object or purpose.
Syn. : contribute, tend, promote, forward, advance.
Ant. : neutralize, defeat, indispose, counteract.
Syn. dis. : " Tend is used of anything likely to bring
about or to contribute to a given end, hence, it is used of
a single cause, as "idleness tends to poverty." Conduce
expresses more distinctly than tend the separate existence
of cause and effect. The term is employed of that which
leads to a favourable or desirable end, not to the contrary.
We speak of things as conducive to happiness, not to
misery. Contribute denotes partial causation, which is
shared with other things of like tendency, while one thing
alone may conduce to bring about a result."
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 139
confirm, v., to add strength to, to fix or settle, to assure.
Syn. : corroborate, establish, ratify, strengthen.
Ant. : weaken, shake, upset, refute, cancel.
Syn. dis. : "The idea of strengthening is common to all
these terms, but under different circumstances : conjirm is
used generally ; corroborate, only in particular instances.
Conjirm respects the state of a person's mind, and what-
ever acts upon the mind : a testilnony may be confirme-l
or corroborated ; but the thing covjirms, the person cor-
roborates. Established is employed with i-egard to what-
ever is external : a report is confirmed, a reputation
established."
conformable, adj., having the same form or shape with
another ; like, resembling, corresponding, compliant.
Syn. : agreeable, suitable.
Ant. : unconformable, unagreeable, unsuitable.
Syn. dis. : " Conformable is employed for matters of
obligation ; agreeable, for matters of choice ; suitable, for
matters of propriety and discretion. What is conformable
accords with some prescribed form or given rule of others ;
what is agreeable accords with the feelings, tempers, or
judgments of ourselves or others ; what is suitable accords
with outward circumstances."
confute, v., to prove to be wrong or false ; to convict of
error by argument or proof.
Syn. : disprove, refute, impugn.
Ant. : prove, establish, maintain, corroborate.
Syn. dis. : " To confute applies both to the arguer and
the argument : it is to overwhelm by decisive argument.
Refute is to repel by the same kind of argument, and so
applies to what is alleged against one, as charges, calum-
nies, and the like, to which confute is not applied in the
same sense." "An argument is confuted by proving its
fallacy ; a charge is refuted by proving one's innocence ;
an assertion is disproved by proving that it is false." "Im-
pugn denotes a hostile attitude in argument, and calls in
question what is stated or alleged, as, ' the truth of his
statements was impugned.' "
140 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
consequently, adv., by necessary connection of effects witli
their causes ; in consequence of something.
Syn. : accordingly, therefore, wherefore, hence, thence,
since, because, then, as, so.
Ant. : irrelevantly, inconsequently.
Syn. dis. : " These words all mark the drawing of a con-
clusion from something which has been said as a pi-emise.
Consequently expresses a definite conclusion, but is seldom
used of logical inferences. It rather relates to practical
privileges or decisions. Therefore and accordingly differ,
in that the former is applicable both to inference and
proof, while the latter is u.sed, mainly, to express a cou-
gruity of action or proceeding. Because represents the
correlative of the question 'why V Then is a less emphatic
word for therefore, and as or so, a less emphatic word for
because, and express the I'elation of cause and effect in a
less marked manner."
consider, v., to think on with care ; to look at carefully.
Syn. : reflect, ponder, meditate, weigh, contemplate.
Ant. : disregard, ignore, conjectui'e, despise.
Syn. dis. : " The operation of thought is expressed in
all these words, but in the case of consider and reflect,
particularly, it varies in the circumstances of the action.
Consideration is employed for practical purposes ; reflection
for matters of speculation or moral iiuprovement. Com-
mon objects call for consideration ; the workings of the
mind itself, or objects jmrely spiritual, occupy reflection.
Meditation is internal ; contemplation external : the poet,
for instance, meditates ; the astronomer contemplates."
consistent, a/Ij., uniform, not contradictory or opposed.
Syn. : consonant, accordant, comi)atible.
Ant. : incohei-ent, incongruous, inconsistent.
Syn. dis. : " Consistent signifies the quality of being able
to stand in unison together : consistent is employed in
matters of conduct, consonant in matters of representation,
accordant in matters of opinion or sentiment. A person's
conduct is not always co7isistt^t with his station ; a par-
ticulnr account is accordant with all one hears and sees on
a subject ; a particular passage is consonant with the whole
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 141
tenor of the Scfiptures. Compatible denotes an extran-
eous relation of one thing to another, or of two to each
other : that thing is compatible with another which may
exist under similar conditions."
consummate, v., (kOn'-stim-at), to finish by completing
what was projected, aJj. (k5n-stim'-at), carried to the ut-
most extent or degree.
Syn. : (v.) to complete, to finish ; (adj.) perfect, finished,
completed.
Ant. : inteiTupt, frustrate, nullify, mar, spoil, defeat ;
faulty, defective, im])erfect.
Syn. dis : " Completion is the filling up of a design or
purpose ; a work is completed when the plan of it is re-
alized. Consummation is applied to matters which must
reach a certain degree or extent to mak(i them complete.
Com,plet!on is more external, consumm,atio7i more internal.
Consumviation is the completion of the idea or definition :
it is also used in the sense of a gathering up in one of
many things ; as ' the event of to-day its the Gonsum.mation
of the hopes of many years.' "
contrive, v., to plan out; to frame or devise.
Syn : devise, invent, concert, manage, plot, scheme.
Ant. : chance, hit, venture, hazard, bungle.
Syn. dis. : ''To contrive denotes effort, or a series of
efforts, of inventiveness : it is to form, find, or adapt
means to an end by the exercise of practical ingenuity.
Devise implies not so much the finding ways of using
means, as finding the means themselves. Invent repre-
sents the practical aspect of contrive, the invention being
the more perfect in proportion to the lasting character of
the contrivance. Concert commonly implies the joint
assistance of others ; unanage denotes rather a judicious or
ready employment of means extemporized on the occa-
sion."
convene, v., to come together for a public purpose ; to cause
to assemble.
Syn. : convoke, assemble, meet, join, unite.
Ant. : disperse, dismiss, disband, scatter.
142 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
Syn. dis : " The idea of collecting many persons into
one place, for a specific purpose, is common to the terms
convene, convoke, and assemble. Assemble conveys this
sense without any addition ; convene and convoke include
likewise some collateral idea. There is nothing impera-
tive on the part of those that assemMe or convene, and
nothing binding on the part of tliose assembled or convened.
one assembles or convenes hy invitation or i-equest; one
attends to the notice or not at pleasui-e. Convoke, on the
other hand, is an act of authority : it is the call of one who
has the authority to give the call ; it is heeded by those
who feel themselves bound to attend. Where the power
is lodged equally in the hands of many, convene seems the
more suitable term, and convoke when peculiar power of
summoning is lodged in the hands of a single person."
conversation, n., familiar intercourse in speech ; easy unre-
strained talk.
Syn. : colloquy, conference, dialogue, discourse, chat.
Ant.: speech, oration, monologue, soliloquy; silence,
taciturnity.
Syn dis. : " Conversation is vei-bal intercourse of an un-
premeditated kind, in which any number of persons may
take part. Colloquy is a species of dialogue indefinite as
to number, but restricted as to subject, in which each per-
son present contributes remarks pertinent to the matter in
hand, without the rigidity of a public meeting. Confer-
ence has more of foi-m, being a colloquy on ui-gent or pub-
lic and national affairs, where some line of action has to be
taken or some expression of opinion published authorita-
tively. JDialogite is commonly, though not necessarily,
restricted to two speakers ; discourse is consecutive speech,
whether of one or more persons, upon a given line of
thought."
corporal, adj., of or relating to the body ; pertaining to the
animal frame in its proper sense.
Syn. : bodily, corporeal, material, fleshly, physical.
Ant. : mental, moral, spiritual.
Syn. dis. : " Corporal and corporeal both mean relating
to the body, but under different aspects of it ; corporal,
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 143
relating to the substance ; corporeal, to the nature of the
body; while bodily denotes, more generally, connected with
the body; hence, corpor«^ punishment, corporeal existence,
bodily vigour, pains, or shape. Material respects all bodies,
inanimate as well as animate. Corporeal is distinguished
from spiritual ; bodily from mental : the world contains
corporeal beings, and consists of material substances."
crime, n., a violation or breaking of some human or divine
law ; a serious fault ; iniquity.
Syn. : vice, sin, guilt, offence, trespass, misdeed, misde-
meanour.
Ant. : duty, obligation, well-doing.
Syn. dis. : "A crime is a social, a vice, a personal offence :
every action which does injury to others, either individu-
ally or collectively, is a crime ; that which does injury to
ourselves is a vice. Sin is a departiire from a divine law,
or any law regarded as of a divine or sacred character. Guilt
is a state, the state of one who has infringed or violated
any moral or political law, or to whom anything wrong,
even as a matter of taste or judgment, may be attributed.
Misdemeanour is a minor crime under the purely social
aspect of crime : in common parlance it is used in the
sense of misconduct. Any crime less than a felony, or
any for which the law has not furnished a name, would l)e
a misdemeanour. Offence (Lat. offendere, to stumble
against), is indefinite and very general in its application :
trespass is an offence of which the essence consists in going
beyond certain allowable or right limits."
crisis, n., the decisive point in any important affair.
Syn. : conjuncture, emergency, exigency, turning-point.
Ant. : course, ordainment, pi'ovision.
Syn. dis. : " Crisis (Gr. krisis, a decision) denotes liter-
ally what decides or turns the scale. It is commonly
used as a turning-point in affairs, before it is known
whether the issue will be for better or worse. Conjunc-^
ture is a compound crisis, or a state which results from
the meeting of several external circumstances to form it.
Emergency is an unforeseen occurrence or combination,
which calls for immediate action. Eodgency is a minor
144 T" '•- HIGH SCHOOL KNGLISH WOIID-BOOK.
emergency. A crisis is the high-wiought state of any
affair which immediately precedes a cliarge ; a coajuncture
may be favourable ; crisis, alarming."
cultivation, n., the act or practice of cultivation ; husbandry;
study, care, and practice directed to improvement or
progress.
Syn. : Culture, civilization, refinement ; tillage.
Ant. : neglect, discouragement, extirpation.
Syn. dis. : " Cultivation is used V)0th in a physical and
in a metaphorical sense. It denotes the use of art and
labour and all things needful to the production of such
things as grow out of the soil. The same force belongs to
the metaphorical or moral use of the term, as in the cul-
tivation of the mind, or of s{)ecial habits, or of literature,
or the arts. Culture is commonly (imployed to denote
the s[)ecific cultivation of some particular kind of pioduc-
tion for the sake of its amelioration. In this sense the
term is used of the culture of the human race or human
mind (but not of moral habits), to indicate such civiliza-
tion and training as result in the raising of the condition
of the race. Civilization and refinement are respectively
the first and the final stage of cultivation as regards the
condition of men in their social capacity ; the first mean-
ing the mere redeeming from a state of barbarism ; the
second a high condition of intellectual culture in the
liberal arts and social manners."
CUStoni, n., frequent repetition of the same act; established
manner.
Syn. : fashion, manner, method, practice, habit, usage,
prescription.
Ant. : laWj rule, regulation, dictate, disuse, non-observ-
ance.
Syn. dis : " Custom is an habitual practice, whether of
individuals or communities. It differs from habit in that
habit is applicable exclusively to individuals, and denotes
that the stage is reached when by a repetition of acts
the custom is no longer purely voluntary. Fashion, be-
sides its primary meaning of shape or manner, has tlie
secondarv mwiniii"- -^^ vrevailinq manner. Method is
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 145
scientific manner, as manner is natural method. Practice
has the two senses of a regular doing, and the thing
regularly done. Usage implies longer establishment than
custom : custom is prolonged by usaije till it confers rights
of prescription. "
D.
danger, «., a state of exposure to injury or loss of any kind.
'* But new to all the dangers of the rxxaSn," ^Pope.
Syn. : peril, hazard, risk, jeopardy.
Ant. : security, safety.
Syn. dis. : " The idea of chance or uncertainty is com-
mon to all these terms : danger and peril may sometimes
be seen and calculated upon ; but hazard and risk aie
purely contingent. The danger and peril ai-e applied to a
positive evil ; the hazard may simply respect the loss of a
good ; risks are voluntarily run from the hope of goo<^l."
Grabb says perils are more remote than dangers. " Jeo-
pardy (Fr, jeu parti, drawn game) may exclude all volun-
tary agency, which is implied in hazard and risk, and-
unlike peril, is applied to things of value as well as to
persons."
date, n., the point of time at which anything happened, or is
appointed to hai)pen ; the period of time during which
any season or thing is in existence.
Syn. : period, era, epoch, time, age, generation.
Syn. dis. : " Of these, the most general is time, which
means unmeasui-ed duration, or any specific measure or
point of it ; date is a point, and not a duration of time,
bearing reference to the whole historic course of time
within which it occurs. Period is, properly, a recurrent
portion of time, or a stage in history which may itself be
included among other stages ; era is used both for a fixed
point of time, and for a succession of years dating from that
point; epoch is an ei-a constituted by the inherent im-
portance of an event, while an era may be arbitrary. Age
and generation have nearly the same meaning ; but age is
taken broadly for such periods as coincide with the joint
lives of human beings, and so is extended to mean a cen-
tury, while generation rather refers to the average dura-
U
146 'I'UI' HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WOHD HOOK.
tion of individual life, and frequently means thirty yenrs."
Period is often misused for date or time.
debar, v., to shut out, exclude, prevent, stop, oppose.
Syn. : deprive, hinder, prohibit, disqualify, exclude,
preclude, foi'bid.
Ant. : admit, enclose, embrace, entitle, qualify, permit.
Syn. dis. : ^^Dehar indicates merely an act of prevent-
ing power in reference to those things which we do our-
selves, or which come about as the act of others, or of
circumstances. Deprive denotes the coercive taking away
of what one possesses, either in fact or in prospect, while
debar relates to what one does not as a fact possess or at-
tain to. Prohibit and forhid have the force of interdiction
by authority, or debarring by the use of words of command.
Disqualify is to debar by attaching personal and inherent
prohibition from some ])rivilege, office, or dignity ; exchidc
is formally to shut out ; preclude is to exclude by indirect
means."
debate, n., contention in words ; discussion between two or
more ])ersons ; v., to ai-gue, to combat, to contest.
Syn. : delil)erate, argue, dis})ute, discuss, contend.
Ant. : yield, concede, admit, allow, surrender.
Syn. dis. : " To debate supposes always a contr;iriety of
opinion ; to deliberate supi)oses simply the weighing or es-
timating the value of the opinion that is oftered. To
argue is to say all that can be said for or against a propo-
sition or a case ; to dispute is always antagonistic : it is to
argue against something as held or maintained by another.
Contend, is the opposite to dispute ; for, as dis})ute is to
attack and endeavour to shake what is held or advanced
by another, so contend is to argue urgently in favour and
support of something held V)y oneself. Discuss is more
commonly a})plied to matters of opinion, while debate be-
longs rather to action or proceedings."
deceive, v., to mislead intentionally ; to cause to believe
what is false, or not to believe what is true.
Syn : delude, mislead, beguile, ensnare, impose upon.
Ant. : enlighten, guide, disabuse, illumine.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 147
Syn. dis. : "To deceive is the most general of these
terms : it signifies simply to produce a false conviction ;
to delude and to impose itpon are properly S])ecies of de-
ceiving, including accessory ideas : a deception does not
always sui)pose a fault on the part of a person deceived,
but a delusion does : a person is sometimes deceived in
cases where decej)tion is unavoidable; he is deluded through
a voluntary blindness of the understanding ; mislead may
be voluntary. Beguile is to place another in a false po-
sition, to induce him to believe a thing affii-raed as true,
and to leave him to the consequences of his error, es))ecially
by seductive arts."
decide, v., to terminate or settle ; to form a definite opinion.
Syn. : determine, resolve, conclude upon.
Ant. : waver, doubt, drop, suspend.
Syn. dis. : "To decide expresses an intellectual result ;
determ,ine and resolve moral results. I decide according to
my judgment : I determine according to my pur|)ose : I
resolve as combining the two, and implying a sort of pledge
given to myself to carry out or firmly act with determina-
tion what I have decided upon. To conclude upon is px^o-
perly to come to a final determination. Decide expresses
more than determine, and determine more than conclude."
dftCree, n., an edict or law made by a superior authority ; the
decision or order of a court.
Syn. : edict, proclamation, law, statute, rule, regulation.
Ant. : intimation, hint, suggestion.
Syn. dis. : " In decree the leading idea is absolute obli-
gation ; in edict, absolute authority : hence, decree is used
largely of any binding power, as the decrees of fate. Pro-
clamation is a published order emanating from the sov-
ereign or supreme magistrate, and boars reference to
specific occasions, as determined upon in council, and not
provided for by tlie law of the land. Law, in its wider
sense, is the authoritative expression of will on the part of
8.Dy rightful governing powei-, and in its ])olitical sense,
permanently controls every department of the State. Stat-
ute is commonly applied to the acts of a legislative body
composed of representatives of the people. Regulation is
148 ''•!''' HIGH SCHOOL KNGLISU WORD-BOOK.
a governing direction of a State, department, institution,
or an association for a specific purpose, and may be only ol
a temporary character."
decry, v., to cry down, to censure, to clamour against.
Syn. : disparage, depreciate, detract, degrade, traduce.
Ant. : extol, praise, laud, eulogize.
Syn. dis. : " The idea of lowering by words the current
value, is common to most of these terms. Decry relates
primarily to the inherent value of the thing itself; dejyreci-
ate to the estimate of it as formed or expressed by oneself ;
disparage to the estimate as formed by others. We dis-
parage a man's pei'formance by speaking slightingly of it ;
we detract from the merits of a person by ascribing his suc-
cess to chance ; we traduce him by handing about tales
that ax-e unfavourable to his reputation."
defer, v., to yield or give way to the opinion of another ; to
put off, retard, adjourn.
Syn. : delay, posti>one, prolong, protract, procrastinate.
Ant. : hasten, quicken, expedite, press, urge.
Syn. dis. : " To delay is simply to place an indefinite
term between the present and the commencement of the
thing delayed : this may be either a voluntary act or the
result of circumstances. In this point, defer differs from
delay, expressing always a voluntary act : defer is more
specific ; delay, more indefinite. Postpone implies a definite
intention to resume what for the present is put off; pro-
crast'nate is to delay, defer or postpone thi'ough indolence
or general unwillingness to commence action. Prolong
and protract differ from the former in implying something
actually commenced, as a period or a transaction : there is
very little difference between them ; but we commonly
use protract in the sense of contriving to lengthen."
delicate, adj., of a fine texture ; nice or pleasing to the
taste ; nice and discriminating in the perception of beauty
or deformity ; considerate of the wishes and feelino's of
others.
Syn. : nice, fine, dainty, soft, sensitive, fragile.
Ant. : coarse, raw, rough, common; robust, vigorous.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 149
Syn. dis. : " These terms are all employed both of the
chai-acter of objects and of the faculties which perceive and
treat of them. As to the quality of objects, that is delicate
which is refinedly agreeable, or likely to please a highly-
cultivated taste. When used of persons, in a moral sense,
the term expresses an appreciation of what is extrinsically
delicate, a shrinking from harshness and coarseness, a con-
sideration of others, and an appreciation of the less pi-o-
minent beauties and graces of things. Nice, when applied
to objects, is not a word of high meaning. It indicates
such a degree of excellence or agreeableness as people in
general would approve or enjoy. When used of persons
or their powers of discrimination, it seems to combine
exactness of knowledge with a certain fastidiousness of
requirement. The fine is that which combines delicacy
and power or grandeur, as Osfine speech, ^ fine landscape ;
it also implies keen and discriminative power, as a. fine dis-
tinction. The delicate is a high degree of ih^fi/ne, as a. fine
thought, which may be lofty ; fina feeling, which is acute
and tender ; a delicate ear in music, an ear which is
offended with the smallest discordance. A person is deli-
cate in his choice, who is guided by taste and feeling ; he
is nice in his choice, who adheres to a strict rule."
delightful, adj., giving delight, highly pleasing.
Syn. : delicious, charming.
Ant. : hateful, repulsive, obnoxious, horrid.
Syn. dis. : " Of these terms delightful relates to the
state of the mind, delicious to the specific gratification of
the senses, and charming to the gratification of the mind
through the senses. Anything is deli/jhtfid which pro-
duces gladness of mind ; delicious is generally confined to
matters of tast«, touch, and smell ; charming is used in a
wider sense, of that which delights and engages the whole
nature, and commonly denotes that state of mental enjoy-
ment which is produced through the senses. A charming
landscape is one which we linger to enjoy ; a charming
person, one in whose society and conversation we feel
continual delight."
lf)0 THK HIGH SCHOOL KNGLISH WORD-BOOK.
demur, v., to delay by ruising tloubts and ol >j actions ; to
pause in uncertainty.
"They detmirring, I inukrtook that office." — Milton.
Syn. : hesitate, pause ; scruple, waver, fluctuate.
Ant. : acquiesce, a[)prove, agree, assent.
Syn. dis. : " The idea of stopping is common to demur,
to hesitate, and to pause. We demur from doubt or diiB-
culty; we hesitate from an undecided state of mind ; we
pause from circ\imstances. To hesitate is literally to stick
at doing something, whether it be a practical act contem-
plated, or a design formed in the mind, to which we desire
to give effect. Hesitation may proceed from a variety of
causes, such as prudence, fear, doubt, etc. To demur is a
specific kind of hesitation : it is to suspend action or
judgment in view of a doubt or difficulty. Scruple is a
kind of internal demurring, dictated, it may be, by a
sense of propriety, intellectual or moral, or from a consid-
eration of what is wise or expedient in arresting our
thought or action. Waver and fluctuate express motion
and change of mind ; the former is Mpplied to mattei-s of
intellectual decision, the latter to states of feeling."
describe, v., to represent in words, or by signs or drawinga
Syn. : depict, characterize, represent, relate, naxTate,
pourtray.
Ant. : misrepi-esent, mystify, distort, confound, confuso.
Syn. dis : " Describe is to write down an account ; hence,
to give an account, whether in writing or in s{)oken words.
DescrijAion belongs to the external manifestation of
things, and ought to be full, clear, and explicit. Depict
{lit. to paint) refers to the vivid description of anything
which may be brought with more or less distinctness to
the mind's eye. Characterize is employed in moi-al de-
scription of what represents the subject by its leading
feature or features. Hence, a whole course of conduct, or
a whole class of character in men, may be said to be
characterized by some one strong and distinctive epithet
which sets a peculiar mark and stamp upon it."
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 161
design, v., to form in the mind ; to plan ; to have in view.
Syn. : intend, purpose, mean, contemplate.
Ant. : miscontrive, misconceive, risk, chance.
Syn. dis : " These terms all refer to the condition of the
mind antecedent to action. Mean, being of Saxon origin,
is the most comprehensive and colloquial, and signifies
simply to have a mind to do or say a thing. Design and
purpose are terms of higher purport than intend or mean ;
intend points to no more than the general setting of the
mind upon doing a thing ; design denotes an object of
attainment placed befoi-e the mind, with a calculation of
the steps necessary for it ; purpose indicates a permanent
resolution to be carried out in such a way that circum-
stances must be made subservient to it."
deter, v., to hinder or discourage by consideration of danger,
difficulty, or great inconvenience.
Syn.: discourage, dishearten, obstruct.
Ant. : encourage, incite, prompt, persuade.
Syn. dis. : " Deter and discourage denote gradually the
action of the judgment ; dishearten, an influence upon the
spirits. One is deterred by formidable difficulty or opposi-
tion ; discouraged by the representations of advisers, or by
a calm estimate of the nature of the case ; disheartened by
anything that robs us of .-sinrit, energy, or hope. Disheart-
ened ap[)lie' only to porsons ; discourage both to persons
and their effi)rts."
develop, v., to unfold gradually ; to lay open ; to disclose.
Syn. : unfold, unravel, uncover, exhibit.
Ant. : envelope, wrap, obscure, conceal, involve.
Syn. dis. : " To develop is to open that which has been
wi-apt in an envelope ; to unfold is to open that which has
h<iQv\. folded ; to unravel is to open that which has been
ravelled or tangled. The api)lication of these terms there-
fore to moral objects is obvious : what has been folded
and kept secret is unfolded ; what has been entani^led in
any mystery or confusion is unravelled; what has been
wrapped up so as to be entirely shut out fi'om view is
developed. We speak of the development of plans, plots,
152 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
ideas, the inind, etc., and also, scientifically, of the develop-
ment of one species from another, of the development of
the body in growth, etc."
diction, n., style or manner of expressing ideas in words.
Syn. : phraseology, diction, style.
Syn. dis. : "In the order in which these words here
stand, they advance from the moi'e particular to the more
general. Phraseology is the employment of particular
expressions in such a way as to be distinctive, but not as
a matter of praise or blame. We do not speak of good
or bad phraseology. Diction is the construction, disposi-
tion, and application of words. The term is employed in
cases where clearness and accuracy are at stake ; while
style is employed of the characteristics of productions and
performances which lay claim to an artistic character, as
writing, oratory, painting, and the like."
dictionary, n., a book containing the words of a language
arranged in alphabetical order, with explanations or defi-
nitions of their meanings.
Syn. : lexicon, vocabulary, encyclopaedia, glossary.
Syn. dis. : " The term dictionary has been extended in
its application to any work alphabetically arranged as
biographical, medical, botanical dictionaries, and the like ;
but still preserving this distinction, that a dictiona/ry
always contains only a general or partial illustration of
the subject proposed, whilst an encyclopedia embraces
the whole circuit of science. Lexicon is a species of dic-
tiona/ry appropriately applied to the dead languages; a
vocabulary is a partial kind of dictionary which may com-
prehend a simple list of words, with or without explana-
tion, arranged in order or otherwise; a glossary is an
explanatory vocabulary, which commonly serves to explain
the obsolete terms employed in any old author, or in
which certain words are selected and arranged for consid-
eration in detail."
difiference, n., want of similarity; that which distinguishes
one thing from another ; distinction.
Syn. dis. : " A difference is either external or internal ;
a distinction always extei-nal ; difference lies in the thing ;
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATKD. 153
distinction is the act of the person ; the fojiuer is there-
fore to the latter as the cause to the (effect ; the distinction
rests on the difference. Those are equally bad logicians
who make a distinction without a difference, or who make
no distinction where there is a difference."
diffidence, n., want of confidence ; distrust of oneself.
Syn. : distrust, mistrust, misgiving, suspicion.
Ant; : boldness, effrontery, shamelessness.
Syn. dis. : " Diffidence is used only of ourselves ; it is a
distrust of our own powers, with or without sufficient
grounds. Distrust is want of trust both as regards our-
selves and others, and relates not only to the power but
to the will and the schemes, efforts, and the like. Mis-
trust relates not to the power, but only to the will, find
hence can be used only of animate beings : to distrust is to
doubt the sufficiency ; mistrust, to doubt the integrity.
Misgiving is entirely internal and reflective ; it is the
spontaneous suggestion of distrust. Suspicion is the tend-
ency to believe ill, without adequate and sometimes, indeed,
without any proof"
diffuse, adj., using too many words to express one's meaning ;
wanting conciseness and due condensation
Syn. : discursive, prolix, copious.
Ant. : laconic, terse, condensed, epigrammatic.
Syn. dis. : " Of these, as epithets applied to styles of
speaking or writing, diffuse (Lat. diffund&re, diffustus, to
pour abroad) rather relates to the language ; discursive
{discurrere, to run about) to the treatment of the subject ;
and prolix {jaro and laxios, loose) to the effect of both in
combination. A diffuse writer or speaker is not sparing
of time or space ; he employs sentences which might have
been condensed into fewer words, and expands into imag-
ery, illustration, and amplification of all sorts. Diffuse-
ness is the extreme of which copiousness (Lat. copia,
plenty) is the mean, and may be the I'esult either of
wealth of thought or language, or simply of the contrary,
— an inability bo compress. Discursive denotes the absence
of unity, system, method, and sequence. It belongs to
the mind, which does not estimate the relative bearings
154 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WOKD-BOOK.
of different portions of the suVjject matter upon the cen-
tral })oint, and treats them in undigested series. Prolix
denotes any sort of protraction of discoui'se which imparts
the sense of weariness, of superfluous minuteness or tedious
length in the treatment of the suljject. Prolixity arises
from the introduction of unimportant details. The dif-
fuse is properly o])posed to the pi-ecise ; the prolix to the
concise or laconic."
diligent, adj., steady in application to business ; constant in
ell'ort to accomplish what is undertaken.
Syn. : assiduous, industrious, laborious, sedulous, active.
Ant. : idle, desultory, inert, slothful.
Syn. dis. : " The diligent man is he who gives sustained
attention to any matter which admits of perseverance and
interest. Industrious denotes a nature which loves work
for its own sake. The active man loves employment, and
is uneasy when he has nothing to do. Laborious is em-
ployed both of the agent and the work, and is a stronger
form of industrious as apj)lied to persons. Assiduoua and
sedulous both express steady and persevering attention to
an occupation or pursuit ; but sedulous denotes that it is
natural or habitual ; assidtious only denotes the fact
without implying a habit."
directly, adv., straightway ; soon ; without delay.
Syn. : immediately, instantly, instantaneously.
Ant. : by-and-by, afterwards.
Syn. dis : " Directly is most applicable to the actions of
men ; imined lately and instantly to either actions or events.
Immediately and i7istantly, or instantaneously, mark a
quick succession of events, but the latter in a much
stronger degree than the former. Immediately is negative;
it expresses simply that nothing intervenes ; instantly is
positive, signifying the veiy existing moment in which
the thing happens. A course of proceeding is direct, the
consequences are immediate, and the effects instantaneous."
disbelief, n., denial of belief, incredulity.
Syn. : unbelief, sce])ticism, infidelity.
Ant. : faith, credence, trust, assent.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. l^^
Syn. (lis. : " Unbelief is, negative ; disbelief is, positive :
unbelief ni&y arise from want of knowledge, but disbelief
rejects as false. Unbelief is the absence, disbelief the re-
fusal of credit. Incredulity and infdelity are used, the
former to signify absence of belief where it is possible, the
latter absence of belief where it is right. Incredulity may
be therefore right where it denotes a proper reluctance of
assent to what ought not to be easily believed, or not
believed at all ; infidelity is, by the force of the term,
wrong." Scepticism implies disbelief or inability to be-
lieve, and commonly expresses a doubting of the truth of
revelation or of the Christian religion.
discernment, n., power of perceiving differences in things
or ideas.
Syn. : penetration, discrimination, judgment, discretion.
Ant : heedlessness, dulness, density, blindness, inob-
servance.
Syn. dis : " Discernment is combined keenness and ac-
curacy of mental vision ; it is first penetrative, then dis-
criminative. Penetration is the power of seeing deeply
into things; discriminatiort, is discernment in minute
particulars, and of such a kind as leads to the acting upon
the differences observed. Judgment is the faculty of
deciding in practical matters with wisdom, truly, skilfully,
or accurately : it has to do not so much with actualities,
like discernment and penetration, but with possibilities.
Discretion is cautious discernment, and has for its result
the avoidance of such errors as come from want of self-
control or want of judgment."
disease, n., any deviation from health; disorder in any part
of the mind or body.
Syn. .• sickness, malady, complaint, ailment, disorder.
Ant. : health, sanity, salubrity, convalescence.
Syn. dis : " Disease is the most strictly technical of
these terms, being applied in medical science to such
morbid conditions of the body, or of parts of it, as admit
of diagnostics, and is commonly of prolonged duration.
Sickness is an unscientific term, to denote the deranged
condition of the constitution generally, without specifying
156 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
its character. A malady is a lingering and deejj-seated
disorder, which weakens without immediately jeopardiz-
ing the vital functions. Complaint is commonly applied
to the less violent, though continuous kinds of disorder.
Disorder is a disturbance of the functions of the animal
economy, and differs thus from disease, which is organic.
Ailment is the lightest form of complaint and expresses
its slight and passing character."
See indisposition.
disposition, n., natural constitution of the mind ; inclination.
Syn. : character, temper.
Syn. dis. : " Disposition and temper are both applied to
the mind and its bias ; but disposition respects the whole
frame and texture of the mind ; temper respects only the
bias or tone of the feelings : disposition is permanent and
settled ; temper is transitory and fluctuating. The dis-
posiiion comprehends the springs and motives of actions ;
the temper influences the actions for the time being : it is
possible to have a good disposition with a bad temper, and
vice versa. As a synonym with disposition, character is
the whole moral nature, of which the disposition is a
manifestation ; it is often, though improperly, used in the
sense of the social estimate formed of a man, his reputa-
tion for good or ill."
distinguish, v., to perceive a difference by the senses ; to
separate or divide by some mark or quality.
Syn. : discriminate, mark, discern, perceive, recognize.
Ant. : miss, overlook, confuse, confound.
" Syn. dis. : " In the sense in which distinguish is a
synonym with discriminate, it is similai-ly used in regard
to physical objects, while discriminate is only used of
moral things : we distinguish by the eye or the mental
perception ; we discriminate by the judgment alone ; we
distinguish broadly ; discriminate nicely. We distinguish
best when we show great differences ; we discriminate
best when we show slight differences, or dissimilarities in
detail under a general resemblance."
distinguislied, adj., noted or celebrated for some superior or
extraordinary quality; marked, famous.
SYNONYMS DISCKIMINATKD. 157
Syn. : eminent, illustrious, conspicuous, prominent.
Ant. : common, commonplace, obscure, ordinary.
Syn. dis. : '* Distinguished directly relates to persons
and to deeds, and to persons for the sake of their deeds :
it conveys the idea of social eminence or prominence as
the result of public services rendered, or merit publicly
exhibited. Eminent is only employed of persons — those
who stand above their fellows : wlien things stand out
conspicuously they are called prominent ; e. g. the eminent
characters of history, and the prominent events. Illustri-
ous is used strictly only of persons, inasmuch as human
acts or character can alone make things illustrious, as
being the agents or recipients of what is illustrious ; thus
we speak of illustrious heroes, nobles, titles. If we speak
of illustrious deeds or events, it is as being done or
brought about by human agency."
docile, adj., (dd'-sll or d6s'4l), easily instructed or managed ;
teachable ; willing or ready to learn.
Syn. : tractable, amenable, compliant, tame.
Ant. : stubborn, dogged, intractable, obstinate.
Syn. dis. : " Docile [lit. easy to teach) implies more than
tractable (easy to handle) : tractable denotes no more than
the absence of refractoriness, docile the actual quality of
meekness. Amenable is commonly used of human beings
who are willing to be guided by pei-suasion, entreaty, and
reason, without requiring coercion. The docile is easily
taught or led ; the tractable easily managed ; the amenable
easily governed and persuaded."
droll, adj., odd, out of the common way ; farcical ; waggish.
Syn. : ludicrous, comical, laughable, ridiculous, facetious.
Ant. : sad, tragic, lugubrious, funereal.
Syn. dis. : " D7-oll denotes the combination of the laugh
able with the unfamiliar or odd ; ludicrous, that which is
personally laughable, but without any necessary admixture
of contempt or pity, in this differing from ridiculous,
which conveys the idea of the contemptible in things and
the humiliating in persons. Comical denotes what is
demonstratively and, as it were, dramatically, laughable."
ir^g THE HIGH SCHOOL FNGLISH WORD-BOOK.
duty, n., a moral or legal obligation ; a debt due : obedience
or submission due to parents or superiors ; loyalty.
Syn. : obligation, service.
Ant. : freedom, licence, immunity, exemption.
Syn. dis : " The distinction commonly made between
duty and obligation is that duty {lit. what is due) rises
out of jjei'uianent relationships between persons, while
obligation, {lit. to bind) flows from the application of moral
princij)les to particular cases. Obligations in this way
would often be duties, while duties would often be based
upon obligation. Duty is a graver term than obligation :
a diUy hardly exists to perform trivial things, but there
may be an obligation to do them : a duty never can be
against reason ; an obligation may be even absurd, as
depending upon custom. Obligation is defined by the
extent of the power which obliges ; duty by the ability of
the subject who })erforms."
E.
ease, n., an undisturbed state of quiet, either of the mind or
body ; comfort, enjoyment.
Syn. : quiet, rest, repose, tranquillity ; easiness, facility.
Ant. : disquiet, trouble, annoyance, vexation.
Syn. dis. : ^^ Ease means the absence of any cause of
trouble : tins may be either internally as regards oneself,
or externally, in regard to what one has to do. Hence its
two-fold meaning of quiet 2Mi\ facility. Quiet denotes the
absence of a disturbing cause, a quiescent state : rest de-
notes the cessation from active or laborious movement :
repose implies the placing of all parts of the body, as well
as the mind, in a posture or condition of rest. In the
other sense of the word, ease commonly refers to specific
action ; easiness, to inherent quality. Ease is also appli-
cable to purely physical undertakings ; facility, to mental :
ease is opposed to effort, facility to difficulty.
eccentric, adj., peculiar or odd in manner or character.
" With this man's knavery was strangely mingled an eccentric
vanity, which resembled madness." — Macaiilay.
Syn. : singular, strange, odd, flighty, peculiar.
SYNONYMS DISCKIMINATKl). 159
Ant. : unremarkable, customary, regular, unnoticeable.
Syn. dis. : '^Eccentric (as an adjective) is employed only
of persons, and, again, only of what meets the observa-
tion in reference to conduct, as the appearance, dress, and
the behaviour : it implies a will, nature, or habits which,
as it were, move in a different orbit from other people.
Singular, on the other hand, is applied to the whole per-
son, or to any aspect of his character, to his ideas, to his
whole life, or to any particular act, as standing by itself
out of the common course, and even to phenomena, cir-
cumstances, or occurrences. Strange is of equally com-
prehensive aj:)plication, but bears reference to the experi-
ence of the witness, to which it is foreign or alien. Odd
implies disharmony, incongruity, or unevenness."
ftCOnomy, w.,the frugal and prudent management of a family
or household ; the judicious management of the affairs of
an office or a nation.
Syn. : frugality, parsimony, tlu-ift.
Ant. : liberality, generosity.
Syn. dis. : " Economy im])lies management ; frugality
implies temperance ; parsimony implies simply forbearing
to spend, which is in fact the common idea included in
these terms."
economical, adj-, managed or handled with care and
frugality ; not wasteful or extravagant.
Syn. : saving, sparing, thrifty, ])enurious, niggardly.
Ant. : wasteful, extravagant, improvident.
Syn. dis. : '^Economical signifies not spending xmneces-
sarily or unwisely ; saving is keeping and laying by with
care ; sparing is keeping out of that which ought to be
spent ; thrifty or thriving is accumulating by means of
saving ; penurio^is is suffeiing, as from penury, by means
of saving ; niggardly is not spending or letting go, but in
the smallest possible quantities."
Gducation, n., the educing, leading, or drawing out the latent
powers of an individual ; (po[>ularly) the cultivation ot
the moral, intellectual, and physical powers.
Syn. : instruction, breeding, training, discipline.
\Q0 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WOKU BOOK.
Syn. dis. : Education is derived from Lat. eiluaire, " to
bring up " ; hence it includes all that is involved in its
synonyms. " The term is used of a premeditated effort
on the part of parent and teacher to draw out one's intel-
lectual and moral endowments, encouraging what is good
to oneself and to society, and discouraging what is hurtful.
With this is combined an effort to give more or less of
technical training to tit the scholar or student for the
occupation by which he desires or is likely to support him-
self in life." * * « Instruction respects the communi-
cation of knowledge, and breeding respects the manner or
outwai'd conduct ; but education comprehends not only
both of these, but the formation of the mind, the regula-
tion of the heart, and the establishment of the principles."
A person may be a man of education who has not been
trained in school or college : one may be so trained and
yet be a person of little education : education includes
instruction (which may be received in the university of
the world) and breeding, an essential part of a man's men-
tal and moral outfit. * * " Training is development
by instruction, exercise and discipline, and is applicable
to the whole nature of a man, or, specifically, to the facul-
ties which he possesses."
6£f6Ct, n., result or consequence of a cause or agent.
Syn. : result, consequence.
Syn. dis. : " Effect applies either to physical or moral
objects ; consequence, only to moral subjects. An effect
is that which necessarily flows out of the cause, — the
connexion l)etween the cause and the effect being so inti-
mate that we cannot think of the one without thinking of
the other. A consequence, on the other hand, may be
either casual or natural ; it is that on which we can cal-
culate."
effective, adj., having the power to effect; producing
effect.
" The use of these rules is not at all effective upon erring con-
sciences,"
Syn. : effectual, efficient, efficacious.
Ant. : weak, futile, inoi)erative, nugatory.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 161
Sj'n. dis. : "An end or result is effp.ctual, the means are
efficacious. Efficient is actively operative, and is used of
persons, of things, and of causes, in a philosophical sense,
as 'an efficient cause,' an ' efficient officer.' Effective is pro-
ducing a decided effect, as ' an effective remedy,' * an effective
speech.' Effectual is finally effective, or producing, not
effect generally, but the desired effect in such a way as to
leave nothing to be done. Efficacious is possessing the
quality of being effective, which is latent in the thing until
it is put into operation. It is not employed of persons."
eligible, adj., fit or deserving to be chosen.
Syn. : desirable, preferable.
Ant. -. worthless, ineligible, undesirable.
Syn. dis. : "Eligible means px'itnarily worthy of being
or qualified to be, chosen ; it denotes, therefore, an alterna-
tive— that of choosing something else, or not choosing
this. Desirable is of wider application, and conveys no
idea of comparison or selection. Preferable is that which
is comparatively desirable or specifically eligible. What is
eligible is desirable in itself, what is preferable is more
desirable than another. There may be many eligible situ-
ations out of which perhaps there is but one preferable :
of ])ersons, however, we say rather that they are eligible
to an office than preferable."
elocution, n., the management and quality of the voice in the
utterance or delivery of words.
Syn. : eloquence, oratory, rhetoric, declamation.
Syn. dis.: ^'Elocution turns more upon the accessory
graces of speaking in public, as intonation, gesture, and
delivery in general ; eloquence on the matter, and the
natural gifts or the attainments of the speaker. Oratory
comprehends both the art and the practice of the orator,
and, in an extended sense, the combined productions of the
orators, as ' the oratory of Greece and Ex)me.' Rhetoric is
strictly the theory or science of which oratory is the ])rac-
tice." By poetic licence, we sometimes speak of eloqv.ence
in a mute sense, as ' the silent eloquence of a look.'
endurance, n., the power or capacity of bearing or enduring
without yielding or giving way.
12
162 '^^^ HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD BOOK.
Syn. : patience, resignation, fortitude.
Ant. : weakness, feebleness, lassitude.
Syn. dis. : ''Endurance is the power or act of enduring)
that is, of suffering without sinking, and may be a i)hy8i-
cal or a mental quality. Patience is endurance, which is
morally acquiescent : the opposite to endurance is simply
exhaustion ; the opposite to patience is repining, or irrita-
bility and impatience. Resignation is unresisting, unmur-
muring acquiescence in the issue of circumstances or in
the exercise of the will of another. Fortitude is a moi-e
energetic quality, and might be defined as passive courage
or resolute endurance."
enthusiast, «., a person of ardent zeal, a highly imaginative
person ; one whose mind is completely possessed by any
subject.
Syn. : fanatic, visionary, zealot, bigot.
Syn. dis. : " Enthusiast is one who is influenced by a
peculiar fervour of mind, not necessarily irrational — in
certain limits admirable — as when we say an ' enthusiastic
lover of music' Enthusiasm begins to be blameworthy
and perilous when the feelings have over-mastered the
judgment. Fanatic is employed to designate one whose
overheated imagination has wild and extravagant notions,
especially upon the subject of religion, which render him
incapable of using his judgment and dangerous to others :
visionary, as the term expresses, is one who is moved
by visions and influences of the imagination, mistaken
for realities : zealot and bigot represent the one actively,
the superstitious partisan, the other, more passively, the
superstitious believer and adherent."
entire, adj., whole, undivided, complete in its parts.
Syn. : whole, complete, total, perfect.
Ant. : partial, broken, incomplete, impaired.
Syn. dis. : " In most cases the words entire and whole
are simply interchangeable ; but whole relates to what is
made up of parts, while entire does not relate to any idea
of parts, but simply to perfect and undiminished unity.
Complete is possessing all that is needful to constitute a
thing, or to fulfil a purpose or a definition. 7'otal is com-
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 163
plete in amount, so that in matters which do not relate to
mere quantity, we cannot use the term. We say total
sum, or amount, total loss, or total darkness, because the
mere perfection of quantity is all that is regarded. Per-
fect is a more comprehensive term, relating not only to
quantity, but also to quality."
envious, culj., feeling uneasiness at the superiority or happi-
ness of another ; full or infected with envy.
" An envious man, if you succeed,
May prove a dangerous foe indeed." — Cowper.
Syn. : invidious, jealous, suspicious.
Ant. : unselfish, trusting, disinterested.
Syn. dis. : "Invidious signifies looking at with an evil
eye : envious is literally only a variation of invidious,
which, in its common acceptation, signifies causing ill-will ;
while envious signifies having ill-will. Jealous is a feeling
of envy mixed with rivalry : we are jealous, not only of
the actual but the possible, whence the alliance between
jealousy and suspicion. The latter tenn relates more com-
monly to thoughts of the character, conduct, and designs of
other persons, and wears an inauspicious or unfavourable
air."
equivocate, v., to make use of expressions admitting of a
two-fold interpretation.
Syn. : prevaricate, evade, quibble, shuffle.
Syn. dis. : " These words designate an artful mode of
escaping the scrutiny of an inquirer. We evade by art-
fully turning the subject or calling oflF the attention of the
inquirer ; we equivocate by the use of equivocal or ambig-
uous expressions ; we prevaricate by the use of loose or
indefinite statements, shuffling or quibbling, so as to avoid
disclosing the truth."
error n., a deviation from truth ; involuntarily wandering
from the truth.
Syn. : mistake, blunder.
Ant. : truth, accuracy, correctness.
Syn. dis. : "Error, in its universal sense, is the general
term, since every deviation from what is right, and, we may
164 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WOKD-BOOK.
add, from what is true, just, or acciu-ate, in rational
agents is termed error, which is strictly opj)Osed to truth.
A mistake is an error committed under a misapprehension
or misconception of the nature of a case. An error may
be from absence of knowledge ; a mistake is from insuffi-
cient or false observation. Blunder is a practical error of
a peculiarly gross or awkwai-d kind, committed through
gross or glaring ignorance, heedlessness, or awkwardness.
Mistake is an error of choice ; blunder, an error of action."
essay, n., in literature, a written composition or disquisition
upon some particular point or topic, less formal than a
treatise.
Syn. : treatise, dissei*tation, tract, monograph.
Syn. dis. : " Essay is a modest term to express an
author's attempt to illustrate some point of knowledge or
learning by general thoughts upon it. It is tentative
rather than exhaustive or scientific. A treatise is more
formal and scientific than an essay. A dissertation is of
an argumentative character, advancing views upon a sub-
ject capable of being regarded in difierent lights. A tract
is of a simpler and shorter character, simply didactic, and
commonly, as now used, of a religious nature." A mono-
graph— the word is recent — is a treatise or description
limited to a single being or object, or to a single branch
of a subject.
ever, adv., at any time ; always ; in any degree.
Syn. dis : There is need for discrimination in the use
of the words ever and always. Ever expresses uniformity
of continuance, and has the additional meaning of at any
time, in which it belongs peculiarly to negative and inter-
rogative sentences, as " Who ever (at any time) heard the
like of that]" Always expresses uniformity of repetition,
and means at all times.
every, adj., the whole, taken one at a time ; each one of a
whole.
Syn. : each, whole, all.
Syn. dis. : " Tliese are not so much synonyms as words
which are employed in kindred ways. AIHh collective;
every is single or individual ; each is distributive. All
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. |g5
respects a single body regarded as to the number of its
parts ; whole, a single body regarded as to its quantity ;
all men being equivalent to the whole human race. Every
person is justly treated when each receives his due share."
Every is very frequently, but wrongly, made to do duty
now-a-days for " all," " perfect," " entire," "great," or " all
possible," as in the phrases : " He takes every pains ;" "He
deserves every praise ;" " He is entitled to every confi-
dence;" ^^ Every one has this in common."
evidence, n., that which demonstrates or makes clear that a
fact is so; that which makes evident or enables the mind
to see truth.
Syn. testimony, proof, illustration, token, sign.
Ant. : surmise, conjecture, disproof, fallacy.
Syn. dis. : " The words evidence and testimony, thougli
differing widely in meaning, are often used indiscrimin-
ately by careless speakers : evidence is that which tends
to convince ; testimony is that which is intended to con-
vince. Proof, being a simpler word than testimony and
evidence, is used more generally of the ordinary facts of
life. Testimony is strictly the evidence of a witness given
under oath ; evidence is a term of higher dignity, and is
applied to that which is moral and intellectual, as the
evidences of Christianity ; or the body of proofs, or alleged
proofs, tending to establish facts in law."
examination, n., careful observation or inspection; scrutiny
by study or experiment.
Syn. : search, inquiry, research, investigation, scrutiny.
Syn. dis. : " Examination is the most general of these
terms, which all agree in expressing an active effort to
to find out that which is unknown. An examination is
made by the aid either of the senses or the understanding,
the body or the mind ; a search is principally a bodily
action ; the inquiry is mostly intellectual : an examination
is made for the purpose of forming a judgment ; a search
is made for ascertaining a fact ; an inquiry has much the
same meaning. Research is laborious and sustained search
after objects, not of physical, but of mental observation
and knowledge ; investigation is literally a mental tracking
166 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
(of facts or appearances) ; scrutiny is confined to minute
examination of what is known and present • exploration is
to range in inquiry, or to direct one's search over an ex-
tensive area."
example, n., a copy, pattern, or model ; one as an illustra.
tion of the whole.
Syn. : instance, sample, illustration, case, precedent.
Syn. dis. : " The example is set forth by way of illus-
tration or insti-uction ; the instance is adduced by way
of evidence or proof. Copy, pattern, and model stand in
close relationship. A copy has the double meaning of a
pattern and an imitation of it, or of the thing to be imita-
ted and the thing imitating ; a pattern is anything pro-
posed for imitation ; a model, in addition to the meanings
of pattern, has that of a perfect pattern, or the best of the
kind. Precedent is something which comes down to us
with the sanction of usage and common consent, as a
guide to conduct or judgment, and, in the legal sense,
has force in other cases, while an example has no force
beyond itself. Case is used in a loose way of an occur-
rence of a general character."
exasperate, v., to excice to great anger ; to enrage or pro-
voke greatly.
Syn. : aggravate, irritate, provoke, enrage, inflame,
embitter.
Ant. : soothe, conciliate, assuage, alleviate, mitigate.
Syn. dis.: "Both persons and feelings are said to be
exasperated, but more commonly the former : it is to pro-
voke bitter feeling, or to aggravate it. Aggravate is to
make heavy, and so to make worse, to make less tolerable
or excusable, and is properly applied only to evils or
offences, though it has come, incorrectly, to be used in the
sense of irritate and exasperate. In this latter sense it is
to be presumed that the idea is to make to feel a burden
or a grievance. To irritate is less strong than the other
terms, and denotes the excitement of slight resentment
against the cause or object. To provoke is stronger, and
expresses the rousing of a feeling of decided anger and
strong resentment by injury or insult, such as naturally
8YKONTMS DISCRIMINATED. 167
tends to active retaliation. To exasperate is stronger still,
and denotes a provocation to unrestrained anger or re-
sentment, based upon a determined ill-will."
exceed, v., to pass or go beyond ; to surpass.
Syn. : excel, outdo, transcend, surpass, outstrip.
Syn. dis. : To exceed is a relative term, implying some
limit, measure or quantity already existing : in its limited
acceptation, it implies no moral desert ; surpass and excel
are always taken in a good sense It is not so much
persons as things which exceed ; both persons and things
sv/rpass ; persons only excel. " Transcend is to excel in
a signal manner, soaring, as it were, aloft, and surmount-
ing all barriers. Outdo is a simple Saxon compound for
the Latin or French surpass. It is accordingly a familiar
term, with a familiar application ; hence, it has sometimes
the undignified force of to get the better of another in no
very honourable way, as a synonym of outwit. To outdo
is simply to do something better than another, and to reap
some personal advantage by the fact."
excite, v., to call into action ; to rouse, to animate.
Syn. : rouse or arouse, incite, awaken, stimulate.
Ant. : allay, quiet, appease, soothe, pacify.
Syn. dis.: "To excite is said more particularly of the
inward feelings ; incite is said of the external actions.
To excite is to call into greater activity what before existed
in a calm or calmer state, or to arouse to an active state
faculties or powers which before were dormant : the term
is also used of purely physical action. Awaken is to rouse
from a state of sleep, or, analogously, to stir up anything
that has lain quiet ; rouse is to awaken in a sudden or
startling manner. To incite is to excite to a specified act
or end which the inciter has in view : to stimulate is to
spur into activity {stimulus, a spur) and to a certain end."
excuse, v., to overlook on giving an explanation or apology.
Syn. : pardon, forgive, acquit, remit, exculpate, condone.
Ant. : charge, condemn, accuse.
Syn. dis. : " We excuse whenever we exempt from the
imputation of blame : when used reflectively it sometimes
Igg THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORDBOOK.
means no more than to decline, or to take such exemption
to oneself. We excuse a small fault ; we pardon a great
fault or a crime : we excuse commonly what relates to our-
selves ; we pardon offences against rule, law, or morals.
Forgive differs from both in relating only to offences
against oneself. Omissions and neglects or slight com-
missions may be excused ; graver offences and crimes par-
doned; personal insults and injuries ybr^ if ew." The term
condone implies the forgiveness or overlooking of an offence
or offences by outwai^d acts ; in law, the term has special
force as a bar to action in suits for divorce.
expedient, n., that which serves to promote or help forward
any end or purpose.
Syn. : resource, shift, contrivance, resort.
Syn. dis. : " An expedient is a contrivance more or less
adequate, but irregular, and sought for by tact and adap-
tation to the peculiar circumstances of the case. It is a
kind of unauthorized substitute for more recognized modes
of doing things. A shift is an expedient which does not
profess to be more than temporary and very imperfect, a
mere evasion of difficulty." Makeshift expresses this idea
best. A resource is that to which one resorts : it is often,
therefore, that on which the others are based. So it may
be a test of skill in contrivance to find an adequate
expedient in limited resources. Shift usually relates to
objects trivial and external, contrivance to matters of more
importance, and expedient to those even of the highest.
explain, »., to make plain or evident ; to clear of obscurity ;
to expound.
Syn. : elucidate, illustrate.
Ant. : mystify, obscure, misinterpret.
Syn. dis. : To explain is simply to make intelligible by
removing obscurity or misunderstanding. To elucidate and
illustrate are to make more fully intelligible. The field
of elucidation is commonly broad : we elucidate a subject
by throwing all the possible light we can upon it : we
illustrate by means of examples, similes, and allegorical
figures, by giaphic representations, and even by artistic
drawings. Words are the common subjects of explaiim,-
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 169
tion ; moral truths require illustration ; poetical allusions
and dark passages in writers require elucidation.
explicit, adj., clear, plain ; not ambiguous or obscure.
Syn. : express, explanatory.
Ant. : obscure, suggestive, implied, hinted.
Syn. dis. : " Explicit denotes the entire unfolding of a
thing in detail of expression, so as to meet every point and
obviate the necessity of supplement. Explanatory, on the
other hand, is essentially supplemental, and the necessity
of explanation often arises from matters not having been
made sufficiently explicit. Express combines force with
clearness and notice of detail. Explicit calls attention
to the comprehensiveness and pointedness of the particu-
lars ; express to the force, directness, and plainness of the
whole."
P.
fable, n., a feigned tale or story intended to enforce some
moral precept ; a fictitious narrative.
''Fable may be divided into the probable, the allegorical, and
the marvellous." — Pope.
Syn. : tale, moral, romance, fiction, invention.
Ant. : history, narrative, fact.
Syn. dis. : " Different species of composition are ex-
pressed by the above words : the fable is allegorical ; its
actions are natural, bui its agents are imaginary ; the tale
is fictitious, but not imaginary ; both the agents and
actions are drawn from the passing scenes of life. The
tale when compared with the novel is a simple kind of
fiction ; it consists of but few persons in the drama ;
whilst the novel, on the contrary, admits of every possible
variety in characteis. The Mle is told without much ai-t
or contrivance to keep the reader in suspense, without
any depth of plot or importance in the catastrophe ; the
novel affbi'ds the greatest sco])e for exciting an interest
by the rapid succession of events, the involments of inter-
ests, and the unravelling of its plot. If the novel awakens
the attention, the romance rivets the whole mind and
engages the affections ; it presents nothing but what is
extraordinary and calculated to fill the ima -ination."
170 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD BOOK.
facetious, adj., full of merriment, gaiety, wit, and humour;
given to pleasantry.
"By his singing, excellent mimicry, said facetious spirit."
— iValpole.
Syn. : jocose, jocular, witty, humorous, funny, droll.
Ant. : heavy, grave, sombre, lugubrious, saturnine.
Syn. dis. : Most of these terms may be applied either
to writing or to conversation. " Facetiousness is a kind
of afiected humour, to which it bears the same relation
that a smirk does to a smile. Jocose and jocular are
derived from the Latin jocus, a joke, and joculv^s, a little
joke : the jocose pokes fun, the jocular insinuates it.
Pleasantry carries the notion, not of abstract joking, like
facetious, but a tendency to personal raillery, though of a
kind the opposite to obtrusive. Thefax^etious had formerly
a higher meaning than at present, when it is hardly used
but in modified disparagement, answering to the Latin
facetus, elegantly liumorous. A man's disposition may be
jocose, his demeanour on a particular occasion jocnla/r"
factious, a., disposed to raise opposition on frivolous grounds.
"He complained of the endless talking, /aciicms squabbling,"
etc . — Macaulay.
Syn. : turbulent, seditious, crusty, litigious.
Ant. : genial, agreeable, complaisant, loyal, harmonious.
Syn. dis. : Factums is an epithet to characterize the
tempers of men ; turbulent and seditious characterize their
conduct. The factious man is given to raising dissension
and opposition, generally for the ends of his private in-
terest. The seditiotis man is one who excites disturbance
in the State or community on questions where political
principle or feeling are concerned : the /actions man is
troublesome ; the seditious man dangerous.
faculty, n., the power of doing anything; a power or capacity
of the mind.
Syn. : ability, talent, gift, endowment.
Syn. dis. : " Faculty is a power derived from nature ;
ability may be derived from circumstances or otherwise ;
Jacultij is a permanent possession ; it is held by a certain
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. ]71
tenure ; the ability is an incidental possession. The
powers of seeing and hearing -axe faculties; health, strength,
and fortune are abilities. The faculties include all the
endowments of body or mind, wliich are the inherent pro-
perties of the being, as when we speak of a man's retaining
his faculties, or having hia fac^dties impaired : the abilities
include, in the aggregate, whatever a man is able to do ;
hence, we speak of a man's abilities in speaking, writing,
learning, and the like ; talents are the particular endow-
ments of the mind which belong to the individual," and
denote a higher order of mental power than that usually
represented by the term ability.
fair, o-clj., just, upright, candid, impartial.
Syn. : honest, equitable, reasonable.
Ant. : dishonourable, fraiidulent, unjust, unfair.
Syn. dis. : " Fair is said of persons or things ; Jiouest
mostly characterizes the person, either as to his conduct or
his principle. When fair is employed as an epithet to
qualify things, or to designate their nature, it apjjroaches
very near in signification to equitable and reasonable;
they are all opposed to what is unjust ; what is fair and
equitable is so in relation to all circumstances ; what is
reasonable is so of itself." " There is a dignity and stern-
ness about the tGrxa. just which does not belong to fair, as
if it connected itself more directly with personal and re-
sponsible action. So prizes are said to be fairly won and
and justly awarded."
faithless, adj., characterized by a want of good faith ; not to
to be trusted.
Syn. : perfidious, treacherous, false.
Ant. : faithful, loyal, true.
Syn. dis. : " A faithless man is faithless only for his
own interest ; a perfidious man is expressly so to the injury
of another. A friend is faithless who consults his own
interest in time of need ; he is perfidious who profits by
the confidence reposed in him to plot mischief against the
one to whom he has made vows of f. iendship. Faithless-
ness does not suppose any particular efforts to deceive ; it
consists of merely violating that faith which the relation
172 TJIK HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
ought to produce ; perfidy is never so complete as when it
has most effectually assumed the mask of sincerity; ■perfidy
may lie in the will to do; treachery lies altogether in the
thing done."
fame, «., report or opinion widely diffused ; notoriety or
celebrity.
" And the fame thereof went abroad into all that land." — Mat-
the^a ix. 26.
Syn. : reputation, renown, repute.
A.nt. : silence, suppression, disgrace, disreijute,
Syn. dis. : " Fa7ne may be applied to any object, good,
bad, or indifferent, and may even be used of passing
rumours. Reputalion belongs essentially to persons, and
not to the subject matter of rumour : it implies some
amount of publicity of character. Repute differs from
reputation in applying to things as well as persons : he is
a man of high reputation; or his character is of good or
bad repute. Renowi is employed of deeds and characters
or persons : it is illustrious rejnttation, but is confined,
as reputation is not, to signal deeds. A man may have a
high reputation for integrity, but he is renowned for great
achievements or for moral excellences."
fancy, n., the power by which the mind forms to itself inifiges
and representations of things, persons, or scenes of being ;
the creative faculty.
Syn. : imagination, conception.
Syn. dfe. : " Fancy is that faculty which reproduces the
impressions caused by external objects, combines and modi-
fies them anew, and recalls them for purposes of mental
delectation. Imagination is a grander, graver exercise of
mind than fancy. The historical novels of Scott exhibit
both fancy and imagination; fancy, where scenes are
introduced which are not, or in all their details are not,
historically true, but such as might have occurred ; im-
agination, where, upon limited historical information, he
completes the outline of a character or an event by the
play of energetic but accurate creations. Conception differs
from both in being more creative, and having for its object
the production of some reality, as the conceptions of the
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATKD. 173
poet, tlie painter, and the sculptor. Fcmcy may be wholly
unreal ; imagination must be in part real ; concej^tion is
altogether real."
fatigue, n., exhaustion from bodily or mental lab nir or
exertion.
Syn. : weariness, lassitude, exhaustion, 'anguor.
Ant. : freshness, vigour, activity.
Syn. dis. : Fatigue is the feeling of being tii-ed out either
in mind or in body ; weariness is a wearing out of the
strength or the spirits ; lassitude, a general relaxation of
the animal frame. The latter differs from languor, which
might be thrown off by exercise, in being actual weakness
and relaxation of the physical powers. Weariness may be
the result of prolonged physical effort, as after a long
journey, or it may "be the result of mental toil over a dry,
dispiriting and uninteresting subject.
feasible, adj., that may or can be done, performed, or effected ;
possible to be done.
" But, fair although a,nd feasible it seem,
Depend not much upon your golden dream. " — Cowper.
Syn, : possible, practicable, contrivable.
Ant. : impossible, unmanageable, unallowable.
Syn. dis. : " Feasible denotes that which may be effected
by human agency. Possible is of wider signification, and
means capable of existing or occurring : feasible belongs to
the province of action only ; jyossible to that of thought
and action also, as when we say, ' it is possible, but not
probable.' Practicable is very like feasible; but prac-
ticable refers, in the main, to matters of moral practice,
while feasible belongs to physical action, or human plans
and designs. For instance, we might say, ' a feasible,' or
* a practicable scheme '; but we could only say * a pi-ac-
ticable,' not 'a feasible virtue.' Practicable has the fui-ther
sense of capable of being made use of; as, ' at this season
it is practicable to go by the road,' or ' the breach was
reported practicable.' "
feeling, n., sense of touch ; emotion; tenderness or sensibility
of mind.
174 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD BOOK.
Syn. : sense, sensation, perception, susceptibility.
Ant. : insensibility, callousness, coldness, insensateness.
Syn. dis. : " Feeling is the general, sensation and sense
are the special terms ; the feeling is either physical or
moral ; the sensation is mostly physical ; the sense physical
in the general, and moral in the particular application.
The feeling, in a moral sense, has its seat in the heart ; it
is transitory and variable ; sense has its seat in the under-
standing ; it is permanent and regular. Sensibility is the
capacity of feeling or perception ; susceptibility is com-
monly used in the sense of quick sensibility, or the capacity
of it. Emotion is a strong excitement of feeling, tending
to manifest itself by its effect upon the body. Sense is
employed in the widest way to comprise the whole range
of mental and physical sensation ; as, ' the things of time
and sense.' Perception is the conscious reference of sensa-
tion to the cause which produced it."
feign (fdn), v., to make a show of doing ; to assume, pretend,
or dissemble.
Syn. : pretend, simulate, dissimulate, affect, counterfeit.
Syn. dis. : " Feign is to give fictitious existence, or to
give an impression of something as actual or true which
is not so. To pretend is to put forward what is unreal
or untrue in such a way that it may be accepted as true :
feigning commonly misleads the observation ; pretence the
understanding. Delusion is the very essence oi feigning ;
but lo fretend is etymologically and in its oldest sense
simply to put forward ; then, derivatively, to put forward
in a cloak, or with false purpose. To simulate is to put
on and systematically exhibit what are the natural signs
and indications of feeling, a character or a part which
do not really belong to one ; to act a feigned part. Dis-
simulate is the feigned concealment of what really exists
in one's character or feeling ; as simulation is the feigned
exhibition of what does not exist."
fertile, adj., having abundant resources; well-supplied or en-
dowed.
" He becomes quick of observation and fertile of resource."
Syn. : fruitful, prolific, productive, inventive; exuberant.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. jyg
Ant. : sterile, barren, unproductive, unimaginative.
Syn. dis. : " Fertile expresses that wliicli has an in-
herent capacity of producing : it is applied properly to
soil, and metaphorically or analogously to the mind ol-
capacity of man, as o, fertile field, db fertile imagination,
fertile in resources. Fruitful denotes that which produces
of its own kind, and is opposed to barren, as fertile is
opposed to waste. A field may be called either fertile or
fruitful ; fertile as regards the soil, frvitful as regards
the produce. Prolific is producing young in abundance,
and is employed both of animals and fruit-bearing trees,
etc. It also is used metaphorically, as ' a measure pro-
lijic of evil consequences.' Productive denotes no more
than the fact of producing in tolerable quantity. The
naturally productive is identical with the fertile ; but
productiveness may be the result of art in tillage."
finish., v., to bring to an end ; to make perfect or complete.
Syn. : close, conclude, complete, terminate, end.
Ant. : begin, commence, start, undertake.
See close.
flattery, n., the art or i)ractice of flattering; false praise,
that which gratifies self-love.
Syn. : compliment, adulation, praise.
Ant. : insult, derision, rebuke, censure.
Syn. dis. : " Anything is flattering which expresses
])raise or admiration, not as being simply due and felt,
but for the sake of gratifying vanity or gaining favour."
The term compliment, in itself and etymologically, does
not necessarily express praise at all : it may be a merely
conventional expression of regard or respect. When,
with a certain stretch of politeness, our words express not
only respect but admiration, the compliment develops into
flattery. " Adulation (literally, fawning like a dog) is
excessive and exaggerated flattery, accompanied by a
feigned subserviency, and is ready to express itself in
hypocrisy and falsehood."
flourish., v., lit. to come out in blossom ; to be prosperous.
Syn. : thrive, prosper.
Ant. : fade, fail, decline.
176 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
•
Syn. dis. : " Flourish, and thrive are employed hoth of
vegetative life and growth and of the doings of men ;
prosper only of men's state and doings. To flourish is to
be in the possession and display of all powers belonging
to the individual according to his nature. The result of
flourishi7ig is the admiration of others or of beholders.
Thrive is to prosper by industry and care : acquisition in
substance by growth is the idea expressed by thrive.
Prosper is so to thrive as to be in advantageous circum-
stances : prosperity belongs to him who hoped for success,
while the merely fortunate man owes it to chance." The
term prosperity is used also in a general sense, as when
we speak of the prosperity of a nation, of the arts, of
commerce, of agriculture, of literature, etc.
foresight, n., the act or faculty of foreseeing ; a provident
care for futurity.
Syn. : forethought, forecast, premeditation, planning.
Ant. : improvidence ; unwariness, heedlessness.
Syn. dis. : " Foresight, from seeing before, denotes the
simple act of the mind in seeing a thing before it happens ;
forecast, from casting the thoughts onward, signifies com-
ing at the knowledge of a thing beforehand by means of
calculation ; premeditation, from meditate, signifies obtain-
ing the same knowledge by force of meditating or reflecting
deej)ly. Foresight is the general and indefinite term ; we
employ it either on ordinary or extraordinary occasions ;
forecast and premeditation mostly in the latter case : all
business requires foresight ; State concerns require fore-
cast : by foresight and forecast we guard against evils and
provide for contingencies ; by premeditation we guard
against errors of conduct."
form v., to make, shape, or mould out of materials ; to model
or mould according to a pattern.
Syn. : compose, constitute, fashion, construct.
Ant. : derange, disintegrate, disorganize.
Syn. dis. : " Form is a generic and indefinite term ; to
compose and constitute are modes of forming : all may be
employed either to designate modes of action, or to char-
acterize things. Things may be formed either by persons
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 177
or things ; they are composed and constituted only by con-
scious agents : thus persons form things, or things forrn
one another : thus we form a circle, or the reflection of
the light after rainworms a r^&nbow. Form, in regard to
persons is the act of the will and determination ; compose
is a work of the intellect; constitute is an act of power."
WefoTTu a party or a plan; we compose a book or a piece
of music ; men constitute governments, offices, etc.
frame, n., a structure formed of united parts, or a structure
or design afterwards to be filled up and completed.
Syn. : temper, temperament, constitution.
Syn. dis. : " Frame is applied to man physically or
mentally, as denoting that constituent part of him which
seems to hold the rest together ; which, by an extension
of the metaphor, is likewise put for the whole contents,
the whole body, or the whole mind. When applied to
the body, it is taken in its most universal sense, as when
we speak of the fram.e being violently agitated, or the
human frame being wonderfully constructed. Temper,
which is applicable only to the mind, is taken in the
general or [)articular state of the individual : the frame
comprehends either the whole body of mental powers, or
the {)articular disposition of those powers in individuals ;
the temper comprehends the general or particular state of
feeling as well as thinking in the individual. Temp&ra-
7nent and constitution mark the general state of the
individual ; the former comprehends a mixture of the
"* physi(JMl and mental ; tiie latter has a purely physical
a}){)lication." We speak of a strong bodily frame, a weak
constitution, or the reveree ; an ungovernable temper or
one well under control ; a s.inguine, a melancholy, or a
foreboding temperament.
fraud, n., a deceitful act by which the right or interest of
another is injured.
Syn. : guile, deceit, cheating, imposition, deception.
Ant. : truth, honesty, genuineness.
Syn. dis. : " Fraud and guile have in common the idea
of duplicity, or deceit in action ; but they differ in the
1.3
178 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
motives in which they directly originate." Fraud aims at
the disadvantage of another, or is at least such a deceiving
of another as shall in some way advantage oneself and
cause injury, loss, or humiliation to the one on whom it is
pi*actised. " Guile is a wily regard for one's own interests,
and is more an abstract quality than fraud ; guile is in
the natui-e, fraud is embodied in the act."
frequently, adv., many times ; at short intervals.
Syn. : often, commonly, habitually, generally, usually,
ordinarily. ■
Ant. : seldom, rarely, casually, uncommonly.
Syn. dis. : " Often relates to a standard of frequency
implied or expressed, and has a sort of fixed value ; fre-
quently denotes the simple numerous repetition of anything
without any standard to which such repetition can be
referred. Uncalculated recurrences ogcuv frequently ; cal-
culated recurrences (if so it be) occur often. Commonly
denotes that kind of frequency, the non-occurrence of which
would create surprise ; ordinarily, that which follows, or
seems to follow, a fixed order or rule ; generally, that which
occurs in the majority of similar cases, so that the contrary
would be an exception or a specific deviation ; usually,
that which occurs in such a way that the idea of custom
is connected either with the occurrence itself or with the
observation of him who experiences or takes cognizance of
it ; habitually, that which exhibits both the force and the
frequency of habit, and usually its frequency alone."
fulfil, v., to complete or carry into effect ; to perform what is
promised, expected, or foretold.
Syn. : discharge, realize, accomplish, complete.
Ant. : neglect, ignore, disappoint, falsify.
Syn. dis. : " To fnljil is literally to till quite full, that
is, to bring about full to the wishes of a person ; accom-
plish is to bring perfection, but without reference to the
wishes of any one ; to realize is to make real, namely,
whatever has been aimed at. The application of these
terms is evident from their explanations : the w^ishes, the
expectations, the intentions, and the promises of an indivi-
dual are appropriately said to he fulfilled ; national projects
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 179
or undertakings, prophecies, etc., are said to be accom-
plished; the fortune or the prospects of an individual, or
whatever results successfully from specific efforts, is said
to be realized."
G.
gaiin, w., anything gained or obtained as an advantage, or in
return for labour or the employment of resoui'ces.
Syn. : profit, emolument, lucre, acquisition.
Ant. : loss, detriment, forfeiture.
Syn. dis. : " Gain is here a general term ; the other terms
are specific : the gain is that which comes to a man, agree-
able to his wish, or as the fiiiit of his exertions ; the profit
is that which accrues from the thing. Emolument is a
species of gain from labour, or a collateral gain ; of this
description are a man's emoluments from an ofiice. Gain
and jyrofit are also taken in an abstract sense ; lucre is
never used otherwise ; but the latter always conveys a
bad meaning ; it is, strictly speaking, unhallowed gain."
gentle, (idj-, soft and refined in manners; high-bred.
Syn. : mild, meek, soft, bland, tame.
Ant. : rough, rude, coarse, tierce, savage.
Syn. dis. : *' Gentle {Lat. gentilis, gens, a family) denoted
primarily well-born ; hence, refined in manners, and, by a
further extension of meaning, of quiet nature and placid
disposition. Mild conveys the idea of subdued, but not
deteriorated energy : the air is mild which might be harsh ;
the expression is m,ild which might have been stem.
Tame denotes that gentleness which is the result of train-
ing or domestication : by a metaphor, tarne is used to
signify spiritless, as * a tame resistance,' * a tame poem ' :
tameness is inanimate tractableness or quiet. Meekness
differs from mildness, gentleness, and softness, in being
never applied, like them, to the deportment, but only to
the temper or character. Bland is producing pleasing
impi'essions by soothing qualities of character, and is em-
ployed exclusively of the outer manifestations of expres-
sion and manner. The chai-acteristic idea of softness is
pleasant impress : it is opposed to harshness and hardness ;
180 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
hence the tendency of the term to assume morally an un
favourable character, as effeminacy, too great susceptibility
and too great simplicity."
give, v., to bestow, to impart, to grant without price or
reward.
" Give, and it shall be given unto you."
Syn. : grant, bestow, confer, present, communicate.
Ant. : withhold, withdraw, refuse, retain, grasp, deny.
Syn. dis. : " The idea common to these terms is that of
communicating to others what is our own, or in our power
to give. To grant, to confer, and to bestow are characteristic
modes of giving : to grant is always from one person to
one or more others, in accordance with an expectation,
prayer, or request. To bestow (be and stow, a place) meant
originally to lay up in store. Hence, its latter meaning
is to give something of substantial value, with the inten-
tion of benefiting the object of the bestowal. Confer
implies not so much the value of the thing given as the
condescension of the giver : honours, favours, distinctions,
etc., are con/erred; goods, gifts, endowments, are be-
stowed; requests, prayers, privileges, opportunities, etc.,
are granted."
gldid, odj-, expressive of or indicating pleasure or satisfaction.
Syn. : pleased, joyful, joyous, delighted, cheerful, grati-
fied, happy.
Ant. : gi'ieved, depressed, dispirited, sorrowful, unhappy.
Syn. dis. : Glad may denote merely a lively and mo-
mentary sentiment ; pleased and joyful seem rather to
denote a gentle, but a more lasting feeling ; all, however,
express more or less lively sentiments. " Glad is less vivid
than joyful, and more so than cheerful. Pleased may de-
note either the pleasure of joy or the pleasure of satisfac-
tion or approbation ; gratified implies a sense of pleasure
due to the behaviour of another ; deli'ihted is a stronger
term than glad or pleased for expressing the same kind of
feeling."
glory, n., praise, honour, or admiration or distinction paid or
ascribed to any person by general consent.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 181
** Of good and evil much they argued, then
Of happiness and final misery.
Passion and apathy, and glory and shame." — Milton.
Syn. : honour, fame; splendour, brightness, magnificence.
Ant. : degradation, obscurity, shame, dishonour, igno-
miny.
Syn. dis. : ** Glory is the result of success in such things
as excite the admiration of men at large, extraordinary
efforts, brilliant achievements ; honour is the result of ex-
cellence, as acknowledged by the narrower circle in which
we personally move, and according to their particular
standard of it. Honour is never entirely separated from
virtue ; but glory may have no connection with it. Fume
is the result of meritorious success in the more select, but
less showy, walks of life : we speak of the glory of the
conqueror, the honour of the gentleman, the fame of the
scholar and the philanthropist."
govern, v., to rule as a chief magistrate ; to direct and con-
trol, as the actions and conduct of men, by established laws
or arbitrary will.
Syn. : rule, regulate, control, guide, sway.
Ant. : misrule, misdirect, misgovern, miscontrol.
Syn. dis. : ** The exercise of authority enters more or
less into the signification of these terms ; but to govern
implies the exei'cise likewise of judgment and knowledge.
To rule implies rather the unqualified exercise of power,
the making the will the rule ; a king governs his people
by means of wise laws and an upright administration ; a
despot rules over a nation according to his arbitrary de-
cision." " He shall rule them with a rod of iron." In
regard to persons, though we may speak of " a wise rule"
the term is sometimes taken in a bad sense ; to govern is
so perfectly discretionary, that we speak of governing our
selves, but we speak only of ruling others. Regulate is a
species of governing simply by judgment; the word is ap-
plicable, as is also that of govern, to things of minor mo-
ment, where the force of authority is not so requisite. We
speak of governing the affairs of a nation and of governing
our passions ; we speak of regulating the concerns of an
establishment or of regulating our affections.
182 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
gracious, adj., exhibiting or characterized by grace, kindness,
favour, or friendliness.
"And the Lord was gracious to them, and had compassion on
them." — 2 Kings.
Syn. : merciful, kind, courteous, benignant.
Ant. : haughty, discourteous, churlish, ill-disposed.
Syn. dis. : " Gracious when compared with kind, differs
princi))ally as to the station of the persons to whom it is
applied : graciotts is altogether confined to superiors ; kind
is indiscriminately employed for superiors and equals.
Kindness is a domestic virtue, it is the display of our
good-will not only in the manner, but in the act. Merd-
/ I is the quality of withholding pain, evil, or suffering,
when it is in one's power to inflict it ; or in a milder sense,
the granting of benefits in spite of demerit."
gratify, to afford pleasure, satisfaction, or gratification to ; to
meet the wishes of
Syn. : indulge, humour, please, satisfy.
Ant. : displease, disatisfy, disappoint, deny.
Syn. dis. : " To gratify, make grateful or pleasant, is a
positive act of the choice ; to indulge, (Lat. indulgeo and
dulcis, to sweeten, or make palatable) is a negative act of
the will, a yielding of the mind to circumstances : one
gratifies his appetites, and indulges his humour. We may
sometimes gratify a laudable curiosity, and indulge our-
selves in a salutary recreation ; but gratfying, as a habit,
becomes a vice, and indulging, as a habit, is a weakness."
* * * « To humour is to adapt oneself to the variable
mood of another ; to please has the twofold meaning of
exciting (1) anything of the nature of pleasure; and (2)
specifically a feeling of honourable satisfaction, as when an
employer expresses himself pleased with one in his employ.
Pleasure holds an intermediate position between satisfac-
tion and gratification, being more than the first, and less
than the second. To satisfy is to fill up the measure of a
want, whether the want be ordinate and lawful or unlaw-
ful and inordinate." Satisfying the cravings of hunger
would be a legitimate act ; yratifying low passions would
be an illegitimate indulgence.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 183
grave, adj. {Fr. from Lat. gravis, heavy), Fig. weighty, mo-
mentous, imi)ortant.
Syn. : serious, solemn, sad, demure.
Ant. : joyous, merry, light, trivial, frivolous.
Syn. dis. : " Grave expresses more than serious ; it does
not merely bespeak the absence of mirth, but that heavi-
ness of mind which is displayed in all the movements of
the body : a man may be grave in his walk, in his tone,
in his gesture, in his looks, and in all his exterior ; he is
serious only in his general air, his countenance, and de-
meanour. Solemn expresses more than either grave or
serious ; like serious, it is employed to characterize either
the person or the thing : the judge pronounces the
solemn sentence of condemnation in a solemn manner ;
a preacher delivers many solemn warnings to his hearers."
We speak of considerations as being grave or light ; of
circumstances as being seriovs or unimportant ; of cere-
monies as being solemn and impressive, amusing or trivial.
grievance, n., anything which causes pain or annoyance, or
gives ground for complaint, i*emonstrance, or resistance.
Syn. : hardship, injury, injustice, burden, trouble.
Ant. : boon, benefit, riddance, alleviation.
Syn. dis. : " The grievance implies that which lies heavy
at the heart ; hardship, that which presses or bears vio-
lently on the person. An infraction of one's rights^ an
act of violence or oppression, are grievances to those who
are exposed to them, whether as individuals or bodies of
men : an unequal distribution of labour, a partial indul-
gence of one to the detriment of another, constitutes the
hardship."
grudge, n., a feeling of malice or malevolence ; secret enmity.
" There is some grudge between them : 'tis not meet
They be alone." — Shakespeare.
S3'n. : spite, pique, ill-will, grievance.
Ant. : approval, good-will, benefaction.
Syn. dis. : " A grudge is a feeling of continuous and
sullen dislike chei-ished against another, having its origin
in some act of the person against whom it is felt. Spite
184 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
is a more active and demonstrative form of malevolence,
but not so enduring as grudge, which shows itself in cut-
ting words and irritating demeanour. Pique is purely
personal, and comes of offended pride, or a quick sense of
resentment against a supposed neglect or injury, with less
of malevolence than grudge or spite, both of which are
characterized by a desire to injure, which does not belong
to pique."
guide, n., one who or that which guides or directs a person
in his conduct or course of life ; a director.
Syn. : rule, direction.
Syn. dis. : " The guide, in the proper and moral sense,
goes with us and points out the exact path ; it does not
permit us to err either to the right or left ; the rule marks
out a line, beyond which we may not go ; but it leaves us
to find the line, and consequently to fail either on the
one side or the other." Conscience is, or should be, the
guide of man's actions ; duty to one's neighbour, the rule
for Christian observance. Direction may be a specific
order to be obeyed literally, or a suggested course, to be
followed under given circumstances ; when the former, it
has the force of an instructive command ; when the latter,
it is a permissive order, to be carried out or not as circum-
stances may determine.
guise, w. (giz), manner, mien, cast of behaviour or conduct.
" By their guise just men they seem." — Milton.
Syn. : habit, garb, aspect, semblance.
Ant. : character, person, individual.
Syn dis. : Guise is a term employed to denote the com-
bined effect of dress and deportment. The guise is that
which is unusual, and often only occasional ; the habit is
that which is usual among particular classes ; a person
sometimes assumes the guise of a peasant, in order the
better to conceal himself; he who devotes himself to the
clerical profession puts on the hahit of a clergyman. Garb
is official or appropriate dress, and, like dress, may com-
prise several articles of apparel ; habit, usually, however,
denotes one such article of a somewhat ample character,
as the Jhobit of a monk, or a lady's riding-A«6i<.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 185
H.
haibita<tion, n., a place to dwell in ; a place of abode.
"Every star perhaps a world of destined habitation." — Milton.
Syn. : abode, domicile.
Syn. dis : " Habitation is a place which one inhabits,
not necessarily a house or tenement of any kind ; abode
has the same sense, but with a less direct reference to the
constant passing of one's life there. Doudcile adds the
idea of habitation and abode a relationship to society and
civil government, and is consequently a term rather
technical than conversational. The legal force of the term
domicile is a residence more or less prolonged at a par-
ticular place, with positive or presumptive proof of an
intention to remain there." * * " Habitation points
more directly than abode to furnishing necessary slielter
and protection : the woods are the abodes of birds, their
nests are their habitations."
happen, v., to befall, to come to pass.
Syn. : chance, occur.
Syn. dis. : " Happen respects all events without includ-
ing any collateral idea ; chance comprehends, likewise, the
idea of the cause and order of events : whatever comes to
pass happens, whether regularly in the course of things,
or particularly, and out of the order ; whatever chances
happens altogether without concert, intention, and often
without relation to any other thing." "To occur (Lat.
occur rere. to run against) is a relative term, equivalent to
happening to a person, or to fall undesignedly in his way.
It is said not only of events, but of ideas or thoughts
which suggest themselves. Events of remote history hap-
pen ; but they are not occurrences to us." Never use the
word " transpire " as the synonym of " happen." Trans-
pire has one meaning, viz., to breathe through, to
perspire, or emit through the pores of the skin. It also
means ' to leak out,' e.g., a secret, or in such an expression
as, ' The result of their deliberations has not yet transpired.'
happy, <^j-, fortunate, lucky ; possessed of or enjoying plea-
sure or good.
186 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
Syn. dis. : Happy, fortunate, and lucky, are all applied
to the extei-nal circumstances of a man ; but happy conveys
the idea of that which is abstractly good ; the other terms
imply rather what is agreeable to one's wishes. A man
is happy in his marriage, in his children, in his connec-
tions, and the like ; he is fortunate or lucky in his trading
concerns. Happy excludes the idea of chance ; fortunate
and lucky exclude the idea of personal effort : a man is
happy in the possession of what he gets ; he is fortunate
or lucky in getting it. Lucky is generally used only of
minor occurrences ; fortunate of the larger results of fav-
ourable chance.
hasten, v., to move with celerity ; to go or act with haste or
speed.
Syn. : huny, urge, accelerate, expedita
Ant. : retard, impede, obstruct, delay.
Syn. dis. : " To Jiast&n and hurry both imply to move
forward with quickness in any matter ; the former may
proceed with some design and good order, but the latter
always supposes excitement and irregularity. To hasten
is oi)posed to delay or a dilatory mode of proceeding ; it
is often necessary to hasten in the affairs of human life :
to hurry is opposed to deliberate and cautious proceeding.
As epithets, hasty and hurried are both implied in a bad
sense ; but hohsty implies merely an overquickness of mo-
tion which outstrips consideration;" hurried implies a
disorderfy motion which may arise from a nervous or
excited mental condition. What is done in haste may be
well done ; not so what is done in a hurry.
hatred, «., a feeling of great dislike or aversion ; detestation.
Syn. : aversion, antipathy, enmity, repugnance, ill-will,
malice, malevolence, malignity, abhorrence, loathing.
Ant. : liking, love, approval, relish, fondness, affection.
Syn. dis. : These synonyms may be broadly divided into
two ©lasses, (1) those that express a feeling, not always
explainable or reasonable, of dislike towards some pereon
or thing, and (2) those that imply that the feeling is car-
ried into action towards its object (usually a pei-son), and
that its exercise gives pleasuie or satisfaction to the person
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 187
displaying the feeling. In the former class, aversion, an-
tipathy, abhorrence, and loathing, may be grouped ; in the
latter, s|)eaking generally, the other terms occur and are
expressive of active and aggressive ill-will. Hatred may be
considered as a general term expressive of dislike.; aver-
sion is a turning away from what is unpleasant or obnox-
ious to us ; antipathy is used of causeless, or more or less
ill-defined, dislike ; repugnance denotes an involuntary
resistance to something abhorrent, or to a particular line
of conduct to which circumstances impel us ; ill-will is a
settled bias of the disposition away from another and may
be of any degree of strength ; enmity expresses a state of
personal opposition, whether accompanied by strong per-
sonal hostility or not ; malice is that enmity which mani-
fests itself by injuring its object and in shaping courses of
action to compass its end ; malignity denotes an inherent
evil of nature, malignancy denotes its indication in partic-
ular instances.
head, n., a chief, a ruler, a principal, a guide, a director.
Syn. : chief, leader, governor.
Ant. : servant, retainer, inferior, subordinate, follower.
Syn. dis. : In its derivative sense, head is the analogue
{i.e., an object that has a resemblance to) of chief, and
denotes, as we usually employ the word, the first in an
organized body. Chief, in addition to this sense of the
term, expresses pre-eminence, personal and active. " A
person may be the head of a number, because there must
be some head ; but if he is the chief, his personal import-
ance and influence is felt, whether for good or ill. So
personal is the idea of chief, that a man may be chief
among others without being in any sense their head, that
is, bound to them in a relationship of command. A
leader is one who controls, directs, and instigates others in
given lines of movement or action : the head is the highest
man ; the chief is the strongest, best, or most conspicuous
man ; the leader is the most influential man."
hearty, odj., pertaining to or proceeding from the heart;
fi-ank, free from dissimulation.
Syn. : warm, sincere, cordial.
Ant. : cold, insincere, repellant.
188
THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
Syn. dis. : " Hearty and warm exj^ress a stronger feel-
ing than sincere; cordial is a mixture of the warm and
sincere ; hearty is having the heart in a thing — earnest,
sincere. Heartiness implies honesty, simplicity, and cor-
diality ; but the term leans rather to ex{)ressing the
outward demonstration of feeling than any quality of the
feeling itself, though this is by no means excluded ; as a
hearty desire, laugh, meal, shake of the hand ; hearty
thanks, good-will, etc. Sincere, unlike hearty, expresses
nothing of the strength of feeling, but only denotes that
it is genuine and not pretended. Cordial {Lat. cor, cordis,
the heart) is the Latin form of the Saxon hearty, and
differs rather in the mode of application than in the
essence of the meaning." We say our thanks are cordial
when thanks are warmly felt ; thanks are hearty when
thanks are warmly expressed.
hedd, n., cautious or careful observation.
Syn. : care, attention, regard, mindfulness.
Ant. : heedlessness, carelessness, recklessness.
Syn. dis. : "Heed applies to matters of importance to
one's moral conduct ; care to matters of minor import : a
man is required to take heed ; a child is required to take
care : the former exercises his understanding in taking
heed; the latter exercises his thoughts and his senses in
taking care. Heed combines attention and care ; but
while attention has the general sense of a careful giving of
the mind to anything that is proposed to it, heed has
exclusive relation to what concerns one's own interests.
One pays attention to another; one takes heed to one's
own ways."
heinous, odj. (el as a), wicked in the highest degree ; detest-
able, hateful, odious, abominable.
Syn. : flagrant, flagitious, atrocious.
Ant. : excellent, laudable, praiseworthy, meritorious.
Syn. dis. : " These epithets, which are applied to crimes,
seem to rise in degree. A crime is heinous which seriously
offends against the laws of men ; a sin is Jieinoics which
seriously offends against the will of God : an offence is
flagrant which is in direct defiance of established opinions
and practice : it is Jlagitioits if a gross violation of the
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 189
moral law, or coupled with any gi-ossness : a ciime is
atrocious which is attended with any aggravating circum-
stances. Lying is a heinous sin ; gaming and drunkenness
are flagrant breaches of the Divine law ; the murder of a
whole family is in the fullest sense atrocious." Flagrant,
it should be noted, implies that the sin or deed is done in
the eye of the public, or is taken cognizance of by the
public: flagrant applies also to error as well as to crime.
hold, v., to possess ; to be in possession of; to retain or keep
possession of
Syn. : occupy, possess, retain, maintain.
Ant. : drop, abandon, vacate, surrender, release, forego.
Syn. dis. : " We hold a thing for a long or short time ;
we occupy it for a permanence : we hold it for ourselves or
others ; we occupy it only for ourselves : we hold it for
various purposes ; we occupy only for the purpose of con-
verting it to our private use. * * The tenant occupies
the farm when it holds it by a cei'tain lease, and cultivates
it for his subsistence ; but the landlord possesses the farm,
possessing the right to let it, and to I'eceive the rent. We
■ may hold by force, or fraud, or right ; we occupy either by
force or right ; we possess only by right. Hence we say
figuratively, to hold a person in high esteem or contempt,
to occupy a person's attention, or to possess his affection."
homage, «., deference, respectful regard, revereftce.
"Paying ignominous liomage to all who possessed influence in
the Courts." — Macaulay.
Syn. : fealty, court, allegiance, worship.
Ant. : defiance, insubordination, disaffection, treason.
Syn. dis. : Homage, in its modern and figurative sense,
comprehends any solemn mark of deference, by which the
superiority of another is acknowledged : homage is paid or
done to superior endowments. " We pay homage to men
of excellence, virtue or power (also to women of great
beauty, or saiatliness of character), and, by a figure of
speech, to the excellences themselves ; we show fealty to
principles by which we have professed to be guided, or to
persons who are not so far our superiors as is implied in
homage ; and we pay court when we desire pei"Sonal favour.
190 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORDBOOK.
consulting the character and honour of the person to
whom we pay it."
honesty, n., the quality or state of being honest; honourable
character or conduct ; good faith.
Syn. : uprightness, integrity, probity, straightforward-
ness.
Ant. : dishonesty, insincerity, fraud, guile, chicanery.
Syn. dis. : '^'Honesty is a perfectly plain and unambigu-
ous term ; it denotes fairness and straightforwardness of
thought, speech, purpose, or conduct. Sincerity has a
two-fold meaning, either (1) reality of conviction or earn-
estness of purpose ; or, (2) exemption from unfairness or
dishonesty : the one is the condition of mind in itself;
the other, the relation of this state to practical matters.
Uprightness is honesty combined with a native dignity of
character ; as commonly taken, honesty is not so much a
matter of principle as of act and habit. Probity {Lat,
probits, good, honest) and integrity (Lat., integer, whole)
are higher terms, indicative of higher virtues and larger
chax'acteristics. The man oi probity is a man of principle,
and not merely of habit ; he is far more than commerciajly
honest ; he gives men their due in all respects. Integrity
comes from a sense of responsibility, a desire to keep that
whole in oneself which ought not to be broken. To the
man of integrity life itself is a trial : fidelity to the
obligations of law and duty suffice for probity ; integrity
is a habitual regard to the principles of morality and
conscience."
however, conj., nevertheless, notwithstanding, yet, still,
though.
These ten objectors, however, were almost all of one mind.
Syn. dis. : " These conjunctions are in grammar termed
adversative, because they join sentences together that stand
more or less in opposition to each other ; however is the
most general and indefinite ; it serves moi-e or less as a
deduction from the whole. Example — ' The truth is, how-
ever, not yet all come out ' — by this is understood that
much of the truth has been told, and much yet remains to
be told. Yet, nevertheless, and notwithstanding, are mostly
employed to set two specific propositions either in contrast
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. \Q\
or direct opposition to each other ; the two latter are l)ut
species of the former, pointing out the opposition in a more
specific manner. There are cases in which yet is peculiarly
proper; others in which nevertheless, and others in which
notwithstanding, is preferable. Yet bespeaks a simple
contrast, as, ' Addison was not a good speaker, yet he was
an admirable writer.' Nevertheless and notvnthstanding
could not here be substituted ; these terms are mostly
used to imply effects or consequences opposite to what
might naturally be expected to result. Example— 'He
has acted an unworthy part, nevertheless I will be a friend
to him ' ; ' notwithstcmding all I have said, be still persists
in his own imprudent conduct.' "
hurt, n., anything which causes physical pain ; loss or damage.
Syn. : damage, injury, harm, wrong, detriment.
Syn. dis. : " When used of the mind or feelings, hurt is
employed in the sense of i*ecciving a rude shock, as ' His
pride was hurt.' Some degree of ])hysical violence is iu:-
plied in the term : a subtle noxious influence would injure,
but not hurt. Damage is harm externally inflicted on
what is of value, as trees, crops, movable property, per-
sonal leputation. Injury has the purely physical meaning
of permanent hurt to physical objects, and of harm to
whatever is suscej)tib]e to it, as moral beings, etc., as, 'a
tree is injured by a storm ' ; ' injury to a man's pei-son or
to his chaiacter ' ; ' injury to the cause of religion or of
progiess.' Harm is that sort of hurt which causes trouble,
difficulty, inconvenience, loss, or im})edes the desirable
growth, operation, progress, and issue of things." Harm
and hurt, being Anglo-Saxon terms, are preferable to in-
jury and damage. Wro^ig is an injury done by one pei'son
to another in express violation of justice : injustice and
wrong lie in the principle, injury in the act.
I.
idle, adj., averse to labour or work ; doing nothing ; vain and
unprofitable.
Syn. : lazy, indolent, slothful, unemployed.
Ant. : occupied, active, busy, assiduous, industrious.
192 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
Syn. dis. : " A j)ropensity to inaction is the common
idea by which these woi ds are connected ; they differ in
the cause and degree of the quality : idle expresses less
than lazy, and lazy more than indolent : one is termed idle
who is doing nothing useful ; one is lazy who will do
nothing at all without great reluctance ; one is indolent
who does not cai"e to do anything or set about anything."
Indolent denotes a love of ease and an avei-sion to active
effort of mind as well as body : it is possible to be indolent
in mind and not in body, and vice versa. Idle is also
applied to portions of time, e. g., an idle hour, viz., an
hour which hangs idly on our hands or one which might
have been better spent. The men that stood idle because
no man had hired them were probably not lazy nor idolent.
ignorant, adj., uninstructed ; destitute of knowledge in gen-
eral or on any particular subject.
Syn. : illiterate, unlearned, unlettered.
Ant. : wise, learned, educated, clever, tutored
Syn. dis. : " Ignorant is a comprehensive term ; it in-
cludes any degree from the highest to the lowest, and
consequently includes the other terms, illiterate, unlearned,
unlettered, which express different forms of ignorance.
Ignorant is simj)ly not knowing ; unlettered, without the
learning acquired from books. Ignorance is not always to
one's disgrace, since it is not always one's fault ; the term
is not therefore directly reproachful." Everybody is ignor-
ant of many things ; but when ignorance is coupled with
self-conceit and presumption, then the term ignorant or
illiterate may be one of reproach. " Unlearned and un-
lettered differ from illiterate in not implying reproach ; a
man may be learned in one branch of learning and un-
learned in another : unlettered is rather a rhetorical than
an every-day term. Illiterate is ignorant of letters. Some
persons are ignorant of common pi-actical every-dav mat-
ters, who are far from being illiterate ; others are illiterate
who, without the opportunities of good education, have
picked up a good stock of general information."
ininiaterial, ac??., of no essential weight, importance, or con-
sequence.
Syn. : unimportant, trifling, unessential, irrelevant.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED.
193
Ant. : material, essential, impoi'tant, relevant.
Syn. dis : The want of imjyortance, of consideration, of
signification, either of matter or substance, is expressed
by these terms. Unimportant regards the consequences of
our actions ; ' it is unimportant whether we use this or
that word in certain cases ' ; immaterial is a species of
the unimportant, which is applied only to familiar sub-
jects ; ' it is immaterial whether we go to-day or to-mor-
row.* Trifling may apply not only to questions of
moment or importance, but also to the value or utility of
things. The trifling is opposed to the grave and weighty.
" Unessential is literally belonging not to the essence, but,
as it were, to the accidents of a thing, not going to form
part of the thing itself. Irrelevant belongs to argumenta-
tive considerations ; an irrelevant remai'k, e.g., is one
which does not appertain in any way to the argument."
imminent, adj., hanging over, or close at hand ; threatening
to fall or occur.
" When danger iTnmineraf betides. " — Cowper.
Syn. : impending, threatening, hovering.
Ant. : warded, staved, escaped.
Syn. dis. : " All these terms are used in regard to some
evil near at hand, in the way of peril or misfortune ;
imminent denotes that which is ready to fall ; impending
generally excludes the idea of what is momentary. A
person may be in im,minent danger of losing his life in one
instant, and the danger may be over the next instant " :
similarly, we may escape the danger that is impending or
threatening, either by happy chance or as the result of
warning. Death, in the natural course of things, is
always impending, and cannot be escaped by anyone,
though its occui'rence in the individual instance may not
be imminent.
immunity, n., a freedom or exemption from any obligation,
charge, duty, office, or imposition ; particular privilege.
Syn. : exemption, freedom, dispensation.
Ant. : liability, obligation, impost, burden.
Syn. dis. : Imm/wnity is used metaphorically of matters
which are regarded in the light of burdens or inflictions,
14
194 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
as immunity from pain, or suffering, or disease, to which
all are more or less liable, and which the human race is
compelled to pay as a tax. Exemption is a setting free
from duty or liability which may press upon others, but
from which we may be privileged to escape. Exem,ption
is a stronger term than immunity. " The former might be
employed of freedom from the worst evils or calamities ;
the latter, from what is grievous rather from what is
destructive or deadly. Exemption stands over against law
and ordinance ; immunity, against common obligation, and
the pressure of common necessity."
jjnperfection, w., the quality or state of being imperfect ; a
defect ; a fault, moral or physical,
Syn. : defect, fault, vice, blemish.
Ajit. : faultlessness, blamelessness, perfection.
Syn. dis. : " These terms are applied either to persons
or things : an imperfection in a person arises from his
want of perfection, and the infirmity of his nature : a
defect is a deviation from the general constitution of man ;
it is what may be natural to the man as an individual,
but not natural to man as a species ; in this manner we
may speak of * a defect in the speech,* or ' a defect in
temper.' The fault and vice rise in degree and character
above either of the fonner terms ; they both reflect dis-
grace more or less on the person posse.^sing or manifesting
them ; but the fault usually characterizes the agent, and
is said in relation to an individual ; the vice characterizes
the action, and may be considered abstractly : hence we
speak of a man's faults — e.g., harshness of temper — as
the things we may condemn in him ; but we may speak of
certain vices without reference to anyone who practices
them."
implacable, odj. (im-pla'-k&-bl), that cannot be pacified or
appeased ; stubborn or constant in enmity ; hostile, vin-
dictive.
"Their temper was singularly savage and implacable." —
Macaulay.
Syn. : inexorable, unrelenting, relentless.
Ant. : soft-hearted, appeasable, well-disposed.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED, 195
Syn. dis. : "Implacable denotes a disposition which
nothing can appease : inexorable is implacable to entreaty
in particular and in a specific case : unrelenting is not
relenting, that is, yielding, from harshness, hardness or
cruelty as a fact ; while relentless is unyielding as a
property or habit. We say, a ' relentless cruelty', ' an unre-
lenting line of conduct.' Unrelenting belongs rather to
the person, relentless to the quality which he exhibits ; the
implacable man is so from moral hardness of heart ; the
inexorable may be so from mental stubborness or inflexible
resolution : imrelenting is passive, relentless active."
import, n., that which is brought to bear upon a point; the
intended significance or application of a word or state-
ment.
Syn. : purport, meaning, signification, tenor, drift, scope.
Syn. dis. : "The import is that which a word, state-
ment, phrase, or document is intended to convey : the
import of a thing is that which it is specifically and directly
designed to imply or convey. The purport is the import
of something continuous, or regarded in its continuity, and
may be applied to continuous action as well as continuous
speech. Import is more allied to meaning and significa-
tion ; purport, to drift and scope. Meaning is used in a
two-fold sense, either, (1) the casual intention of the
person, or, (2) the fixed import of the thing. ' That is not
my meaning,' illustrates the first ; * Take the words in
their grammatical meaning' the second. Signijiation is
nearly identical with meaning or import : signification,
however, is the act of making known, as well as the inten-
tion of the terms employed for the purpose. Signification
is attached to the thing, and does not belong to the person.
Tenor, drift, and scope relate not to isolated terms, but to
continuous speech : the tenor is the general course and
character which holds on through a speech or a remark ;
drift, the tendency of it, or aim not formally avowed ;
scope, the avowed design, that which it is aimed at and is
intended to embrace."
inadvertency, any mistake or fault from want of foresight ;
heedlessness, carelessness.
Syn. : inattention, oversight, inobservancy.
196 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
Ant. : carefulness, thoughtfulness, observancy.
Syn. dis. : Inadvertency {Lat. in, not, and advertere, to
turn towards) is the quality or effect of not minding, or
t iking notice ; inattention of not taking heed. In the
former case there was an involuntary accident ; in the lat-
ter, a culpable neglect. Inadvertency never designates a
habit, but inattention does ; the former term, therefore, is
unqualified by the reproachful sense which attaches to the
latter. Any one may be guilty of an inadvertence, through
pre-occupation of the mind, or from other cause which is
not in itself culpable. Repeated inadvertencies, however,
lay one open to the charge of carelessness and inattention,
which we should strive to avoid. Oversight seems to refer
more to the mistake itself; namely, to the missing or
omitting to do or say something, or to go somewhei-e,
and may or may not be culpable or involve serious
consequences.
inconsistent, adj., without uniformity of speech or conduct ;
at variance ; disagreeing ; incompax^iMe.
Syn. : incongruous, incohei'ent, inconsonant.
Ant. : consistent, consonant, in harmony with.
Syn, dis. : "Inconsistency attaches either to the actions
or sentiments of men ; incongruity attaches to the modes
and qualities of things ; inconsistency to words or thoughts :
things are made inconsistent by an act of the will ; a man
acts or thinks inconsistently, according to his own pleasure ;
incongruity depends on the nature of the thing ; " there is
something very incongruous in blending the solemn and
the farcical, buffoonery and tragedy. Incoherent, from
hmreo, to stick, marks the incapacity of two things to
coalesce or be united to each other : incoherence marks the
want of coherence or agreement in that which ought to
follow in a train : we speak of a loose, rambling speech as
incoherent, if it is lacking in the proper sequence of
thought.
inconstant, o^dj., not constant or firm in resolution, opinions,
feelings, or inclinations ; wavering ; capricious.
Syn. : changeable, mutable, variable, fickle, versatile.
Ant. : uniform, steady, reliable, true, unwavering, faith-
ful. See changeable.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 197
incontrovertible, Oidj., that cannot be controvei'ted, ques-
tioned, di'iputed, or contested ; admitting of no controversy
or dispute.
Syn. : indubitable, unquestionable, indisputable, undeni-
able, irrefragabla
Ant. : disputable, dubious, controvertible, questionable,
deniable.
Syn. dis. : " These terms all express conclusiveness of
evidence, not absolute certainty or truth ; incontrovertible
applies to such matters as are so clear and certain as not
to admit of lengthened and argumentative questioning or
contradiction. Indubitable throws the matter back yet
farther, and asserts that not only may the matter not be
controverted in terms, but not even doubted of in the mind.
Unquestionable expresses that which may not be called
in question ; indisputable, that which may not be disputed ;
undeniable, that which may not be denied ; irrefragable,
that of which the argumentative force or the evidence may
not be broken. Incontrovertible is employed of statements,
views, or opinions, evidence and the like, but not of simple
facts ; indubitable, of facts and assertions ; unquestionable,
of prop isitions ; indisputable, of rights and claims also ;
- undeniable, of statements ; irrefragable, of evidence and
ai'guments." See indubitable.
indebted, adj., (6 silent), being under a debt or obligation ;
morally bound or obliged by something received from
which restitution, return, or gratitude is due.
Syn. : obliged, beholden.
Syn. dis. : '■^Indebted is more binding and positive than
obliged : we are indebted to whoever confers an essential
service : a man is indebted to another for the pi-eservation
of his life ; he is obliged to him for an ordinary act of
civility. The feeling of moral obligation is not necessarily
implied in indebted; hence the term is employed with
readiness of many agents, where obliged could not be so
employed. In such cases it seems to mean little more
than acknowledgment of a cause or source ; as , ' For such
elements of the national character we are indebted to our
Saxon ancestry.' "
198 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
indifference, n., a state of mind in which a person takes no
interest in a matter which comes before him, or in which
he does not incline to one side more than the other.
Syn : insensibility, apathy, unconcernedness.
Ant : eagerness, interest, ardour.
Syn. dis. : " Indifference is mostly a temporary state,
and is either acquired or accidental ; insensibility/ is either
a temporary or a permanent state, and is either produced
or natural ; apathy is always a pei-manent state and is
natural. A person may be in a state of indifference about
a thing the value of which he is not aware of, or acquire
an indifference for that which he knows to be of compar-
tively little value : he may be in a state of insensibility
from some lethargic torpor which has seized his mind ; or
he may have an habitual insensibility arising either from
the contractedness of his powers, or the physical bluntness
of his understanding and the deadness of his passions : his
apathy is usually bom with him and is a characteristic of
the constitution of his mind. Indifference is often the
consequence of insensibility ; for he who is not sensible or
alive to any feeling must naturally be without choice or
preference ; but indifference is not always insensibility,
since we may be indiffrent to one thing, because we may
have an equal liking for another. In like manner insensi-
bility may spring from apathy, for he who has no feeling
is naturally not to be awakened to feeling ; that is, he is
xinfeeling or insensible by constitution ; but since his in-
sensibility may spring from other causes besides those that
are natural, he may be insensible without being apathetic."
Indifference may indicate, and often does indicate, a neu-
trality of mind in regard to persons or things, and a desire
to be impartial in our judgment of them and in our rela-
tions towards them.
indisposition, see sickness ; also, see disease.
indolent, adj., habitually idle; indisposed to exertion or labour.
Syn. : supine, listless, careless, slothful.
Ant. : active, alert, brisk, busy, energetic.
Syn. dis. : " Indolence has a more comprehensive mean.
ing than supineness, and signifies more than listlessness or
carele8sn^-»i •, mdoleme is a general indisposition of a per-
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 199
son to exert either Ms mind or his body ; supineness is a
similar indisposition that shows itself on particular occa-
sions : there is a corporeal as well as a mental cause for
indolence ; but supineness lies principally in the mind :
corpulent and unwieldy persons are apt to be indolent;
but timid and gentle dispositions are apt to be supine.
An indolent person sets all labour, both corporeal and
mental, at a distance from him ; it is irksome to him ; a
supine person objects to undertake anything which threat-
ens to give him trouble, or to embarrass or inconvenience
him." The listless man unlike the indolent and supine, is
generally without desire ; he is subject to states of moral
torpor, and is with difl&culty aroused from them, or, if
aroused, usually relaxes into his lethargic normal condi-
tion. " Carelessness is rather an error of the understand-
ing, or of the conduct, than the will ;' since the careless
would care, be concerned for or interested about things,
if he could be brought to reflect on their importance, or if
he did not for a time forget himself."
indubitable, n. and adj., a matter or thing which cannot be
doubted ; certain ; not doubtful.
"That the Americans are able to bear taxation is indubitable."
Syn. : unquestionable, indisputable, undeniable, incon-
trovertable, incontestable, irrefragable.
Ant. : doubtful, dubious, uncertain.
Syn. dis. : Indubitable and its synonyms are all op-
posed to uncertainty ; but they do not imply absolute cer-
tainty, for they express the strong persuasion of a per-
son's mind rather than the absolute nature of the thing :
when a fact is supported by such evidence as admits of no
kind of doubt, it is termed indubitable ; when the truth
of an assertion rests on the authority of a man whose
character for integrity stands unimpeached, it is termed
unquestionable authority ; when a thing is believed to
exist on the evidence of every man's senses, it is termed
undeniable; when a sentiment has always been held as
either true or false without dispute, it is termed indisput-
able ; when arguments have never been controverted, they
are termed incontrovertable ; and when they have never
been satisfactorily answered, they are said to be i/rrefrag-
200 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
able — that is not to be broken {^frango, to break), de-
stroyed, or done away with. See incontrovertible.
infamous, adj., notoriously vile or base ; of bad report or
reputation ; odious, detesttible.
Syn. : scandalous, disgraceful, opprobrious.
Ant. : fair, honourable, creditable, reputable.
Syn. dis. : " Infamous, like infamy, is applied to both
persons and things ; scandalous only to things : a charac-
ter is infamous, or a transaction is infamous ; but a trans-
action only is scandalous. Both terms are used of that
which is calculated to excite great displeasure in the minds
of all who hear it, and to degrade the offenders in the
general estimation ; but the infamous seems to be that
which pi'oduces greater publicity and more general repre-
hension than scandalous, consequently it is that which is
more serious in its nature and a greater violation of good
morals."
influence, n., power to move or sway others according to
one's own will or wishes ; acknowledged ascendancy ;
ability or power to produce some effect.
Syn. : authority, ascendancy, sway, control.
Syn. dis. : " These terms imply power, under different
circumstances : influence is altogether unconnected with
any right to direct, and the influence may be bad or good ;
authority includes the idea of right, necessarily ; superior-
ity of rank, talent, or position, personal attachment, and a
variety of circumstances give influence ; it commonly acts
by persuasion and employs engaging manners, so as to
determine in favour of what is pi'oposed : superior wisdom,
age, office, and relation give authority : it determines of
itself ; it requires no collateral aid : ascendancy and sway
are modes of influence^ differing only in degree ; they both
imply an excessive and improper degree of influence over
the mind, independent of reason ; the former is, however,
more gradual in its process, and consequently more con-
firmed in its nature ; the latter may be only temporary,
but may be more violent. Influence and ascendancy are
said likewise of things as well as of persons : true religion
will have an influence not only on the outward conduct of
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 201
a man, but on the inward affections of his heart ; and that
man is truly happy in whose mind it has the ascendanc7j
over every other principle."
infringe, v., {L. infringo, to break into), to violate, break, or
transgress some rule or law ; to encroach, to trespass, to
intrude ; to violate, either positively by contravention, or
negatively, by omission or neglect of duty.
Syn. : violate, transgress, trespass, encroach.
Ant. : observe, maintain, respect, fulfil.
Syn. dis. : "Civil and moral laws iweinfringtd by those
who act in o})position to them : treaties and engagements
are violated by those who do not hold them sacred : the
bounds which are prescribed by the moral law are trans-
gressed by those who are guilty of any excess." It is the
business of the government to see that the rights and
privileges of individuals or particular bodies are not in-
fringed ; that treaties and compacts are not violated ; and
that the limits of right, reason and equity, so far as it is
responsible for their maintenance, are not transgressed.
" Politeness, which teaches us what is due to every man
in the smallest concei'ns, considers any unasked-for inter-
ference in the private affairs of another as an infringe-
ment : equity, which enjoins on nations as individuals an
attentive consideration to the interests of the whole, for-
bids the infraction of a treaty in any case."
ingenuous, adj., frank, open, candid, free from dissimulation,
reserve, or disguise ; sincere. See candid.
The confusion of ingenuous with ingenioits, which it is
supposed had a common i*oot, and were once applied indif-
ferently to the intellectual and moral qualities, make it
important to point out the distinction between these two
words. Ingenuous (^Lat. ingenuus, free-born, as distin-
guished from liberti, who were afterwards made free) is
employed by a figure of speech, suggested by the derivative
term, free or nobly born, to denote nobleness of character,
of honourable or noble extraction. Ingenious (Lat. ingeni^
osus, clever, from ingenium = genius, cleverness) denotes
natural capacity, talent, skilfulness in invention or con-
trivance. Crabb says that the former term " respects the
freedom of the station and consequent nobleness of the
202 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
character which is inborn ; the latter respects the genius
or mental powers which, too, are inborn. Truth is coupled
with freedom or nobility of birth : the ingenuous, there
fore, bespeaks the inborn freedom, by asserting the noblest
right, and following the noblest impulse, of human nature,
namely that of speaking the truth. We love the ingenuous
character on account of the qualities of his heart; we
admire the ingenious man on account of the endowments
of his mind. One is ingenuous as a man ; or ingenious as
an author : a man confesses an action ingenuously ; he
defends it ingeniously." Archdeacon Smith remarks, that
" ingenuous implies a permanent moral quality. A man
may be not remarkable for frankness, yet at heart
thoroughly ingenuous, that is, a lover of integrity and a
hater of dissimulation. Men of retiring manner are often
truly ingenuous, for ingenuousness is, after all, more allied
to modesty than to frankness." The latter authority
endorses Crabb's view that the word is associated with the
characteristics of high rank and noble station, for he says
" that the term ingenuous expresses a quality of honour
and candour which befits and was at one time, like many
other virtues, assumed to belong peculiarly to high birth."
inherent, adj. naturally conjoined or attached ; sticking fast
to ; not to be removed ; inseparable.
" These vices which are inherent in the nature of all coalitions."
— Macaulay.
Syn. : inbred, inborn, ingrained, congenital.
Ant. : foreign, separable, temporary, extraneous.
Syn. dis. : " Inherent denotes a permanent quality or
property, as opposed to that which is adventitious and
transitory. Inbred denotes that property which is derived
principally from habit or by a gradual process, as opposed
to the one acquired by actual efibrts. Inborn denotes that
which is purely natural, in opposition to the artificial.
Inborn and innate are precisely the same in meaning, yet
they difier somewhat in application. Poetry and the
grave style have adopted inborn ; philosophy has adopted
innate."
injustice, n., the quality of being unjust ; that which is
unfair ; a wrong or a violation of the right of another.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 203
Syn, : injury, wrong, unfairness, unlawfulness.
Ant. : justice, equity, right, impartiality, fair-dealing.
S\n. dis. : ^'-Injustice, injury and vyrong, signifying the
thing that is unfair or wrong, are all opposed to the right ;
but the injustice lies in the principle, the injury in the
action that injures. There may, therefore, be injustice
where there is no specific injury ; and, on the other hand,
there may be injury where there is no injustice. A. wrong
partakes both of injustice and injury : it is in fact an in-
jury done by one person to another, in express violation of
justice. The man who traduces another and mars for ever
his fair fame does him the greatest of all wrongs. One
repents of injustice, repairs injuries, and redresses wrongs.'^
insinuate, v., to wind or push oneself into favour ; to ingra-
tiate oneself ; to hint at or introduce imperceptibly and
artfully.
Syn. : ingratiate, instil, insert, worm.
Ant. : withdraw, retract, extract, alienate.
Syn. dis. : " Insinuate and ingratiate are employed to
express an endeavour to gain favour ; but they differ in
the circumstances of the action. A person who insinuates
adopts every art to steal into the good-will of another;
but he who ingratiates adopts unartificial means to con-
ciliate good-will. A person of insinuatiw] manners wins
upon another imperceptibly, even so as to convert dislike
into attachment ; a person with ingratiating manners pro-
cures good-will by a permanent intercourse. Insinuate and
ingratiate differ in the motive, as well as the mode, of the
action ; the motive is in both cases self-interest ; but the
former is unlawful, and the latter allowable. Insinuate
may be used in the improper sense for unconscious agents ;
ingratiate is always the act of a conscious agent. Water
will insinuate itself into every body that is to the smallest
degree porous : there are few persons of so much apathy
that it may not be possible, one way or another, to ingra-
tiate oneself into their favour."
insipid, adj., wanting in spirit, life, or animation ; tasteless,
without savour.
8yn. : du\l, flat, vapid, uninteresting.
204 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
Ant. : engaging, racy, bright, relishing, tasty.
Syn. dis. : "A want of spirit in the moral sense is desig-
nated by these epithets, which borrow their figurative
meaning from different properties in nature : the taste is
referred to in the word insipid ; the properties of colours
are considered in the word dull ; the property of surface
is referred to in the word flat. As the want of flavour in
any meat constitutes it i7isipid, and renders it worthless,
so does the want of mind or character in a man render
him equally insipid, and devoid of the distinguishing
characteristic of his nature." An insipid writer is with-
out sentiment or imagination ; a dull writer fails in viva-
city and vigour of style ; a flat performance is wanting in
heartiness and " go " which would otherwise give it life
and ma.ke it bright and enjoyable.
institute, v., to set up, to originate, to ordain, to enact, to
put in force ; or simply, to start or begin, as, ' to institut6
an enquiry.'
Syn. : establish, found, erect, invest, induct.
Ant : disestablish, subvert, degrade, deprive.
Syn. dis. : " To institute is to form according to a cer-
tain plan ; to establish is to fix in a certain plan or
after a certain fashion what has been formed ; to found
is to lay the foundation of anything. Laws, communities,
and particular orders are instituted. ; schools, colleges, and
various societies are established. To found is a species of
instituting, which borrows its figurative meaning from the
nature of buildings, and is applicable to that which is
formed after the manner of a building : a public school is
founded when its pecuniary resources are formed into a
fund or foundation. To erect is a species of founding :
nothing can be founded which is not erected ; although
some things may be erected without being expressly
founded : a monument is erected but not founded ; the
same may be said of a tribunal."
intellect, n., the understanding ; the faculty of the mind which
receives or comprehends the ideas communicated to it.
Syn : genius, talent ; undei-standing, intelligence.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 205
Syn. dis. : " Intellect is the generic term ; there cannot
be genius or talent without intellect; but there may be
intellect without genius ot talent : a man of intellect dis-
tinguishes himself from the common hei-d of mankind by
the astuteness of liis observation, the accuracy of his judg-
ment, the originality of his conception, and other peculiar
attributes of mental power. Genius is a particular bent
of the intellect, which distinguishes a man from every other
individual ; talent is a particular gift or manifestation
of the intellect, which is of practical utility to the posses-
sor." * * "The former identity of intellect and intel-
ligence has been of late years widened, and intelligence, to
say nothing of its meaning of the subject-matter of infor-
mation (as the intelligence contained in the newspapers)
now means a good quality of the understanding, a readi-
ness to comprehend things of ordinary occurrence, which
may be quickened by practice and experience ; while in-
tellect is confined to the mental powers and their capacity
in the abstract. Understanding is the Saxon expression
for the Latin intellect and intelligence. Its characteristic
seems to flow from this fact. It is a native word, and so
applied in a more colloquial way, and to the things of
life in their more familiar and practical aspects. Hence
such phrases of frequent occurrence, as, ' A sound prac ical
understanding * ; 'I understand it sufficiently for all prac-
tical purposes.' " See €aculty.
intercede, v., to go, come, or act between as a peacemaker,
with a view to reconcile parties at variance ; to plead in
favour of another ; to make intercession. (It is folio we I
by /or before the person on whose behalf intercession is
made, and by with before the person to whom it is made. )
Syn. : interpose, mediate, interfere, intermeddle, ad-
vocate, plead.
Ant. : abandon, incriminate, charge, accuse, inculpate.
Syn. dis. : "To mediate and intercede are both concilia-
tory acts ; we intercede with a superior on behalf of an
equal or inferior ; we interpose between equals. In inter-
position we exercise our own power or authority ; in
intercession we endeavour to enlist on our behalf the
power or authority of another " : one intercedes or inter-
206 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
poses for the removal of evil — e. g., for the mollifying oi
pacification of one who is justly angry; one mediates for
the attainment |of good — e. g., for the reconciliation of
estranged friends. To intercede and interpose are employed
on the highest and lowest occasions ; to mediate is i-arely
employed but in matters of the greatest moment. One
interferes and intermeddles in the concerns of other people
rather then between persons ; and, on that account, it
becomes a question of some importance to decide when we
ought so to interfere and intermeddle. Intermeddle is
usually the unauthorized act of one who is busy in things
that ought not to concern him, and therefore, intermed-
dling, as a rule, is objectionable and to be avoided.
intercourse, n., connection or association by reciprocal actions
or dealings between two or more persons or countries ; in-
terchange of thought or feeling.
Syn. : communication, connection, commerce, commun-
ion, dealing.
Ant. : reticence, suspension, cessation, disconnection.
Syn. dis : " Intercourse and commerce subsist mainly be-
tween persons ; communication and connection between
persons and things. A communication is a species of in-
tercourse ; namely, that which consists in the communica-
tion of one's thoughts to another ; a connection consists of
a permanent intercourse : a communication is kept up
between two countries by means of regular or irregular
conveyances ; a connection subsists between two towns
when the inhabitants trade with each other, intermarry,
and the like." " Communion, which lies less in externals
than communication, is among many, being such inter-
change of offices as flows from a bond of unity in senti-
ment, feeling, or conviction. Communication is from one
(place or person) to another; communion is reciprocal.
Dealing is entirely confined to external transactions, being
inapplicable to matters of the mind and feelings."
intervention, «■., act of intervening; state of being or com-
ing between.
Syn. : interposition, intrusion, intercession.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 207
Syn. dis : " Intervention, which is used of space, order,
and time, is said of inanimate objects ; interposition is said
only of rational agents. The light of the moon is ob-
structed by the intervention of the clouds ; the life of an
individual is preserved by the interposition of another :
human life is so full of contingencies that when we have
formed our projects we can never say what may intervene
to prevent their execution : when a man is engaged in an
unequal combat, he has no chance of escajnng but by the
timely interposition of one who is able to rescue him."
" In the acts of men intervention is commonly less authori-
tative or forcible than interposition. ' He owed his life
to the intervention of another,' would imply entreaty or
help; interposition would involve rescue."
introductory, adj., serving to introduce something else ;
serving as or given by way of introduction.
Syn. : preliminary, preparatory, precursory, initiatory.
Ant. : complete, final, conclusive, terminal, valedictory.
Syn. dis. : " In the case of the introductory the proceed-
ing commonly has reference to thought and understand-
ing, while preliminary relates to matter or action. We
say an introductory treatise ; a preliminary step. The one
precedes wider exhibition or fuller knowledge, the latter
more extended action. Preparatory i elates to the purpose
rather than the object, to the doer rather than the deed.
In the preparatory^ I do what will enable me. to do some-
thing beyond. Preliminaries commonly belong to-matters
of social arrangement or compact, whether amicable or
otherwise, as the preliminaries of a contract, a marriage,
a peace, or a duel."
intrude, v., to force or thrust one's self in ; to enter into
without right or welcome.
Syn. : obtrude, encroach, trespass.
Syn. dis. : " To intrude is to thrust one's self into a
place ; to obtrude is to thrust one's self in the way. It is
intrusion to go into any society unasked and undesired ;
it is obtruding to join any company and take a part in the
conversation without invitation or consent. We violate
the rights of another when we inirude ; we set up ourselves
208 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD BOOK.
by obtruding : one intrudes with one's [jerson in the place
which does not belong to one's self; one obtrudes with
one's person, remarks, etc., upon another: a person in-
trudes out of curiosity or any other gratification ; he
obtrudes out of vanity. In the moral acceptation they
preserve tlie same distinction. In moments of devotion,
the serious man endeavours to prevent the intrusion of
worldly or improper ideas in his mind : the stings of con-
science obtrude themselves upon the guilty even in their
greatest merriment,"
invective, n., a speech or expression intended to cast oppro-
brium, censui-e, or reproach upon another.
Syn. : abuse, obloquy, vituperation, denunciation.
Ant. : commendation, eulogy, panegyric, laudation.
Syn. dis. : ^^ Abuse as compared with invective is more
personal and coaise, being conveyed in harsh and unseemly
terms, and dictated by angry feeling and bitter tempei*.
Invective is more commonly aimed at character or conduct,
and may be conveyed in wiiting or in refined language,
and dictated by indignation against what is in itself blame-
worthy. It often, however, means public abuse under
such restraints as are imposed by position and education."
invidious, ci^lj-, likely to incur or provoke ill-will, envy, or
hatred. See envious.
Syn. : envious, unfair, partial, inconsiderate.
Ant. : fair, impartial, considerate, due, just.
Syn, dis. : " Invidious in its common acceptation signi-
fies causing ill-will ; envious signifies having ill-will. The
former is now used of such proceedings as shall tend to
raise a gi'udge between the persons who are in any way the
subjects of the compaiison. A task is invidious that puts
one in the way of giving offence ; a look is envious that is
full of envy. Invidious qualifies the thing ; envious quali-
fies the temper of the mind. It is invidious for one author
to be judged against another who has written on the same
subject : a man is envious when the prospect of another's
happiness gives him pain."
irrational, adj., void of reason or understanding; contrary
to reason ; fiinciful.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 209
Syn. : foolish, absui'd, preposterous.
Ant. : sane, sound, sensible, reasonable, judicious.
Syn. dis. : " Irrational is not so strong a term as fool-
ish : it is applicable more frequently to the thing than to
the practice : foolish, on the contrary, is commonly ap-
plicable to the person as well as the thing ; to the practice
rather than the principle. Scepticism h the most irrational
thing that exists, for the human mind is formed to believe,
not to doubt. Foolish, absurd, and preposterous rise in
degree ; a violation of common sense is implied by them
all, but they vary according to the degree of violence
which is done to the understanding : foolish is applied to
anything, however trivial, which in the smallest degree
offends our understanding or is opposed to our judgment :
it is absurd for a man to persuade another to do that
which he in like circumstances would object to do himself;
it is preposterous for a man to expose himself to the ridi-
cule of othei-s and be angry with those who will not treat
him respectfully."
irreligious, adj., disregarding or contemning religion; pro-
fane, impious, ungodly.
Syn. dis, : " As epithets to designate the character of
the person these synonyms seem to rise in degree ; irre-
ligion is negative ; p^-ofane and impious are positive ; the
latter being much stronger than the former. All men
who are not positively actuated by principles of religion
are irreligious : profanity and impiety are however of a
still more heinous natui'e ; they consist not in the mere
absence of regard for religion, but in a positive contempt
for it and open outrage against its laws."
J.
jealousy, n., uneasiness from fear of being, or on account of
being, suj)planted by a rival ; apprehension of another's
superiority to ourselves ; earnest solicitude, envy.
Syn. dis. : " We are jealous of what is our own ; we are
envious of what is another's : jealousy fears to lose what
it has j envy is pained at seeing another have. Jealousy
is a noble or an ignoble passion, according to the object
which excites it : in the former case it is emulation sharp-
15 ^
210 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
eiied by fear : in the latter case it is greediness stimulated
by fear; envy is always a base passion, having the worst
passions in its train. Jealous is applicable to bodies of
men as well as to individuals ; envious to individuals only.
Nations ai-e jealous of any interference on the part of any
other Power, in their commerce, government, or territory ;
individuals are envious of the rank, wealth, and honours
of each other."
jeer, v., to utter severe sarcastic reflections; to make a mock
of some person or thing, n., derision.
Syn. : scoff*, gibe, sneer ; a taunt, a flout.
Syn. dis. : " Jeer is personal, consisting of mocking
words addressed to an individual, which is also the case
with gibe ; but jeer conveys more ridicule and contempt,
gihe of bitter scorn and ill-will. Scoff is to manifest con-
tempt in any way, as by looks, gestures, or words. It
relates not so much to the person as to the force of what
he says or does. Sneer is connected with the grimace of
expression rather than with words. If employed, as it
may be, of spoken contempt, sneering is covert and in-
direct, while scoff is open, insolent, and defiant."
judgment, n., the act of deciding or passing decision on
something ; the act or faculty of judging truly, wisely, oi
skilfully ; good sense, discernment, understanding.
Syn. : discretion, prudence, sagacity, penetration.
Syn. dis. : " Judgment is used in the senses of the pro-
cess of judging, the faculty of judging, the faculty of judg-
ing rightly, and the result of judging. Judgment with
the kindred terms, discretion and prudence, are all em-
ployed to express the various modes of practical wisdom
which serve to regulate the conduct of men in ordinary
life. Judgment determines in the choice of what is good ;
discretion sometimes only guards against error or direct
mistakes ; it chooses what is nearest to the truth : judg-
ment requires knowledge and actual experience ; discretion
requires reflection and consideration. Discretion looks to
the present ; prudence, which is the same as providence
or foresight, calculates on the future. Those who have
the conduct or direction of others require discretion ; those
who have the management of their own concerns require
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 211
prudence : for want of discretion tlie master of a school, or
the general of an army, may lose his authority ; for want
of prudence the merchant may involve himself in ruin, or
the man of fortune may be brought to beggary."
justice, n. conduct in accordance with law, human or divine ;
the giving to every one his due.
Syn : equity, right, rectitude, fairness.
Ant. : injustice, wrong, unlawfulness.
Syn. dis.: "Justice, is founded on the laws of society;
equity is founded on the laws of nature : justice is a
written or prescribed law, to which one is bound to con-
form and make it the rule of one's decisions ; equity is a
law in our hearts ; it conforms to no I'ule but to circum-
stances, and decides by the consciousness of right and
wrong. Justice forbids us doing wrong to any one ; and
requires us to repair the wrongs we have done to others ;
equity forbids us doing to others what we would not have
them do to us ; it requires us to do to others what in
similar circumstances we would expect from them." " Jus-
tice is inflexible, it follows one invariable rule, which can
seldom be deviated from consistently with the public good ;
equity, on the other hand, varies wich the circumstances
of the case, and is guided by discretion : justice may, there-
fore, sometimes run counter to equity, when the interests
of the individual must be sacrificed to those of the com-
munity ; and equity sometimes tempers the rigour of
justice by admitting of reasonable deviations from the
literal interpretations and the sometimes harsh demands
of its laws." [The teacher might illustrate this by giving
homely examples.] Crabb has one in point; he says:
" supposing I have received an injury, justice demands
reparation ; it listens to no palliation, excuse, or exception ;
but supposing the reparation which I have the right to
demand involves the ruin of him who is perhaps more
unfortunate than guilty, can I in equity insist on the
demand?"
K.
keen, adj. , having a fine edge ; penetrating ; acute of mind,
sharp-witted ; full of i-elish or zest.
212 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
Syn. : acute, eager, sharp, piercing, penetrating.
Ant. : blunt, dull, indifferent, languid.
Syn. dis. : " In their primary and physical applications
keen denotes an exceeding degree of sharpness, which is the
generic term, and applies both to points and edges ; while
acute belongs only to points. In their secondary and
moral meanings, the keen person is one of great penetra-
tion ; the acute, of understanding in speculative matters ;
the sharp, of quickness in matters of everyday practice,
business, and conversation. Acute and sharp are more
generally epithets of bodily, and keen of mental pain.
Acute is in this sense technically opposed to chronic. In
this application sharp is an epithet of pain generally,
a<:ute of some specific disease also ; as sharp pain, acute
rheumatism, a keen sense of injury or disappointment,
keen annoyance ; also keen relish or enjoyment, a keen sense
of the ridiculous."
kind, n., race, genus, generic class; sort, species.
*' Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was
cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind. — Matt, xiii., 47.
Syn. dis. : " Kind and species are both employed in
their proper sense ; sort has been diverted from its original
meaning by colloquial use : kind is properly employed for
animate objects, particularly for mankind, and improperly
for moral objects ; species is a term used by philosophers,
classing things according to their external or internal
properties. Sort may be used for either kind or species ;
it does not necessarily imply any affinity, or common
property in the objects, but simply assemblage, produced
as it were by sors, chance.
kindred, w., relationship by blood or marriage; those of
one kin.
Syn. : relationship, affinity, consanguinity.
Syn. dis. : " The kindred is the more general state here
expressed : it may embrace all mankind, or refer to par-
ticular families or communities ; it depends upon possess-
ing the common property of humanity : the philanthropist
daims kindred with all who are unfortunate when it is
in his power to relieve them. Relationship is a state less
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 213
general than Jdndred, but more extended than either
affinity or consanguinity ; it applies to particular families
only, but it applies to all of the same family, whether
remotely or distantly related. Affinity denotes a close
relationship, whether of an artificial or a natural hind :
there is an affinity between the husband and the wife in
consequence of the marriage tie, and there is an affinity
between those who descend from the same parents or
relations in a direct line. Consanguinity is, strictly
speaking, this latter species of descent ; and the term is
mostly employed in all questions of law respecting descent
and inhei'itance."
knowledge, n. (nOl'-6j), that which is or may be known ;
certain and clear perception of things ; acquaintance with
any fact or person : mental accomplishment.
Syn. : science, learning, erudition, cognizance.
Ant. : ignorance, illiterateness, misapprehension.
Syn. dis. : Knowledge is a general term which simply
implies the thing known : science, learning, and erudition
are modes of knowledge qualified by some collateral idea :
science is a systematic species of knowledge which consists
of rule and order ; learning is that species of knowledge
which we derive from schools, or through the medium of
personal instruction ; erudition is scholastic knowledge ob-
tained by profound research : it relates to literature and
learning rather than to science, and to its extensive at-
tainment, involving a knowledge of subjects commonly
unfamiliar." See literature.
L.
lack, n., the state of being without or in need of anything.
v., to be destitute of; to be deficient in.
Syn. want, need, necessity, scarcity, deficiency.
Ant. : supply, fulness, abundance, competence.
Syn. dis. : "Lack refers more directly to the failing or
inadequate source or supply ; want, to the inadequate sup-
ply or possession, combined with the requirement or
demand. Ifeed relates directly to the urgency of the de-
mand, and indirectly to the absence of supply : want is
214 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
commonly absence of mere possession ; need, absence of
means of action. As they express states, necessity is
stronger than need, for whereas need is negative, necessity
has a positive and compelling force. A man is in need of
food. Under some circumstances there is a need for
action . need is pressing ; necessity unyielding : need is the
• strongest degree of requiremf-nt, necessity of demand. The
words lack, want, and need rise in force. The supei-fluities
of life — wealth, estates, great power or influence — I lack ;
the conveniencies which I am without, I wamt ; the neces-
saries which I am without, I need. Lack is the absence
of excess ; want, of comfort ; need of sufficiency."
language, n., the expression of ideas by means of words ;
human speech ; style or manner of expression ; the speech
peculiar to a nation.
Syn. : dialect, idiom, tongue, speech, phraseology.
Ant. : jargon, jabber, gibberish, muteness.
Syn. dis. : " Language is the most general term in its
meaning and application : tongue, speech, idiom, and
dialect, are applicable only to human beings. Language
is either written or spoken ; but a tongue is conceived of
mostly as something to be spoken ; and speech is, in the
strict sense, that only which is spoken or uttered. Sjieech
is an abstract term, implying either the power of uttering
articulate sounds, as when w^e speak of the gift of speech ;
or the words themselves which are spoken, as when we
speak of the parts of speech ; or the particular mode of
expressing one's self. Idiom and dialect are not properly
a language : idiom, is the peculiar construction and turn
of a language, which distinguishes it altogether from
others. A dialect is that which is engrafted on a lan-
guage by the inhabitants of particular parts of a country.
Languages simply serve to convey our thoughts : tongues
consist of words, written or spoken : speech consists of
words spoken."
latent, adj., lying hid or concealed ; not manifested n( r
apparent.
Syn. : secret, hidden, occult, undeveloped.
Ant. : visible, active, apparent, exposed, manifest.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 215
Syn. dis. : " Latent is most commonly employed of that
which is of the nature of an undeveloped or suppressed
force : what is secret is so far removed from common
observation as to be unperceived : what is hidden is so
covered as to be invisible, which may be from natural or
from artificial causes. Occult denotes the untraceable
rather than the unknown, and is a term of processes and
influ^ences, the existence of which is known, but their
mode of operation is latent, below the surface, and, it may
be, beyond our ken."
Ia>ud.a<ble, o,dj., deserving of praise or commendation.
Syn. : praiseworthy, commendable, meritorious.
Ant. : blameable, censurable, reprehensible.
Syn. dis. : Laudable and commendable seem better ap-
plicable to the actions or qualities of individuals, and
praiseworthy to the individuals themselves ; as a praise-
worthy character ; laudable ambition ; commendable pro-
priety. Laudable is stronger than commendable; the
former denoting that praise is due, the latter that it is
appropriate and right. It is a laudable ambition to excel
in that which is good ; it is very praiseworthy in a child
to assist its parent as occasion may require ; silence is
commendable in a young person when reproved."
lawful, adj., agreeable or conformable to law; unobjection-
able from a legal point of view ; just, righteous.
Syn. : legal, legitimate, permissible, allowable.
Ant. : wrong, unlawful, illegal, illegitimate.
Syn. dis : *' Lawful denotes conformable to law, in any
sense in which the term law may be emjiloyed, whether
the law of the land, moral law, propriety, or specific
regulation. Legal is conformable or appertaining to the
law of the land. Legitimate has the wider sense of con-
formable to law, rule, principle, justice, fairness, or pro-
priety. These terms regard the lawful or legal in reference
to mutual trade, intercourse, connections, or relations
between man and man."
lay, v., to cause to lie down ; to put or spread in order ; to set
or place generally ; to dispose regularly or according to rule.
216 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
Syn. : put, place, set, dispose, deposit, spread, arrange.
Syn. dis. : " Of these terms, the simplest and most
comprehensive, and, therefore, the least distinctive, is put,
which denotes no more than to bring in any way to a
position or relation ; as * to put a question' ; to put a book
on the shelf.' To place is to put in a particular part or
space, or in a specific position. A book is placed on the
shelf, as being the appointed arrangement for it. To lay
can be used only of those things which may be made in
some degree to lie; while set, only of those which raay
be made to stand : we lay a plate on the table, and set a
candlestick on the bracket." " By a vulgar error the
verbs lay and to lie have been so confounded as to deserve
some notice. To lie is intransitive, and designates a state :
to lay is transitive, and denotes an action on an object ; it is
properly to cause to lie : a thing lies on the table ; some
one lays it on the table ; he lies with his fathers ; they
laid him with his fathers. In the same manner, when
used idiomatically, we say a thing lies by us until we
bring it into use ; we lay it by for some future purpose :
we lie down in order to repose ourselves ; we lay money
down by way of deposit : the disorder lies in the constitu-
tion ; we lay a burden upon our friends."
leave, w., liberty or permission granted ; allowance.
" He hath wrung from me my slow leave." — Hamlet.
Syn. : liberty, licence, permission, concession.
Ant. : restriction, prohibition, prevention, refusal.
Syn. dis. : " Leave is the simplest term ; it implies the
placing of a person in a position to act or not, as he
pleases ; a discretionary permission ; liberty, that all ob-
structions or hindrances are removed to specific action ; as
liberty of speech, liberty of access. Licence is liberty in a
particular case, formally or even legally granted by special
permission ; as a licence to print, sell, etc. Permission is
the mere absence on the part of another of anything pre-
ventive or of opposition, without implying sanction or
approval " Leave and permission are said to be asked for,
but not liberty : we beg leave to oflfer our opinions ; we
request permission to speak ; we take the liberty to call
to account.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 217
letters, n. pi., learning, literature, erudition, knowledge.
Syn. dis. : "Letters and literature signify knowledge de-
rived through the medium of written letters oy books, that is,
information ; learning is confined to that which is commu-
nicated, that is, scholastic knowledge. Such an expression
as ' men of letters' or ' the republic of letters' comprehends
all who devote themselves to the cultivation of their
minds ; literary societies have for their object the diflfusion
of general information ; learned societies propose to them-
selves the higher object of extending the bounds of
science, and of enlarging the sum of human knowledge."
"Letters — equivalent to the French ^belles lettres,' polite
learning — is to literature as the abstract to the concrete ;
literature being letters in specific relationship, as the litera-
ture (not the letters) of a particular country." (^See know-
ledge, also literature.)
lightness, n., light conduct, want of steadiness, fickleness,
vacillation, inconstancy.
Syn. : levity, flightiness, giddiness, volatility.
Ant. : sobriety, gravity, decorum, steadiness.
Syn. dis. : "Lightness and giddiness are taken either in
the natural or metaphorical sense ; the rest in the moral
sense : lightness is said of the outward carriage or the
inward temper. Levity is that kind of lightness which de-
notes an inability or inaptitude to weigh the importance of
principles in thought ajid action, and so borders on immo-
rality, if it is not actually such. Giddiness is wild thought-
lessness, especially such as comes of exuberant spirits,
combined with scanty powers of reflection. Lightness is
that quality of mind which disposes it to be influenced by
trifling considerations, and shows itself, therefoi'e, in incon-
stancy and want of steadfastness and resolution. Vola-
tility is active lightness of disposition ; a tendency to fly
from one thing to another from curiosity and petty in-
terest. Flightiness comes of mental unsteadiness, which
shows itself in capricious fancies, irregular conduct, and
disordered intentions; it betokens intellectual deficiency."
likeness, n., the quality or state of being like ; that which is
like or similar.
218 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
Syn. : resemblance, similarity, similitude, correspon-
dence.
Ant. : dissimilarity, dissimilitude, disparity, unlikeness.
Syn. dis. : '^Likeness is the most general, and at the
same time the most familiar, term : it respects either ex-
ternal or intei'nal properties ; resemblance usually respects
only the external aspects. We speak of ' a strong likeness
in feature ' ; * a faint resemblance in manner.' Similarity,
or similitude, which is a higher term, is in the moral
application, in regard to likeness, what resemblance is in
the physical sense : what is alike has the same nature ;
what is sim,ilar has certain featui-es in common ; in this
sense we say feelings, sentiments, and persons are alike;
but cases, circumstances, and conditions are similar."
linger, v., to be slow in moving, to delay, to await, to stop.
Syn. : tarry, loiter, lag, saunter.
Ant. : hasten, press, push, speed.
Syn. dis. : " Suspension of action or slow movement
enters into the meaning of all these terms : to linger is to
stop altogether or to move but slowly forward ; to tarry is
properly to suspend one's movement ; the former may pro-
ceed from reluctance to leave the spot on which we linger ;
the latter may proceed from motives of discretion which
suggest our tarrying .*' " Loiter is to linger from tardiness
or indolence, as linger implies a constraining or retarding
influence attached to the locality. Saunter (populai'ly de-
rived from sainte terre, the Holy Land, as if connected
with the strolling of pilgrims there) is to move onwards,
but in an idle, dreamy fashion. We lag through laziness
or absence of mind ; linger through attachment ; loiter from
idleness ; saunter for pleasure ; and tarry for a purpose."
listless, a,<lj- , having no inclination or interest, languid, weary.
Syn.: uninterested, indifferent, careless, torpid.
Ant. : eager, curious, ardent, attentive, absorbed. See
indolent.
literature, n., the collective literary productions of any
country or period ; knowledge of or acquaintance with
letters or books.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 219
Syn. : learning, letters, erudition.
Syn dis. : The term literature embraces what the French
call belles lettres, the class of wiitings distinguished for
beauty of style or expi-ession, as poetry, essays, or history,
in contradistinction to scientific treatises and words which
contain positive knowledge. Archdeacon Smith thus dis-
tinguishes the terms literature and the arts : " Litera-
ture," he says, "in its widest application, embraces all
compositions which do not appei-tain to the positive
sciences. As a man of literature is versed in belles lettres,
so a man of learning excels in what is taught in the
schools, and belongs almost wholly to the past ; while
literature includes the current compositions of the day.
Art is the application of knowledge to practice. As science
consists of speculative principles, so art is a system of
rules, serving to facilitate the performance of certain ac-
tions. Arts are divided into two classes : the useful,
mechanical or industrial arts, and the liberal, polite, or
fine arts. The former are called trades ; the latter have
to do with imagination and design, as poetry, painting,
sculpture, designing, and the like."
livelihood, n., means of subsistence or maintaining life ; the
support of life ; means of living,
Syn. : living, subsistence, maintenance, support, suste-
nance.
Ant. : privation, starvation, want, beggary.
Syn. dis. : "The means of living or supporting life is
the idea common to all these terms. A livelihood is a
calling or profession regarded as the condition of sub-
sistence ; while living is the subsistence itself. Both live-
lihood and living are restricted to rational creatures,
whose maintenance depends upon their own exertions.
Subsistence is employed of what furnishes support to an-
imal life generally and directly, as food ; while to support
is to furnish with the means of sustenance in any shape,
as money, food, and the like. Maintenance has a wider
meaning, and denotes generally the keeping up of any-
thing which has to be upheld in a course of being, action,
or operation ; as the maintenance of life, of the body, of
a fabric, of respectability, of splendour, of public war or
220 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
worship. Sustenance denotes no more than means of sup-
porting life, but is not restricted to animal life, being
applicable to the vegetative life of plants. Maintenance
and support are applicable to things of the moral nature ;
as the support of courage and hope ; the maintenance of
order, cheerfulness, or resolution."
lively, adj., gay, animated, active, energetic, brisk.
Syn. : sprightly, vivacious, sportive, merry, jocund.
Ant. : lifeless, torpid, sluggish, listless, dull.
Syn. dis. : " Liveliness is the property of childhood,
youth, and even mature age ; sprightliness is the peculiar
propei'ty of youth ; vivacity is a quality compatible with
the sobriety of years. The imagination, the wit, the con-
ception, the representation, and the like, are lively ; the
air, the manner, the book, the tune, the dance, are
sprightly ; the conversation, the turn of mind, the sociefcy,
are vivacious; the muse, the pen, the imagination, are
sportive ; the meeting, the laugh, the song, the concert,
are merry ; the train, the dance, the note, are jocund."
loose, adj., unbound, rambling, unrestrained in morals and
manner, wanton.
Syn. : lax, licentious, dissolute, vague.
Ant. : bound, tight, moral, conscientious, exact.
Syn. dis. : " Loose is employed either for moi'al or intel-
lectual subjects ; vague only for intellectual objects ; lax
sometimes for what is intellectual, but oftener for the
moral ; dissolute and licentious only for moral matters.
Whatever wants a proper connection, or linking together
of the parts, is loose ; whatever is scattered and remotely
separate is vague : a style is loose where the words and
sentences are not made to coalesce, so as to form a regular
connected series ; assertions are vague which have but a
remote connection with the subject referred to. Loose-
ness of character, if indulged, soon sinks into dissoluteness
^f morals ; and laxity of discipline is apt to be followed by
licentiousness of manners."
M.
maintain, v., to sustain ; keep or retain possession of ; sup-
port or defend by force of reason or intellect.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 221
"For thou hast maintained my right and my cause."
— Psalm ix., 4.
Syn. : assert, hold, vindicate, support.
Ant. ; drop, abandon, oppose, thwart, subvert.
Syn. dis. : " Maintain, in the sense in which it is syn-
onymous with the other terms here given, denotes thf
holding firmly or with vigour and constancy ; while hold
denotes simply entertaining with any degree of firmness
in argumentative defence, and even without argument at
all. We hold views, opinions, or belief; we maintain,
besides these, positions, arguments, rights, claims. We
assert facts and claims. To vindicate is to defend with
an implied degree of success. Hold is always used of
persons ; support also of evidence."
malevolent, adj., having an ill-will or evil disposition to-
wards others, or rejoicing in their misfortune.
Syn. : malicious, malignant, ill-disposed.
Ant. : kindly, benignant, beneficent.
Syn. dis. : " Malevolence has a deep root in the heart,
and is a settled part of the character ; we denominate the
person malevolent to designate the ruling temper of his
mind : maliciousness may be applied as an epithet to
particular parts of a man's character or conduct : malignity
is not applied to characterize the person but the thing ;
the malignity of a design is estimated by the degree of
mischief which was intended to be done." Malice will,
in general, lie dormant until it is provoked ; but malevol-
ence is as active and unceasing in its operations for mis-
chief as its opposite, benevolence, is in wishing and doing
good : a story or tale is termed malicious which emanates
from a malicious disposition ; a fever is malignant which
runs a long and unchecked course,- and seems to defy all
efibrt to arrest it.
manners, n., behaviour, carriage, deportment, especially
ceremonious, polite, or respectful deportment, civility.
Syn. : morals, politeness, breeding.
Syn. dis. : " Manners respect the minor forms of acting
with and towards others ; morals include the important
duties of life : manners have therefore been denominated
222 THK HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WOKD-BOOK.
minor morals." By an attention to good manners we
commend ourselves to others and render ourselves desir-
able associates ; by an observance of good m,orals we
become good membei's of society and gain its esteem.
Goodi-manners is the result of good-breeding, and good-
beeeding is the index and distinctive characteristic of a
gentleman.
maxim, n., a short and concise statement of an important
truth ; a principle generally reciuved and admitted as true.
Syn. : precept, rule, law, proverb, adage, aphorism.
Syn. dis. : " Maxim is a moral truth that carries its
own weight with itself : precept, rule, and law all borrow
their weight from some external circumstance : the precept
derives its authority from the individual delivering it ;
the rule acquires a worth from its fitness for guiding us in
our proceeding ; the law, which is a species of rule,
derives its weight from the sanction of power. Maxim,s
are often p ecepts, inasmuch as they are sometimes com-
municated to us by our parents or those in authority ;
they are rules inasmuch as they serve as a rule for our
conduct ; they are laws inasmuch as they have the sanc-
tion of conscience."
may, an auxiliary verb, denoting (among other things) sub-
jective power, ability, or might. In this sense, may is
almost obsolete, its place being taken by can ; may being
j-eserved for those cases in which there is something re-
garded as possibly true or likely to happen.
Syn. dis. : Distinguishing may from can, Archdeacon
Smith has the following remarks : " Can denotes power ;
innay, probability, possibility, and permission. I can, or
cannot, walk ; that is, T have, or have not, the power to
walk. It is remarkable that the negative cannot is used
in the sense of extreme improbability ; as, ' surely it
cannot be raining with this bright sun ; ' in which case
it seems to take the place of may not. So we should say,
'I think, with the wind from the sout'i, it may rain
to-day.' But we should not say, ' surely, with the wind
from the north, it may not,' but ' it cannot rain to-day.'
May not is usually said to negative, not probability, but
permission."
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 223
mental, odj., pertaining to the mind or intellect ; intel-
lectual,
Syn. dis. : There is the same difference between mental
and intellectual as between mind and intellect : the mind
comprehends the thinking faculty in general, with all its
operations ; the intellect includes only that ])art of it which
consists in understanding and judgment : menial is there-
fore opposed to corporeal ; intellectual is opposed to
sensual or physical : m,ental exertions are not to be
expected from all ; intellectual enjoyments fall to the lot
of comparatively few. Objects, pleasures, pains, opera
tions, gifts, etc., are denominated mental, though some
may be also characterized as intellectual ; subjects, con-
versation, pursuits, literary society, and the like, are en-
titled intellectual.
merit, n., goodness or excellence entitling to honour or
reward ; value or excellence ; that which is earned or
deserved.
Syn. : goodness, desert, worth, excellence, worthiness.
Ant. : demerit, unworthiness, worthlessness, defect.
Syn. dis. : " Of these desert and merit have the two-fold
meaning of good and evil deserving ; while goodness,
worth, and worthiness are employed only in a favourable
sense. Worth is the intrinsic and permanent value of the
moral chai-acter or the thing appraised : worth describes
the qualities ; merit, the actions of a man. Merit and
desert are well-nigh identical in meaning ; but merit is
used more abstractly, as, ' the merits of a case,' * the merits
of a literary or musical production.' It represents excel-
lency less strictly in connection with its dues than does
desert, which always takes into account some correspon-
dent treatment of persons."
mindful, adj., attentive, heedful, regardful, observant.
Syn. dis. : " Mindful respects that which we wish from
others : regardful respects that which in itself demands
regard or serious thought : observant respects both that
which is communicated by others and that which carries
its own obligations with itself." Heedful has the general
sense of thinking much on, or of giving heed to, that
which is brought to our notice, and of which we are to be
224. THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
careful. In this it agrees with attention ; hence we speak
of giving heed and paying attention. Observant expresses
the faculty of noticing things, not from mere curiosity,
but from the hope of gaining or profiting something by
such observation.
misconstrue, v., to interpret either words or things in a
wrong sense ; misinterpret.
Syn. dis. : " The difference is slight between the usages
of these terms : both imply voluntary action ; yet miscon-
strue seems more commonly employed of things of which
the meaning has to be gathered by inference ; misinterpret,
of those of which it is dii-ectly ex])ressed. Hence we
should say, * to misinterpret words or actions,' ' to miscorir
strue motives.' Interpretations should be truthful : con-
structions of conduct should be charitable. I misinterpret
a man's actions when I pass wrong judgment ; I miscon-
strue them when I err in appraising the nature of their
intentions."
modesty, n., the lowly estimate of one's own merits, impor-
tance, or powers ; unassuming conduct ; propriety of
manner or behaviour.
Syn. : moderation, decency, decorum, diffidence.
Ant : vanity, self-conceit, assurance, effrontery.
Syn. dis. : Modesty lies in the mind and in the tone of
feeling ; moderation respects the desires : modesty is not
only a becoming virtue, but a discreet principle of action ;
moderation is a rule or line that acts as a restraint on the
views and the outward conduct. Modesty shields a man
from mortifications and disappointments, which assail the
self-conceited man : Tnoderation is equally advantageous,
since it suitably restrains and regulates one's desires, de-
mands, and expectations. Modesty, though opposed to
assurance, is not incompatible with a justifiable confi-
dence in ourselves, and, unlike diffidence, qualifies one for,
and often incites one to, the proper fulfilment of duty.
mutual, adj., interchanged; given and received; each acting
in return or correspondence to the other.
" The soul and spirit that animates and keeps up aaciety is
mutual trust." — South.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. ^225
" Life cannot subsist in society but by reciprocal concessions."
Johnson.
Syn. : common, correspondent, reciprocal, interchange-
able.
Ant. : one-sided, unreciprocated, unreturned.
Syn. dis. : " Mutual supposes a sameness in condition
at the same time ; reciprocal supposes an alternation or
succession of returns. Mutual applies mostly to matters
of will and opinion : a mutual affection, a mutual inclina-
tion to oblige, a mutual interest or concern (for each
other's comfort, pleasure, etc.) — these are virtues we
should display and encourage ; reciprocal ties, bonds,
rights, duties — these are what everyone ought to bear in
mind as a member of society, that he may expect of no
man more than what in equity he is disposed to return.
Mutual applies to nothing but what is personal ; reciprocal
is applied to things remote from the idea of personality,
as reciprocal terms, relations," etc. " A mutual thing is
simply a thing which exists between two pei"Sons ; a
reciprocal thing so exists as the result of a giving and
returning. ' The attachment was mutual ' would mean
simply that it was felt on both sides ; that it was reci-
procal, that what one had given the other had also
returned." When we ai'e speaking of « third person the
word mutual is much misused for the wwrd common, as in
the phrase, ' our mutual friend ' — mutual properly i-elating
to two persons only. Care should be taken also to avoid
adding the words for each other, in such a phrase as,
'^ mutual regard for each other.' The idea expressed in
the word ' mutual ' makes it i-edundant to add the words
' for each other.' Similai'ly the phrase, * mutually depen-
dent ' is the exact equivalent of ' dependent on each
other ; ' hence, ' mutually dependent on each other ' is
tautological and a solecism.
N.
naxue, n., that by which a person or thing is called or desig-
nated.
Syn. : appellation, title, denomination, designation.
Syn. dis. : '■'■Name is a generic term ; the rest are spe-
cific. Whatever word is employed to distinguish one
226 * THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WOKD-BOOK.
thing from another, is a name; thei-efore an appe/Iatioh
and a title is a name, but not vice versa." Appellation
properly denotes a descriptive term wlien some individual
is expressed or some peculiar characteristic, as Alfred the
Great ; Richard, the Hunchback. " A title is a name in
some way indicative of dignity, distinctiveness, or pro-
minence. Denomination is a distinctive name, implying
sectional division or classification : designation is a dis-
tinctive title, pointing out more specifically one individual
from others."
narrow, adj., limited as to space, extent, duration, means,
etc. ; cii'cum scribed ; contracted in views or intellect.
Syn. : contracted, confined, straitened, slender.
Ant. : wide, broad, ample, capacious, expanded.
Syn. dis. : " Narrow is a variation of near, signifying
the quality of being near, close, or not extended; con-
tracted signifies either the statR or quality of being shrunk
up, lessened in size, or bi-ought within a small compass.
Contracted and confined respect the operations of things ;
narrow their qualities or accidents." " A narrow escape
is one in which the interval between the point of danger
and the person avoiding it is near or narrow. Metaphori-
cally a narrow mind is so by nature ; a contracted mind is
so by association, training, or ])rejudice. Confined implies
more sti'ongly than contracted the operation of external
forces : a stream is contracted within its ordinary couise
by the drought of sunnuer ; it is confined to a narrow bed
by artificial embankments. We s])eak morally of the
contracted span of a man's life, and the confined view he
takes of a subject."
naturally, adv., in a naturally way; spontaneously; accord-
ing to the usual order of things.
Syn. : in course, consequently, of course, normally.
Ant. : artfully, abnormally, unnaturally.
Syn. dis. : " Naturally signifies according to the natur©
of things, as, ' this might naturally have been expected-'
hi course signifies in the course of things, that is, in the
regular order or sequence that things ought to follow.
Consequently signifies by a consequence, that is, by a
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 227
noccss;r,y law of dependence, which makes one thing
follow aiiotlicr. Of course signifies on account of the
course which things most commonly or even necessarily
take. Whatever happens naturally, ha])jiens as we expect
it ; what happens in course, happens usually as we approve
of it ; whatever follows consequently, follows as we judge
it right ; whatever follows of course, follows as we see it
necessarily. Consequently is either a speculative or a
practical infex'ence ; of course is always practical. In
course applies to what one does or may do ; of course
applies to what one must do or leave undone."
necessary, adj., indispensably rfquisite or needful ; such as
cannot be done without or dispensed with.
"'Tis necessary he should die." — Timon of Athens.
Syn. : expedient, essential, requisite, inevitable.
Ant. : contingent, optional, disci-etional, unessential.
Syn. dis. : " Necessary is a general and indefinite tenn :
things may be necessary in the course of nature ; they
may be necessary according to the circumstances of the
case or our views of necessity. Expedient, essential, and
requisite are modes of i-elative necessity ; the expedience of
a thing is a matter of discretion and calculation. The
requisite and the essential are more obviously necessary
than the expedient ; but the former is less so than the
latter : what is requisite may be so -only in part or
entirely ; the essential, on the contraiy, is that which con-
stitutes the essence, and without which a thing cannot
exist."
negligent, adj., apt to neglect or omit that which ought to
be done or attended to ; careless, neglectful.
Syn. : remiss, careless, heedless, thoughtless, inattentive.
Ant. : careful, thoughtful, mindful, heedful, considerate.
Syn. dis. : '* Negligent is a stronger term than remiss ;
.one is negligent in neglecting the thing that is expressly
before one's eyes ; one is remiss in forgetting that which
was enjoined some time previously : the want of will
renders a person negligent ; the want of interest renders
a person remiss. Servants or employees are not infre-
quently negligent in what concerns their master's interest •
228 ~ THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
teachers are sometimes remiss in not correcting the faults
of their pupils." See heed.
Qeighbourhood, n., the state of living or being situate J
near ; an adjoining district or locality ; vicinity.
Syn. dis. : " Neighbourhood is Saxon ; vicinity is Latin. :
hence, as commonly happens, the Saxon term is the more
comprehensive. Neighbourhood is, in the first place,
employed both of the place or places in the vicinity, and
of the persons inhabiting them : vicinity, only of the
place. Again, neighbourhood is employed to designate the
general nearness or collectiveness of persons or objects
among one another ; vicinity, only of the nearness of one
being to another, or a person to a place. Hence, a differ-
ence in the form of expression ; as, to live in the vicinity
of the sea, rather than the neighbourhood ; nothing more
being meant than physical proximity. Vicinity expresses
nearness ; neighbourhood, social nearness."
news, n. (pi., but always treated as a singular noun), recent
or fresh intelligence, or information concerning any matter
or event ; tidings ; intelligence.
Syn. dis. : " News denotes what is generally read in the
way of intelligence from any or all quarters. This may
be interesting to ourselves in common with others, or it
may be wholly uninteresting. Tidings are news of what
has tided or betided (A. S., tid, tide or time), more or less
expected, from a particular quarter, and always personally
interesting. Intelligence is a more formal word, denoting
public or official communication of news, and is always of
general interest, whether good or bad, and commonly on
definite subjects."
QOise, n., loud or confused sound; loud or continuous talk; a
din ; a rumour.
Syn. : cry, outcry, clamour.
Ant. : melody, silence, stillness, hush.
Syn. dis. : " These terms may all be taken in an impro-
per as well as a proper sense. Whatever is obtruded upon
the public notice, so as to become the universal subject of
conversation and writing, is said to make a noise ; in this
manner a new and good performer at the theatre makes a
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 229
noise on his first appearance : a noise may, however, be for
or against ; but a cry, outcry, and clamour are always
against the object, varying in the degree and manner in
which they display themselves : cry implies less than out-
cry, and this is less than clamour. When the public voice
is raised in an audible manner against any particular mat-
ter, it is a cry ; if it be mingled with intemperate language,
it is an outcry ; if it be vehement and exceedingly noisy,
it is a clamour : partisans raise a cry in order to form a
body in their favour ; the discontented are ever ready to
set up an outcry against men in power ; a clamour for
peace in time of war is easily raised by those who wish to
thwart the government."
DOte, n., an explanatory or critical comment; a minute, mem-
orandum, or short writing intended to assist the memory.
Syn. : annotation, comment, commentary, observation,
remark.
Syn. dis. : " In the sense in which it is synonymous
with the other terms here given, note is always written,
being either a brief writing to assist the memory or a
marginal comment or explanation. It is this latter respect
of the word which is more fully expressed by annotation.
Comment has a less systematic meaning, and denotes the
expression of anything which may casually suggest itself
as worth making in relation to what is said or written,
and may be itself either written or said. When the com^
meat is only spoken as well as casual, and has relation'
rather to the circumstances of the case than to its inter-
pretation, it may be called an observation or remark.
Commentary is a systematic collection of comments in a
literary form, and by way of explanation and illustration."
notice, v., to take cognizance of; to make comments or re-
mai'ks upon ; to observe.
Syn. dis. : "In the first sense of these words, as the
action respects ourselves, to notice and remark require
simple attention; to observe requires examination. To
notice is a more cursory action than to remark : we may
notice a thing by a single glance, or on merely turning
one's head ; but to remark supposes a reaction of the mind
on an object : we notice the state of a person's health or
230 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
his manners in company ; we remark his habits and pecu-
liarities in domestic life. What is noticed or remarked
strikes on the senses, and awakens the mind ; what is 06-
served is looked after and sought for : the former are often
involuntary acts ; we see, hear, and think, because the
objects obtrude themselves imcalled for ; but the latter is
intentional as well as voluntHry ; we see, hear, and think.
on that which we have watched. We remark things as
matters of fnct ; we observe them in order to judge of, 01
draw conclusions from them."
o.
obedient, adj., ready to obey the commands or directions ol
a superior ; submissive to authority, restraint, or control.
Syn. : submissive, obsequious, dutiful, compliant.
Ant. : rebellious, disobedient, intractable, antagonistic.
Syn. dis. : " One is obedient to command, submissive to
power or the will, obsequious to persons. Obedience is
always taken in a good sense; one ought always to be
obedient where obedience is due : submission is relative y
good ; it may, however, be indifferent or bad : one may be
submissive from interested motives, or meanness of spirit,
which is a base kind of submission ; but to be submissive
for conscience' sake is the bounden duty of a Christian :
obsequiousness is never good ; it is an excessive concern
about the good-will or favour of another which has always
interest for its end."
object, n., that towards which the mind is directed in any of
its states or activities. Syn. : subject.
Syn. dis. : " Object signifies the thing that lies in one's
way ; subject, the thing forming the ground-work ; the
one is perceived by the sight, the other is that which the
mind deals with and reflects upon. The object puts itself
forward ; the subject is in the background ; we notice the
object ; we observe and reflect on the subject : objects are
sensible ; the subject is altogether intellectual ; the eye,
the ear, and all the senses are occupied with the surround-
ing objects: the memory, the judgment, and the imagina-
tion are supi)lied with subjects suitable to the nature of
the operation. When object is taken for that which is
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 231
intellectual, it retains a similar signification ; it is the
thing that presents itself to the mind ; it is seen by the
mind's eye : the subject, on the contrary, is that which
must be sought for, and when found it engages the mental
powers : hence we say an object of consideration, an object
of delight, an object of concern ; a subject of reflection, a
subject of mature dclil eration, the subject of a poem, the
subject of grief, of lamentation, and the like."
objection, «., that which is or may be urged or brought for-
ward in oi)})Osition ; an adverse argumeiit, reason or charge.
Syn. : diflaculty, exception.
Syn. dis. : " Objection is here a general term ; it com-
prehends both the difficulty and the exception, which are
but species of the objection : an objection and a difficulty
are started ; an exception is n)ade : the objection to a thing
is in general that wliich renders it less desirable; but the
difficulty is that which renders it less ])racticable : there is
an objection against every scheme which incurs a serious
risk ; the want of means to begin, or resources to carry
on a scheme, ai'e difficn ties. Objection and exception both
respect the nature, the moral tendency, or moral conse-
quences of a thing ; but an objection may be frivolous or
serious ; an exception is something serious : the objection
is positive ; the exception is relatively considered, that is,
the thing excepted from other things, as not good, and
consequently objected, to."
obstinate, adj., pertinaciously adhering to one's opinions,
purposes, or views ; firmly fixed in resolution.
Syn. : contumacious, stubborn, headstrong, inflexible.
Ant. : amenable, complaisant, yielding, docile.
Syn. dis. : " Obstinacy is a habit of the mind ; conttim-
acy is either a particular state of feeling or a mode of
action : obstinacy consists in an attachment to one's own
mode of acting ; contumacy consists in a contempt ot
othei-s : the obs'inate man adliei-es tenaciously to his own
ways, and opposes reason to i-easoa ; the contumacious man
disputes the right of another to control his actions, and
oppo.ses foi'ce to force. Obstinacy interferes with a man's
private conduct, and makes him blind to right reason :
232 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
contumacy is a crime against lawful authority ; the con
tumacious man sets himself against his superioi-s The
stubborn and the headstrong are species of the obstinate :
the former lies altogether in the perversion of the will ;
the latter in the perversion of the judgment : the stubborn
person wills what he wills ; the headstrong person thinks
what he thinks. Stubbornness is mostly inherent in a
person's nature ; a headstrong temper is commonly associ-
ated with violence and impetuosity of character."
occasion, n., an incident, event, or casualty which indirectly
gives rise to something else; an incidental, but not e£Gi-
cient cause.
Syn. : necessity, requirement, need, want.
Syn. dis. : " These terms are applied to the events of
life ; but the occasion is that which determines our con-
duct, and leaves us no choice ; it amounts to a degree of
necessity : the opportunity is tliat which invites the action ;
it tempts us to embrace the moment for taking the step.
We do things, therefore, as the occasion requires, or as
the opportunity offers. There are many occasions on which
a man is called upon to uphold his opinions. There are
few opportunities for men in general to distinguish them-
selves. The occasion obtrudes upon us ; the opportunity
is what we seek or desire."
old, adj., not new ; not fresh or recent ; ancient.
Syn. : antique, antiquated, old-fashioned, obsolete.
Ant. : young, youthful, modern, current, recent.
Syn. dis. : " Old respects what has long existed and
still exists ; ancient what existed at a distant period, but
does not necessarily exist at present ; antique, that which
has long been ancient, and of which there remain but faint
traces : antiquated, old-fashioned, and obsolete that which
has ceased to be any longer used or esteemed. A fashion
is old when it has been long in use ; a custom is ancient
when its use has long been passed ; a person is antiquated
whose appearance is grown out of date ; manners which
are gone quite out. oi fashion are old fashioned ; a word o»*
custom is obsolete which has grown out of use."
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 233
omen, n., a chance event or occurrence, considered as a sign
of good or ill ; anything thought to portend good or ill.
Syn. : prognostic, presage, augury, portent.
Syn. dis. : " All these terms express some token or
sign of what is to come. The omen and prognostic are
both drawn from external objects ; the presage is drawn
from one's own feelings. The 07nen is drawn from objects
that have no necessary connection with the thing they are
made to represent ; it is the fruit of the imagination, and
rests on superstition ; the prognostic, on the contrary, is a
sign which partakes in some degree of the quality of the
thing denoted. The o/uen and presage respect either good
or bad events ; prognostic respects mostly the bad. It is
an omen of our success if we find those of whom we have
to ask a favour in a good-humour ; the spirit of discontent
which pervades the countenances and discourse of a people
is a prognostic of some popular commotion ; the quickness
of povvers discoverable in a b jy is sometimes a presage of
his future greatness."
option, n., the right, power, or liberty of choosing; the
privilege of choice.
Syn. : choice, selection, preference.
Syn. dis. : " Option is the right or power of choice, or
freedom from restraint in the act of choosing : the optional
is opposed to the compulsory. Choice denotes the act and
the power of choosing out of a number, with the sense,
sometimes, of judgment in choice, as when we say Ho show
choice.' Preference is the specific exercise of choice in
reference to one or more objects of choice. Selection has
much the same meaning as prejerence ; but preference may
express only a feeling, while selection is an act of taking
one or more out of a number upon some principle of
choice connected or not with feeling."
oral, adj., uttered or delivered by the mouth ; spoken, not
written,
Syn. : verbal, vocal ; unwritten, traditional.
Syn. dis. : " Oral means spoken by word of mouth ;
verbal, the same thing ; vocal, belonging to the voice. The
difterence is in the application. Oral is opposed to written
234 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
or printed in vohinies and documents, and stands related
to history, records, and tradition ; verbal, to common and
brief communications ; vocal, to instrumental in music, or
to sounds produced in other ways, or to silence."
order, n., regular or methodical disposition or arrangement.
Syn. : method, rule, arrangement.
Syn. dis. : Order is a])plied in general to everything
that is disposed ; method and rule are applied only to what
is done ; the order lies in consulting the time, the place,
and the object, so as to make them accord ; the method
consists in the right choice of means to an end ; the rule
consists in that which will keep us in the right way.
Where there is a number of objects thei-e must be oi'der
in the disposition of them : there must be order in a school
as to the arrangement both of the pupils and of the busi-
ness : where there is work to carry on, or any object to
attain, or any art to follow, there must be method in the
pursuit. As e])ithets, orderly, methodical, and regular, are
applied to persons and even to things : an orderly man, or
an or derly society, is one that adheres to the est; b i hed
orde ot things : the former in his domestic habits, the
latter in their public capacity, their social meetings, and
their social measures. A m^ethodical man is one who
adopts method in all he sets about ; such a one may some-
times run into the extreme of formality, by being precise
where precision is not necessary : we cannot speak of a
methodical society, for method is altogether a personal
quality. A man is regidar, inasmuch as he follows a cer-
tain rule which is the guide of his conduct."
origin, «., the beginning or first existence of anything ; that
from which anything primarily proceeds j the commence-
ment.
Syn. : original, beginning, rise, source, derivation.
Syn. dis. ; " Origin has respect to the cause, beginning
to the period of existence: everything owes its existence
to the origin; it dates it existence fnmi the beginning:
there cannot be an origin without a beginning ; but there
may be a beginning where we do not speak of an origin.
Origin and rise are both o nployed for the primary state
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 235
of existence ; but the latter is a much more familiar term
than the former : we speak of the origin of an empire, the
origin of a family, the origin of a dispute, and the like ;
but we say that a river takes its rise from a certain moun-
tain, that certain disorders take their rise from particular
circumstances which happen, it may be, in early life. We
look to the origin as to the cause of existence : we look to
the rise as to the situation in which the thing commences
to exist, or the process by which it grows up into exist-
ence."
oversight, n., supeiintendence, supervision ; omission, in-
advertence.
Syn. dis. : Oversight has two apparently opposite
meanuigs — that of control or supervision, and that of
inadvertency. The one is expressed in the duties of over-
sight, or care over persons committed to one's charge ; the
other expresses neglect or omission to go somewhere, or to
do or perform some act. In the latter sense, oversight
differs from inadvertency "in being jjuiely negative, while
inadvertency may denote active error : we do wrong things
through inadvertency ; we omit to do right or needful
things thi'ongh oversight. Oversight differs from superin-
tendence in that it relates only to persons : we speak of
the superintendence of an institution, and the oversight of
its inmates."
•
overturn, v., to turn over, upset, overthrow ; overpower.
Syn. : overthrow, subvert, invert, reverse.
Ant. : restore, reinstate, revive, construct.
Syn. dis. : " To overturn, overthrow, and subvert,
generally involve the destructit)n of the thing so overturned,
^overthrown, or subverted, or at least renders it for the time
useless, and are, therefo;e, mostly unallowed acts; but
reverse and invert, which have a more patticnlar applica-
tion, have a less specific character of piopriety : we may
reverse a proposition by taking the negative instead of the
affirmative ; a deci"ee may be reversed so as to i-ender it
nugatory ; but both of these acts may be right or wrong,
according to circumstances : likewise, the order of par-
ticular things m-iy be inverted to suit the convenience of
parties; but the order of society cannot be inverted with-
236 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
out subvertiny all the principles on which civil society is
built."
P.
paint, v., to represent by delineation and colours; (Jig.) to
re]n-esent or exhibit to the mind.
Syn. : depict, describe, image, characterize, represent.
Syn. dis. : To paint is employed either literally to re
present figures or scenes on canvas, or to represent char-
acters, events, and circumstances by means of words : to
depict is generally used in this latter sense only, but the
former woi'd seems to express a greater exercise of the
imagination than the latter : it is the art of the poet to
paint nature in lively colours ; it is the art,of the historian
or narrator to depict a real scene of misery in strong
colours. See describe.
parody, n., a poetical pleasantry in which verses of a grave
and serious nature on one subject are altered and applied
to another by way of burlesque.
Syn. dis. : Parody is the humorous adaptation, by alter-
ations here and there of an author's words, or by a close
copying of the measure and melody of his verse, to a
subject very different from the original : it is a burlesque
imitation of a serious poem, a literary composition in
, which the form and expression of serious writings are
closely imitated, but adapted to a ridiculous subject or a
humorous method of treatment. See burlesque.
partake, v., to share in common with others; to participate.
Syn. dis. : " To partake is literally to take a part, share,
or portion (and is followed by * of,' sometimes by * in '),
in common with others. This also is the etymological
force of participate, which is the Latin equivalent of par-
take ; but in participate there is implied a more perfect
unity and community of feeling or possession. Hence it
is followed, not by ' of,' but by ' in.' Two persons may
partake of the same dish ; but they participate in each
other's feelings, convictions, joys or sorrows. To share is
to partake or participate according to an allotted or regu-
lated method," as when we say we have our share of the ills
of life or we have our share of its pleasure and happiness.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 237
It is a gj-oss and unpardonable error, because arising from
pretentiousness, to use '■partake' for ' eat,' e.g., 'he par-
took of his noontide meal.'
patience, n. the power or quality of suffering or enduring ;
calm endurance ; long suffering.
Sjn. : endurance, resignation, submission, perseverance.
Ant. : resistance, repining, rebellion, impatience.
Syn. dis. : " Patience applies to any troubles or pains
whatever, small or great ; resignation ia employed only for
those of great moment, in which our dearest intersts are
concerned: patience when compared with resig ation is
somewhat negative ; it consists in the abstaining from all
complaint or indication of what one suffers " : resignation
consists in an absolute but uncomplaining submission to
existing circumstances, be they what they may. There
are many occurrences which are apt to harass the temper,
unless one regards them with patience ; the misfortunes of
some men are of so calamitous a nature that if they have
not acquired Christian resignation they must inevitably
sink under them. Patience lies in the manner and temper
of suffering ; endurance in the act.
penetration, n., having quickness of understanding ; sagacity
or intuition. See discernment.
Syn. : discernment, acuteness, sagacity, sharpness.
Ant. : dulness, obtuseness, stolidity, indiscernment.
perception, n., the power, act, or state of receiving a know-
ledge of external things by impressions on the senses.
Syn. : idea, notion, conception, sight, cognizance.
Syn. dis. : *' Perception expresses either the act of per-
ceiving or the impression produced by that act ; in this
latter sense it is analogous to an idea. The impression of
an object that is present to us is termed a perception ; the
revival of that impression, when the object is removed, is
an idea. A combination of ideas by which any image is
presented to the mind is a conception; the association of
two or more ideas, so as to constitute a decision, is a notion
or a judgment. Perceptions are clear or confused, accord-
ing to the state of the sensible organs and the perceptive
faculty ; ideas are vague or distinct, according to the nature
238 THK HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
of the jye.rception ; conceptions are gross or refined according
to the character and elevation of one's vh.as ; 7iotions are
true or false, correct or incorrect, according to the extent
of one's knowledge."
perplex, v., to make intricate or difficult ; to distress with
suspense or anxiety ; complicate, bewilder.
Syn. : embarrass, puzzle, pose, entangle, involve.
Ant : clear, enlighten, simplify, elucidate, disentangle.
Syn. dis. : "We are jnizzled when our faculties are
contused by what we cannot understand, by moral or
physical antagonisms or contradictions, which we cannot
reconcile or clear. We are posed when we are arrested
by a mental difficulty, or meet with a problem which we
cannot solve. We are perplexed when we are unable,
under contending feelings or views, to determine an opin-
ion or to pursue a definite line of conduct. We are em-
barrassed, in matters of action, tli ought, or speech, by
anything that interferes with their free action. We are
entaiigled when we find ourselves in verbal or practical
difficulties, either by our own error or oversight, or by the
designs of others. We are puzzled by calculations or
riddles ; perplexed by casuistry ; embarrassed, in some
cases, before our superiors, or in speaking a foreign lan-
guage, or in our efforts to express ourselves."
perspicuity, n., that quality in language which presents with
great plainness to the mind of another the precise ideas
of a writer or speaker. See accurate.
" Whenever men think clearly and are thoroughly interested
they express themselves with perspicuity and force." — Robertson.
Syn. : plainness, clearness, distinctness, lucidity.
Ant. : obscurity, confusedness, unintelligibility.
Syn. dis. : " These epithets denote qualities equally re-
quisite to render a discourse intelligible; but each has its
peculiar character. Clearness respects our ideas, and
springs from the distinction of the things themselvts that
are discussed : perspicuity respects the mode of expressing
the ideas, and s])rings from the good qualities of style.
Clearness of intellect is a natural gift ; perspictdty is an
acquired art : although intimately connected with each
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 239
other, yet it is possible to have clearness without persjjiai-
ity, and persj/icuity without clearness. People of quick
cav)acities will have clear ideas on the subjects that oflFer
themselves to their notice, but for want of education they
may often use improper or ambiguous phrases ; or by
errors of construction render their phraseology the reverse
of perspicuous : on the other hand, it is in the power of
some to express themselves perspicuously on subjects far
above their comprehension, from a certain facility which
they acquire of catching up suitable modes of expression."
phrase, n., a short sentence or expression j two or more
words containing a particular mode of speech ; style or
manner in writing or speaking ; an idiom. See diction.
Syn. : sentence, expression, proposition, peiiod, para-
graph.
Syn. dis. : " A phrase is a portion of a sentence consist-
ing of two or more words, and is impressed with a
character of its own, though it is not grammatically
inde})endent. A sentence is grammatically complete, and
stands for any short saying of that character. An
expression is a distinctive form of utterance, regarded in
a technical or rhetorical point of view, and may therefore
consist of either one or more words. A period is a
sentence wholly divested of the idea of its meaning, and
regarded only in its material construction as a matter of
grammar. A paragraph meant, at first, a marginal
writing, but has come to signify a group of sentences or
periods limited to the common point to which they refer.
A proposition is a sentence regarded in a logical point of
view, that is, as stating the connection or disconnection
between the subject and predicate, by an affirmative or
negative copula : as ' Men are, or are not, responsible for
their actions.' " — Archdeacon Smith.
positive, adj; not admitting any condition or discretion ;
explicit ; ovei'-confident in opinion or assertion ; dog-
matical.
Syn. : absolute, peremptory, definite, certain, arbitrary.
Ant. : doubtful, relative, contingent, dependent, ficti-
tious.
240 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
Syn. (lis. : " Positive signifies placed or fixed, that is
fixed on, established in the mind ; absolute signifies
uncontrolled by any external circumstances ; peremptory
signifies removing all further question. Positive is said
either of a man's convictions or temper of mind, or of his
proceedings ; absolute is said of his mode of proceedings,
or his relative circumstances ; peremptory is said of his
proceedings : a decision is positive ; a command is absolute
or peremptory ; what is positive excludes all question ;
what is absolute bars all I'esistance ; what is peremptory
removes all hesitation ; a positive answer can be given
only by one who has positive information ; an absolute
decree can issue only from one vested with absolute
authority ; a peremptory refusal can be given only by one
who has the will and the power of deciding it without any
controversy. As adverbs, positively, absolutely, and per-
emptorily have an equally close connection : a thing is
said not to be positively known, or positively determined
upon, or positively agreed to ; it is said not to be abso-
lutely necessary, absolutely true or false, absolutely required;
it is not to be peremptorily decided, perem,ptorily declared,
peremptorily refused. Positive and absolute are likewise
applied to moral objects with the same distinction as
before : the positive expresses what is fixed in distinction
from the relative that may vary ; the absolute is that
which is independent of everything."
possible, adj., that may happen; that can be done; barely
able to come to pass ; not contrary to the nature of things.
Syn. : practicable, practical, feasible. See feasible.
Syn. dis. : " Possible signifies properly able to be done :
practicable signifies able to be put into practice : hence
the difference between possible and practicable is the
same as between doing a thing at all or doing it as a
rule. There are many things possible which cannot be
called practicable ; but what is practicable must, in its
aature, be possible. The possible depends solely on the
power of the agent; the practicable depends on circum-
stances. The practicable is that which may or can be
practised; the practical is that which is intended for
practise : the former, therefore, applies to that which men
devise to carry into practise : the latter to that which
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 241
they have to pract'se : the practicable is opposed to
the impracticable; the j)''''^''^^^^ to the theoretical or
speculative."
prayer, n., earnest entreaty, supplication, form of supplica-
tion ; the favour, gift, or blessing asked for.
Syn, : petition, entreaty, suit, request.
Syn. dis. : " Prayer and petition differ in that the
former is cijmmonly a request for greater gifts or blessings
of supreme importance, while the latter relates to the
more ordinary wants of our nature or circumstances.
From this flows the further difference, that jyrayer
involves a more decided superiority in him who is the
object of prayer ; while petition may be to a superior
or an equal. The characteristic idea of petition is the
formal recognition of power or authority in another ; of
prayer, earnestness, and submission in oneself. Entreat
involves a certain equality between the parties ; it is a
request of an urgent character dictated by the feelings,
and having reference to some specific act in the power of
the other to perform, or, in some cases, to abstain from.
Request is a more simple and less formal expression, and
may come from a sujierior, an equal, or (with due respect)
from an inferior. The sicit is a petition, often prolonged,
for some favour toward oneself, and so is only made to
those who have it in their power to grant a favour; as, 'a
gentleman pays his suit to a lady,' 'a courtier to a
prince.' "
prelude, n., something introductory; preface, preliminary,
o\eiture; something which indicates a coming event.
Syn. : preface, introduction, proem, prolusion.
Ant. : sequel, finish, conclusion, finale.
Syn. dis. : The idea of a preparatory introduction is in-
cluded in both these terms : preface is compounded of
prm, before, and fari, to speak ; prelude, of proe, before,
and Itidus, a game. In their common usage this distinc-
tion is preserved : a preface is made up of preliminary
words ; a prelude of preliminary acts. A preface is always
an indication of design ; it is the laying down of some-
thing which shall prepare the mind for subsequent state-
ment or representation. Although a prelude is commonly
17
242 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
used of conscious acts, as ushering in others, and subse-
quent acts or events — as, in j)oetry, a brief introductory,
or, in music, a short musical flourish or voluntary played
before the commencement of the piece to be perrormed, —
it is also, by an extension of meaning, sometimes used of
events abstractly, as indicating others to follow by relation
or sequence ; as, ' the growling of thunder is a prelude to
the coining storm.' In ne\v.sj)aper English, we also some-
times read of 'the throwing of stones and breaking of
windows as the prelude on the part of a mob to a general
riot.'
pretence, n., a holding out to others something unreal or
feigned ; that which is assumed ; a feigned claim ; outside
show. See feign.
Syn. : pretext, excuse, pretension, mask, appearance.
Ant. : verity, reality, truth, candour, fact, openness.
Syn. dis. : *' A pretence is a show in act O" in words of
what has no real existence in oneself, a jus^titi cation of
one's conduct before others in some fictitious way, or a
fictitious assumption of what does not really belong to us.
It involves both the exhibition of something unreal, and
the concealment of something real." Pntensioyi is the
holding out the appearance of right or possession ; the
making claim to a thing, which we may o.- may not sub
stantiate ; or, in its more common acce}>tation, exhibiting
attempts to pass for more than one's real worth, an act of
impudent self-assertion. " Pretext is anytliing which is
put forward as the ostensible ground of action, and is re-
lative to something lying beyond it and justified by it.
Pretext differs from excuse as the assertor from the dis-
claimer." Excu>ie is some exj lanation or apology set forth
to justify one's conduct in the eyes of others.
priority, n., state of being first in time, place, or rank ; an
anterior point either of time or order.
Syn. : precedence, pre-eminence, preference.
Ant. : inferiority, subordination, sequence.
Syn. dis. : " Priority denotes the absti-act quality of
V)eing before others ; precedence, from prce and cedo
signifies the state of going before : pre-eminence signifies
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 243
being moi-e eminent or elevated than others : preference
signifies being put before others. Priority respects simply
the order of succession, and is applied to objects either in
a state of motion or rest ; precedence signifies 'priority in
going, and depends upon a right or privilege ; 'pre-eminence
•signifies priority in being, and depends iipon merit ;
preference signifi s priority in placing, and depends upon
favour. The priority is applicable rather to the thing
than to the person."
privacy (jjrl'-va-si or priv'-S-si), n., a place of seclusion,
retreat, or retirement ; the place intended to be secret,
Syn. : retiiement, seclusion, solitude, concealment.
Ant. : publicity, currency, notoriety, exposure.
Syn. dis. : '^ Privacy is a condition of persons ; retirement
is a condition both of places and persons. Privacy may
be of short duration ; retirement implies a longer duration j
hence we say, ' hours of privacy' ; 'a life of retirement.'
Solitude and seclusion imply more than this — a withdrawal
from all society ; while both privacy and retirement are
compatible with the companionship of a few, but in differ-
ent senses. Seclusion is sought; solitude may be imposed.
The inhabitants of a retired or out-of-the-way village may
be said to live in seclusion, but hardly in solitude : we say
a person lives in privacy, in retirement, in seclusion.
Privacy is opposed to publicity ; 7-etirement is opposed to
0[)enness or freedom of access ; seclusion is the excess of
retiremen' : he who lives in seclusion bars all access to
himself; he shuts himself from the woi'ld."
proceeding, n., a process from one thing to another ; a
measure or step taken in business ; a transaction.
Syn. dis. : " Proceeding signifies litei'ally the thing that
proceeds ; and transaction the thing transacted : the former
is, therefore, of something that is going forward ; the
latter of something that is already done ; we are witnesses
to the whole proceeding ; we inquire into the whole
transaction. The term -proceeding is said of every event
or circumstance which goes forward thr :ugh the agency of
men ; transaction comprehends only those matters which
have been deliberately transacted or br ught to a conclu-
sion : in this sense we may us(! the word proceeding in
244 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENOLISH WORD-BOOK.
aj)plication to an affray in the street; and the word
transaction to some commercial negotiation that has been
carried on between certain peisons. The term jyroceeJiny
marks the manner or course of business ; as when we
speak of the proceedings of or the procedure in a cou t of
law : transaction marks the business transacted ; as the
transactions on the Exchange. A proceeding may be
chai-acterized as disgraceful ; a transadion as iniquitous."
profession, n., any business or calling engaged in for sub-
sistence, not being mechanical, in trade or in agriculture,
and the like ; the colL-ctive body of peraons engaged in a
particular profession. /See avocation.
Syn. : trade, business, calling, art.
Syn. dis. : " Business is the most general, and com-
prises any exercise of kni wiedge or expeiience for
purposes of gain. When learning or skill of a high order
is required, it is called a profession : when it consists of
buying and selling merchandise, it is a trade. When
there is a peculiar exercise of skill, it is called an art.
Those productions of human skill and genius more imme
diately addressed to the taste or the imagination — such as
painting, sculpture, engraving, music, etc., are called the
fine arts. Those exercise an a/rt who exchange skilled
labour for fame or for money ; those a trade who ex-
change commodities for money \ those a profession who
exchange intellectual exertion or services for money."
The art of the painter lies in painting pictures ; it is the
trade of the picture-dealer to sell them.
promiscuous, adj., collected together without order or
distinction, as an assembly or meeting ; mingled, common,
not restricted j indiscriminate.
Syn. dis. : " Promiscvous is applied to any number of
different objects mingled together ; indiscriminate is ap-
plied only to the action in which one does not discrim-
inate different objects : a multitude is termed promiscuous,
as characterizing the thing ; the use of different things for
the same purpose, or of the same things for different
purposes, is termed indiscriminate, as characterizing the
person : things become promiscuous by the want of design
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED, 245
in any one : they are indiscriminate by the fatilt of any
one : plants of all descriptions are to be found promiscu-
ously situate I in the beds of a garden : it is folly to level
any charge indiscriminately against all the members of
any community or profession."
purpose, v., to determine on some end or object to be
accomplished ; to resolve, to intend, to propose.
Syn. dis. : " We purpose that which is near at hand, oi
immediately to be set about ; we propose that which is
more distant : the former requires the setting before one's
mind, the latter requires deliberation and plan. We
purpose many things which we never think worth while
doing : but we ought not to propose anything to ourselves
which is not of too much importance to be lightly adopted
or rejected, We purpose to go to town on a certain day;
we propose to spend our time in a particular study."
pursue, v., to go or proceed after ; to follow with a view to
overtake ; prosecute.
Syn. dis. : " Th re is," says Archdeacon Smith, "the
closest etymological affinity between the words pursue and
prosecute, the former coming to us, mediately, through the
French poursuivre ; the latter, directly, from the Latin
prosequi, prosecutus, to follow out. As applied to pro-
cesses of mental application, they differ very slightly ; but
pursue seems rather more to belong to general, prosecute
to specific, investigations or undertakings. So we com-
monly say, to pursue one's studies (indefinitely) ; but
(definitely) to prosecute a particular line of inquiry."
Q.
qualified, adj., having a qualification; furnished with legal
power or capacity ; fitted, limited, modified.
Syn. : competent, entitled, modified, limited.
Syn. dis. : A man is competent to a task when his
powers, either by training or by nature, have, at least, a
special aptitude for that task : a man is qualified for such
a task when he has not only the natural powers, but the
technical acquirements necessary to the due fulfilment of
the task. Qualified has also the meaning of ' modified '
246 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
or 'limited,' as, ^ a quctli/ied statement,' that is, a state-
ment which is accompanied with some limitation or modi-
fication that lessens its truth or fcrce. "■ Entiiled denotes
an assertive kind of q>ialiftcation ; that is, is applied to
cases not only of fitniiss but of privilege, and denotes the
condition to claim with success."
quote, v., to adduce from some author or speaker, by way of
authority or illustration ; to cite the words of.
Syn. dis. : Archdeacon Smith thus discriminates in the
use of the words cite and qv de : "To czVe is literally to
call as a witness, and, in its literary sense, to call in the
words of another to lielp one's own : in this way it
becomes synonymous with quote. To cite an author, and
to quote an author, have practically nearly the same
meaning ; but we use the term cite when the mind dwells
primarily upon the matter imported ; quote, when we
think of the precise words. To cite Shakfspeare as an
authority, does not imply so exact a reproduction of his
words as the term quote, for we may cite roughly, but we
are bound to qv^te exactly." {See cite.)
R.
rare, «'^'., occurring but seldom ; exceptional, precious ; pos-
sessing qualities seldom to be met with.
Syn. : scai'ce, singular, unusual, uncommon, unique.
Ant. : common, fiequent, abundant, numerous, worth-
less.
Syn. dis. : ^^Rare is applied to matters of convenience
or luxury ; scarce, to matters of utility or necessity : that
which is rare becomes valuable, and fetches a high price ;
that which is scarce becomes precious, and the loss of it is
seriously felt. The best of everything is in its nature rare ;
there will never be a supeifluity of such things. What is
rare will often be singular, and what is singular will
often, on that account, be rare ; but these terms are not
necessarily applied to the same object : fewness is the
idea common to both ; but rare is said of that of which
there might be more ; while singular is aj)plied to that
which is single, or nearly single, in its kind. Scarce is
applied only in the proper sense to physical objects; rare
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 247
and singular are applicable to moral objects. One speaks
of a rare instance of fidelity, of which many like exampl'S
cannot be found ; of a singular instance of de|:i"avity, when
a parallel case can scarcely be foun 1." Unique is perhaps
the strongest word to indicate rarity ; it denotes some-
thing unparalleled, without an equal, indeed, without an-
other of the same kind.
rate, n., a calculated proportion ; an assessment at a certain
proportion ; degree in whicPi anything is done or valued,
as speed and price.
Syn. : ratio, proportion.
Syn. dis. : " Rate and ratio are in a sense species of
propoition: that is, they are supposed or estimated j^ro/^or-
tions, in distinction from jyroportujns that lie in the nature
of things. The first teini, rate, is employed in ordinary
concerns : a person receives a certain sum weekly at the
rate of a certain sum yearly ; ratio is applied only to num-
bers and calculations ; as two is to four, so is four to eight,
and eight to sixteen ; the ratio in this case being double :
proportion is emj)loyed in matters of science, and in all
cases where the two more specific terms are not admissi-
ble ; the beauty of an edifice depends upon observing the
doctrine oi proportions ; in the dis))osing of soldiers a cei-
tain regard must be had to pi-oporlion in the height and
size of the men."
ravage, n., destruction by violence or decay ; spoil, ruin,
havoc, waste.
Syn. : desolation, devastation.
Syn. dis. : "Ravage expresses less than either desolation
or devastation : a breaking, tearing, or destroying is im-
plied in the word ravage; but desolation signifies the
, entire unpeopling a land and devastation the entire clear-
ing away of every vestige of cultivation. Torrents, flames,
and tempests ravage; war, plague, and famine desolate;
armies of barbarians, who inundate a country, carry deva-
station with them wherever they go. Ravage is employed
likewise in the moral application ; desolation and devastar
Hon only in th" proper application to countries. Disease
makes its ravages on beauty ; death makes its ravages
248 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
among men in a more terrible degree at one time than at
another."
ready, adj., set in order, prepared ; quick, willing ; furnished
with what is necessary ; not dull in intellect.
Syn. : apt, prompt, expert, skilful, compliant.
Ant. : tardy, slow, hesitating, reluctant, unprepai'ed.
Syn. dis. : " Ready is in general applied to that which
has been intentionally prepared for a given purpose ;
promptness and aptness are species of readiness, which lie
in the personal endowments or disposition : hence we
speak of things being ready for a journey ; persons being
apt to learn, or prompt to obey or to reply. Ready, when
applied to persons, characterizes the talent ; as a ready
wit : apt characterizes their habits ; as apt to judge by
appeai'ance, or apt to decide hastily : prompt characterizes
more commonly the pai'ticular action, and denotes the
willingness of the agent, and the quickness with which
he p:'rforms the action ; as prompt in executing a com-
mand, or prompt to listen to what is said."
reasonable, adj., endowed with or governed by reason ;
moderate ; not excessive ; sane.
Syn. : rational, intelligent, judicious, sensible.
Ant. : absurd, fanciful, irrational, unsound, silly,
Syn. dis. : " Reasonable signifies accordant with reason ;
rational signifies having reason : the former is more com-
monly applied in the sense of right reason, propriety, or
fairness ; the latter is employed in the original sense of
the word reason : hence we term a man reasonable who
acts according to the principles of right reason ; and a
being rational who is possessed of the rational or reason-
ing faculty, in distinction from the brutes." Crabb des-
pondently and somewhat queralously remarks "it is to be
lamented that there are much fewer reasonable than there
are rational creatures,"
recognize, v., to know again j to i-ecollect or recover the
knowledge of; to admit with a formal acknowledgment.
Syn. : acknowledge, avow, own, allow, identify.
Ant. : disown, disavow, ignore, overlook, repudiate.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 249
Syn. dis. : ** To acknowledge is opposed to keeping back
or concealing : it is to avow our knowledge of. To ac-
knowledge one's obligations for the kindness of others iS
little more than openly to express them : to acknowledge
one's fault may or may not imply that it was not known
to others." " The difference between acknowledge and
recognize," says Archdeacon Smith, " turns on the pre-
vious state of our own minds. We acknowledge what we
knew distinctly before, though we did not make that
knowledge public : we recognize what we said at first, it
may be, only indistinctly. That which we recognize we
know, as it were, anew, and admit it on the ground of
the evidence which it brings. In acknowledging we im-
part knowledge ; in recognizing we receive it."
recover, v., to revive, to rescue, to win back, to regain.
Syn. : retrieve, repair, recruit, repossess, regain.
Ant. : lose, forfeit, impair, relapse.
Syn. dis. : We recover advantages ; we regain posses-
sions ; we retrieve losses ; we repair injuries ; we recruit
that which has been diminished — our strength for instance.
We are said to recover what has been accidentally lost,
or lost from want of reflection or thought ; to retrieve that
the loss of which is more distinctly chargeable upon us as
a fault : a man may recover by good luck ; but he retrieves
through his own exertions : he regains either through his
own exertions or the exertions of others : a doctor may
enable one to regain health, or we may do that ourselves
by changing our mode of life.
rectitude, n., rightness of principle or practice ; conformity
to truth, or to the rules prescribed for moral conduct.
Syn,: uprightness, justice, correctness, integrity, honesty.
Ant. : obliquity, crookedness, tortuousness, wrong.
Syn. dis. : Rectitude (Lat. rectus, right or straight) is
conformity to the rule of right in principle and practice ;
uprightness is honesty combined with a native dignity of
character which makes for true worth in a man. We
speak of the rectitude of the judgment ; of the uprightness
of the mind or of the moral character : the latter must be
something more than straight, for it must be elevated
250 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK,
above everything mean or devious: thus ujrrightness
would seem to be the stronger, as it is the more familiar
word.
redress, n., the correction, amendment, remedying, or removal
of wrongs, injury, or oppression.
Syn. : reparation, compensation, succour, relief, amends.
Ant. : aggravate, intensify, wrong, reiterate, perpetuate.
Syn. dis. : '■'■Redress is said only with regard to matters
of right and justice; relief to those of kindness and hu-
manity : by power we obtain redress ; by active inter-
ference we obtain a relief : an injvired person looks for
redress to the government : an unfortunate person looks
for relief to the compassionate and kind : what we suffer
through the oppression or wickedness of others can be re-
dressed only by those who have the power of dispensing
justice ; whenever we suffer, in the order of Providence,
we may meet with some relief ivova those who are more
favoured."
reluctant, adj., unwilling to do what one has or ought to do ;
acting with hesitation or repugnance.
Syn. : averse, adverse, unwilling, loth, disinclined.
Ant. : ready, willing, eager, prompt, desirous.
Syn dis. : "Reluctant [re and lurtari, to struggle) is a
term of the will, which, as it were, struggles against the
deed, and relates always to questions of action. Averse
is a term of the nature or disposition, and relates to ob-
jects or to actions, as a matter, pretty much, of taste. It
indica'es a settled sentiment of dislike, as reluctance is
specific in regard to acts. Adverse denotes active opposi-
tion and hostility, as a matter of judgment. The man
who is averse to a measure, only dislikes it, and may still,
perhaps adopt it : he who is adverse to it, thinks it his
bounden duty to do all he can to oppose and defeat it.
Unwilling is the widest of all terms, and expresses ro
more than decided disinclination : it is, however, the
weakest term of all, and refers to actions only."
remainder, n., that which remains ; anything left over after
a pait has been taken away, lost, or destroyed. See
balance.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 251
"(He) wastes the sad remaimier of his hours." — Wordsworth.
Syn. : rest, remnant, residue, surplus.
Syn. dis. : " The remainder is the rest under certain con-
ditions, most commonly the smaller part which remains
after the greater part has been taken away. It is also
more applicable to mental and moial, rest, to physical,
matters. Remnant has in itself much the same meaning,
but differs from it in the implied process which preceded
the leaving, which, in the case of remnant, is that of use,
consumption, or waste. Residue is that part which has
not been disposed of; that is, either purposely omitted to
be used, or untouched by a previous process of distribn
tion, sale, or use."
repeat, v., to do or perform a second time or again ; to re-
iterate ; to go over, say, do, make, etc., again.
Syn. : recite, rehearse, recapitulate.
Syn. dis. : " The idea of going over any words, or
actions, is common to all these terms : to recite, rehearse,
and recapitulate are modes of repetition, conveying each
some accessory idea. To recite is to repeat in a formal
manner ; to rehearse is to repeat or recite by way of pre-
paration ; to recapitulate is to repeat in a minute and
specific manner. We repeat both actions and words ; we
recite only words : we repeat a name ; we recite an ode,
or a set of verses : we repeat for purposes of general
convenience ; we recite for the pleasure or amusement
of otlieis : we rehearse for some specific purpose, either
for the amusement or instruction of others : we recapitu-
late for the instruction of others. We repeat that which
we wish to be heard ; we recite a piece of poetry before a
company ; we rehearse the piece in private which we are
going to recite in public ; we recapitulate the general heads
of that which we have already spoken in detail."
repetition, n., the act of repeating, saying over, or rehears-
ing ; repeated words or acts ; (in rhetoi-ic) the iteration or
repeating of the same words, or of the meaning in different
words, for the purpose of making a deeper impression on
the audience.
Syn. : tautology, recitation, rehearsal.
252 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
Syn. (lis. : " Repetition is to tautology as the genus to
the species : the latter being as a sj)eeies of vicious repeti
tion. There may be frequent repetitions which are war-
ranted by necessity or convenience ; but tautology is that
which nowise adds to either the sense or the sound. A
repetition may, or may not, consist of literally the same
words ; but tautology supposes such a sameness in expres-
sion as renders the signification the same."
reprobate, v., to express disapproval of with detestation or
marks of extreme dislike ; to condemn strongly.
Syn. : condemn, disapprove, denounce.
Ant. : sanction, commend, approve.
Syn. dis. : "To reprobate is much stronger than to
condemn : we always condemn when we reprobate ; but
not vice versa; to reprobate is to condemn in strong and
reproachful language. We reprobate all measures which
tend to sow discord in society, and to loosen the ties by
which men are bound to each other ; we condemn all
disrespectful language towards parents or superiors : we
reprobate only the thing ; we condemn also the person."
retort, n., a severe reply or repartee; the return of an
argument, taunt, or incivility ; a censure, taunt, or
incivility retui-ned.
' ' He sent me word, if I said his beard was not cut well, he was
in the mind it was : this is called the retort courteous. " — Shake-
speare, "As you like it," Act v., sc. 4,
" A man renowned for repartee,
Will seldom scruple to make free
With friendship's finest feeling." — Cowper.
Syn. dis. : Archdeacon Smith, in distinguishing be-
tween retort and repartee, says " that repartee is a far less
grave word than retort, being restricted to meaning a
sharp, ready, and witty reply ; while retort is applied to
matters more earnest, as arguments, accusations, and the
like. In repartee there is more of wit ; in retort there is
more of logic. Repartee throws back a joke upon the
joker ; retort throws back the views of an argument upon
the urguer. It is plain that the same thing may ofton be
called a repartee or a retort. Many a serious thing is said
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 253
in jest : a repartee which veils argument under wit is a
retort, and of a very effective kind.
retrospect, w., a looking back on things past ; a contempla-
tion or review of the past ; a survey.
" Short as in retrospect the journey seems." — Cowper.
Syn. dis. : " A retrospect is always taken of that which
is past and distant ; a review may be taken of that which
is present and before us ; every retrospect is a species of
review, but not every review is a retrospect. We take a
retrospect of our past life in order to draw salutary
reflections from all that we have done and suffered ; we
• take a review of any particular circumstance which is
passing before us in order to regulate our present conduct,
The retrospect goes farther by vii-tue of the mind's power
to reflect on itself, and to recall all past images to itself;
the remeu) may go forward by the exercise of the senses on
external objects. The historian takes a retrospect of all
the events which have happened within a given period ;
the journalist takes a review of all the events that are
passing within the time in which he is living."
ridicule, n-, words or actions intended to express contempt
and excite laughter; but of that kind which provokes
contemptuous laughter; derision, burlesque, banter,
raillery.
" Jane borrowed maxims from a doubting school.
And took for truth the test of ridicule :
Lucy saw no such virtue in a jest ;
Truth was with her of ridicule the test. " — Cowper.
Syn. dis. : " Ridicule is that species of writing which
excites contempt with laughter, so differing from bur-
lesque (which see), may excite laughter without contempt."
Archdeacon Smith remarks, in discriminating between
ridicule and derision, that, "as common laughter may
be either sympathetic or hostile- that is, we may laugh
toith others, or laugh at them — so ridicule and derision
are always hostile ; but ridicule is the lighter term of the
two. Ridicule indicates a merry, good-humoured hostil-
ity ; derision is ill-humoured and scornful : it is anger we
aring the mask of ridicule, and adopting the sound of
laughter. We ridicule what offends our taste ; we deride
what seems to merit our scorn."
254 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORDBOOK.
rustic, adj., of or pertaining to the country; rural, rude,
rough, course ; not costly or showy ; simple.
Syn. dis. : " Rural is employed of the country, or of
matters belonging to it, as distinguished from man, or
from towns, and is so associated with the pleasant things
of Nature. Rustic is applied to the persons or conditions
of men in reference to simplicity or rudeness of manners.
Etymologically it is opposed to such words as civil,
urbane, denoting *.he refinement of cities. A rural abode
means one pleasantly situated in the country ; a rustic
abode, one wanting in elegance. We, however, use the
term rustic in reference to certain styles of construction^
in which there is an aiSectation of rudeness combined with
I'eal elegance ; as an elegant country retreat built in a
rustic style of architecture ; that is, with stone or
woo^l which shall wear an appearance of undesigned
irregulaiity."
scruple, v., to doubt or hesitate about one's actions or
decisions ; to hesitate to do something ; to question the
correctness or pi-opriety of ; to hesitate, to waver.
Syn. dis. : " To scruple simply keeps us from deciding ;
the terms hesitation and wavering bespeak a fluctiiating
or variable state of the mind : we scruple simply from
motives of doubt as to the propriety of a thing : we
hesitate and waver from various motives, particularly sucli
as affect our interests. Conscience produces scruples, fear
produces h sitation, irresolution produces wavering : a
person scrvjyles to do an action which may hurt his neigh-
bour or ofiend his Maker ; he hesitates to do a thing
which he fears may not prove advantageous to him ; he
wavers in his mind betwixt going or staying, according as
his inclinations impel him to the one or the other."
secondary, adj., succeeding next in order to the first; second
in place, origin, rank, value, importance, or the like.
Syn. : second, inferior, subordinate.
Syn. dis. : " A consideration is said to be secondary, or
of secondary importance, which is opposed to that which
holds the first rank. Secondary and inferior both desig-
SYNONYMS DISCKIMINATED. 255
nate some lower degree of a quality ; but secondary is
applied only to the importance or value of things ; in-
ferior is applied generally to all qualities : a man of
business reckons everything as second art/ which does not
forward the object he has in view ; men of inferior abili-
ties are disqualified by nature for high and important
stations, although they may be more fitted for lower
stations than are men of greater talents." Subordinate is
said mainly of the station and office : we speak of a sub-
ordinate \)OHit\on, capacity, sphere; but we also speak of
a subordinate consideration, that is, one which is inferior
to the first or prime consideration, and which usually
makes place for the latter."
sedulous, adj., assiduous and diligent in application or pur-
suit ■; constant, steady, and persevering in the endeavour
to effect an object.
Syn. : diligent, assiduous, industrious, unremitting.
Ant. : idle, unpersevering, lazy, inactive.
Syn. dis. : " The idea of application is expressed by
both these epithets, but sedulous is a particular, diligent
is a general term : one is sedulous by habit ; one is diligent
either habitually or occasionally : a sedulous scholar pur-
sues his studies with a regular and close application ; a
scholar may be diligent at a certain period, though not
always so. Sedulity seems to mark the very essential
property of application, that is, adhering closely to an
object ; but diligence expresses one's attachment to a thing,
as evinced by an eager pursuit of it : the former, there-
fore, bespeaks the steadiness of the character : the latter
merely the turn of one's inclination : one is sedulous from
a conviction of the importance of the thing : one may be
diligent by fits and starts, according to the humour of
the moment."
self-willed, «{;, governed by one's own will; not accom-
modating or compliant ; obstinate.
" For T was wayward, bold and wild,
A seif-wiU'd imp, a grandame's child. " — Scott's Marmion,
Syn. : self-conceited, self-sufficient.
Syn, dis. : " Self-conceit is a vicious habit of the mind
which is supei'induced on the original character : it is
256 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
that which determines in matters of judgment : a sfyj-
willed person thinks little of right or wrong : whatever the
impulse of the moment suggests, is the motive to action :
the self-conceited person is usually much concerned about
right and wrong, but it is only that which he conceives to
be right and wrong ; self-sufficiency is a species of self-con-
ceit applied to action : as a self-conceited person thinks of
no opinion but his own : a self-sufficient person refuses the
assistance of everyone in whatever he is called upon to do."
sensible, odj., capable of sensation ; having the capacity of
receiving impressions from external objects ; having the
power or capacity of perceiving by the senses.
Syn. : sensitive, sentient, susceptible, impressible.
Ant. : coarse, insensible, inappreciable, unimpressible.
Syn. dis. : " All these epithets have obviously a great
sameness of meaning, though not of application. Sensible
and sensitive both denote the capacity of being moved to
feeling : sentient implies the very act of feeling. Sensible
expresses either a habit of the body and mind, or only a
particular state referring to some particular object : a
person may be sensible of things in general, or sensible of
cold, sensible of injuries, sensible of the kindness which he
has received from an individual. Sensitive signifies
always an habitual or permanent quality ; it is the char-
acteristic of objects; a sensitive creature implies one
whose sense is by distinction quickly to be acted upon : a
sensitive plant is a peculiar species of plants marked for
the property of having sense or being sensible of the touch.
Sensible and sensitive have always a reference to external
objects; but sentient expresses simply the possession of
feeling, or the power of feeling, and excludes the idea of
the cause. Hence, the term sensible and sensitive are
applied only to persons or corporeal objects ; but sentient
is likewise applicable to spirits : sentient beings may
include angels as well as men."
sentimental, a,dj., liable to be moved or swayed by senti-
ment ; artificially or aflfectedly tender ; romantic.
Syn. dis. : " The sentimental person is one of excessive
sensibility, or who imports mere sentiment into matters
worthy of more vigorous thought. The romantic (Old Fr.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 257
)-omiince, Koiw.iu or Romant, the dialects formed from a
mixture of the Latin language with those of the bar-
barians who invaded the Roman Empire, and so a species
of fictitious writing in that mixed language, generally
treating of marvels and adventures) creates ideal scenes
and objects by the extravagant exercise of the imagination.
The sentimental character is soft and sometimes sickly ;
the romantic is apt to be extravagant and wild."
series, n., a continued succession of similar or related things ;
an extended order, line, or course ; a succession.
Syn. : sequence, succession, course.
Syn. dis. : ^'Series denotes a number of individuals or
units standing in order or following in succession. Se-
quence (Lat. sequentia, sequi, to follow), denotes of neces-
sity a moving series or the quality of it, in which that
which follows does so by virtue of that which went before.
Sequence is succession by a regular force or law. Succes-
sion may be with or without interconnection. Succession
to the throne in England is according to rule or law ; on
the other hand, a succession of misfortunes may be without
such common rule or cause. Series implies of necessity a
number more than two ; sequence and succession may de-
note no more than one thing following upon another."
shall, v„ " one of the two signs employed to express futurity,
wiU being the other ; in the first person shall simply fore-
tells or declares ; in the second person (sJudt) and the
third person {shall ) it promises or expresses determination ,
interrogatively, shall either asks for permission or for
direction ; shall, like will, apart from its other senses,
uniformly denotes futurity : should, pt., as an auxiliary,
expresses a conditional present, a contingent future, and
obligation or duty," — Stormonth. See Seath's High
School Grammar, pp. 226-231, and McElroy's "Structure
of English Prose," pp. 108 110.
sickness, n., state of being in bad health ; a disease, a
malady ; any disordered state. See disease.
Syn. : illness, ailment, indisposition.
Syn. dis. : " Sickness denotes the state generally or
particularly ; illness denotes it particularly : we speak of
258 THE mow SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
sickness as opposed to .good health ; in sickness or in
health ; but ot the ihness of a particular person : when
sickness is said of the individual, it designates a protracted
state ; a person may be said to have much sickness in his
Airuily. Illness denotes only a particular or partial sick-
ness : a person is said to have had an illness at this or that
time, in this or that place, for this or that period.
Indisposition is a slight ailment, such an one as is capable
of deranging him either in his enjoyments or in his
business ; colds are the ordinary causes of inilisposition.'
signail, adj., distinguished from what is ordinary ; remark-
able, memorable, notable, conspicuous.
Syn. dis. : " Signal and memorable both express the
idea of extraordinary, or being distinguished from ever\ -
thing : whateve)- is sicjnal desei-ves to be stamped on the
mind, and to serve as a sign of some property or charac-
teristic : whatever is memorable impresses itself upon the
memory, and refuses to be forgotten : the former applies
to the moral character ; the latter to events and times."
Signal is used of events in regard both to their moral and
their historical value or importance. We say a signal
deliverance, signal bravery, a signal instance of Divine
favour or displeasure ; a mem^orable event, a memorable
exploit, a memorable deed, an act memorable in the annals
of the nation.
signify, v., to express or declare by a token ; to have or con-
tain a certain sense ; to imply, to have consequence.
Syn. dis. : " The terms signify and imply may be em-
ployed either as respects actions or words. In the first
case signify is the act of the person making known by
means of a sign, as we signify our approbation by a look :
imply marks the value or force of the action ; our assent
is implied in our silence. When applied to words oi-
marks, signify denotes the positive or established act of
the thing ; imply is the relative act : a word signifies
whatever it is made literally to stand for ; it implies that
which it stands for figuratively or morally. It frequently
happens that words which signify nothing particular in
themselves may be made to imply a great deal by the
tone, the manner, and the connection."
SYNONYMS DISCRIMfNATED. 259
JUgniflcant, adj., expressing some fact or event ; forcible to
express the intended meaning ; standing as a sign of some-
thing important ; momentous.
Syn, : expressive, indicative, suggestive, symbolical.
Ant. : inexpressive, meaningless, unindicative, mute.
Syn. dis. : " That is significant which strongly expresses
or indicates some particular thing : that is expressive
which forcibly shows expression, as opposed to inexpres-
sive. An expressive countenance manifests clearly succes-
sive and varied emotions : a gesture is significant which
plainly and forcibly illustrates what is on the mind. Ex-
pressive is restricted to looks and words ; as, ' an exjyressive
eye' ; * an expi-essive phrase'. Significant is applicable to
complex actions or measures ; as, ' such a measure is sig-
nificant of a liberal policy.'"
simile, n., a common figure of speech in which two things
which have some strong point or points of resemblance
are compared ; a poetic or imaginative comparison. See
likeness.
Syn. : similitude, comparison, likeness, resemblance.
Syn. dis. : " Simile and similitude are both drawn from
the Latin similis like ; the former signifying the thing
that is like ; the latter either the thing that is like or the
quality of being like : in the former sense only it is to be
compared with simile, when employed as a figure of s[)eech
or thought ; everything is a simile which associates objects
together on account of any real or supposed likeness be-
tween them ; but a siinilitude signifies a prolonged or
continued simile. Every simile is more or less a compar-
ison, but not every comparison is a simile : the latter
compares things only as far as they are alike ; but the
former extends to those things which are different : in
this manner there may be a comparison between large
things and small, although there can be no good simile."
social, adj., pertaining to society; relating to men living in
society ; or to the public as an aggregate body ; ready t-o
mix in friendly converse.
Syn. : sociable, companionable, agreeable, genial.
Ant. : churlish, solitary, ixnconversible, morose.
260 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
Syn. dis. : " Social (fronl socius a com})anioa), signifies
belonging oi' allied to a companion, having the disposition
of a companion ; sociable, from the same, signifies able or
fit to be a companion ; the former is an active, the latter
a passive quality : social people seek others ; sociable
people are sought for by others. It is j)ossible for a man
to be social and not sociable ; to be sociable and not social :
he who draws his pleasures from society without commu-
nicating his share to the common stock of entertainment
is social but not sociable ; men of a taciturn disposition
are often in this case : they receive more than they give :
he on the contrary who has talents to please company,
but not the inclination to go into company, may be
sociable but is seldom social. Social and sociable are
likewise applicable to things, with a similar distinction ;
social intercourse is that intercourse which men have
together ior the purposes of society ; social pleasures ar.;
what they enjoy by associating together."
solicitation, n. , the act of soliciting ; an earnest request ;
endeavour to influence to grant something.
Syn. : importunity, entreaty, urgency.
Syn. dis. : Solicitation is general ; importunity is par-
ticular : it is importunate or troublesome solicitation.
Solicitation is itself indeed that which gives trouble to a
certain extent, but it is not always unreasonable : there-
may be cases in which we may yield to the solicitations of
friends to do that which we have no objection to be
obliged to do : but importu ity is that solicitation which
never ceases to apply for that which it is not agreeable to
give. We may sometimes be urgent in our solicitations
of a friend to accept some ))roffered honour; the solicita-
tion, however, in this case, although it may even be
troublesome, yet it is sweetened by the motive of the
action : the importunity of beggars is often a public means
of extorting money from the passer-by. "
special, adj., pertaining to something distinct or having a
distinctive character ; differing from others ; designed for
a particular purpose or occasion.
Syn. : specific, particular, distinctive, peculiar.
Ant. : general, universal, common, generic.
f
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 261
Syn. dis. : " The special is that which comes under the
general ; the particular is that which comes under the
special : hence we speak of a special rule ; but a particu-
lar case. Particular and specific are both applied to the
properties of individuals ; but particular is said of the
contingent circumstances of things, specific of theii-
inherent properties ; every plant has something particular
in itself different from others, it is either longer or
shorter, weaker or stronger : but its specific property is
that which it has in common with its species : particular
is, therefore, the term adapted to loose discourse : specific
is a scientific term which describes things minutely. The
same may be said of particularize and specify : we pan-
ticularize for the sake of information ; we specify for the
sake of instruction : in describing a man's person and
dress we particularize if we mention everything sin.gly
which can be said upon it ; in delineating a plan it is
necessary to specify time, place, distance, materials, and
everything else which may be connected with the carrying
it into execution."
spontaneously, adv., the state or quality of acting of one's
own accoi-d and without compulsion ; or of acting from
the impulse or energy inherent in a thing.
Syn. : willingly, voluntarily, in a self-generated, self-
originated, or self-evolved manner.
Syn. dis. : " To do a thing iJoiUingly is to do it with a
good will ; to do a thing voluntarily is to do it of one's
own accord : the former respects one's willingness to com-
ply with the wishes of another ; we do what is asked of
us, it is a mark of good-nature : the latter respects our
freedom from foreign influence ; we do that which we
like to do ; it is a mark of our sincerity. Spontaneously
is but a mode of the voluntary, applied, however, more
commonly to inanimate objects than to the will of persons :
the ground produces spontaneously when it produces with-
out culture ; and words flow spontaneously which require
no effort on the pai-t of the speaker to produce them. If,
however, applied to the will, it bespeaks in a stronger
degree the totally unbiased state of the agent's mind :
the spontaneous effusions of the heart are more than the
voluntary services of benevolence. The willing is opposed
262 TUE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD liOOK.
to the unwilling, the voluntary to the mechanical or in-
voluntary, the spontaneous to the reluctant or the arti
ficial."
spread, v., to diffuse, (lis])erse, scatter, or extend ; to put
forth, to publish, as news or fame ; to cause to be mo>e
extensively known.
Syn. : circulate, disseminate, propagate, publish.
Ant. : suppi-ess, secrete, conceal, confine, contract.
Syn. dis. : " To spread is said of any object, material
or spiritual ; the lest are mostly employed in the moral
application. To sjyread is to extend to an indefinite
• width ; to circulate is to spread within a circle ; thus
news spreads through a country ; but a story circulates in
a village, or from house to house, or a report is circulated
in a neighbourhood. Spread and circulate are the acts of
persons or things ; propagate and dissemitiate are the acts
of persons only. The thing spreads and circulates, or it
is spread and circulated by some one ; it is al ways propa-
gated and disseminated by some one. Propagate and
disseminate are here figuratively employed as modes of
spreading, according to the natural oj)erations of increasing
the quantity of anything which is implied in the first two
terms. What is propagated is supposed to generate new
siibjects ; as when doctrines, either good or bad, are pro-
pagated among the people so as to make them converts :
what is disseminated is supposed to be sown in different
parts : thus principles are disseminated among youth."
standard, n., that which is established by competent autho-
rity as a rule or measure of quantity ; that which is
established as a rule or model by public opinion, custom,
or general consent ; that which serves as a test or
measure (as * a standard of morality or of taste ').
Syn. : criterion, test, measure, gauge, scale, model.
Syn. dis. : " The criterion is employed only in matters
of judgment ; the standard is used in the ordinary con-
cerns of life. The former serves for determining the
characters and qualities of things ; the latter for defining
quantity and measure. The language ai d manners of a
person are 'he best criterion for forming an estimate of
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED, 263
his Station and education. In order to produce a uni-
foi'mity in the mercantile transactions of mankind one
with another, it is the custom of" Government to tix a
certain standard for the regulation of coins, weights, and
measures. The word standard may likewise be used
figuratively in the same sense. We employ a standard
to demonstrate the degree of excellence which a thing
may have reached : we use a criterion as something
established and ap[)roved, by which facts, principles, or
acts are tried, in oider to a correct judgment respecting
them. A test is a ti'ial or criterion of the most decisive
kind, by which the internal properties of things or persons
are tried and proved."
stress, n., force exerted in any direction or manner on bodies ;
weight or importance laid on some special subject (as to
lay stress on some point in argument) ; accent, or empha-
sis ; pressure.
Syn. : strain, emphasis, accent.
Syi). dis. : " Stress is applicable to all bodies, the powers
of which may be tried by exertion ; as the stress upon a
rope, upon the shaft of a cari-iage, a wheel or spring in a
machine ; the strain is an excessive stri ss, by which a
thing is thrown out of its course : there may be a strain
in most cases where there is a stress. Stress and strain
are to be compared with emphasis and accent, particularly
in the exertion of the voice, in which case the strei^s is a
strong and special exertion of the voice, on one word, or
one part of a word, so as to distinguish it from another ;
but the strain is the undue exertion of the voice beyond
its unusual pitch, in the utterance of one or more words.
The stress may consist in an elevation of voice, or a pro-
longed utterance ; the emphasis is that species of stress
which is employed to distinguish one word or syllable
from anoth(!r : the stress may be accidental ; but the em-
phasis is an intentional stress."
subject, v., to bring under; to subdue ; to expose; to make
liable, to cause to undergo, adj., liable, from extraneous
and inherent causes ; exposed.
Syn. : liable, exposed, obnoxious.
264 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
Syn. dis. : {adj.) "All these terms are applied to those
circumstances in human life by which we are affected in-
dependently of our own choice Direct necessity is in-
cluded in the term subject : whatever we are obliged to
suffer, that we are mbject to ; we may apply remedies to
remove the evil, but often in vain ; liable conveys more
the idea of casualties ; we may siiffer that which we are
liable to, but we may also escaj)e the evil if we are care-
ful ; exposed conveys the idea of a passive state into which
we may be brought either through our own means or
through the instrumentality of others : we ai'e exposed to
that which we are not in a condition to keep off" from our-
selves ; it is frequently not in our power to guard against
the evil ; obnoxious conveys the idea of a state into which
we have altogether brought ouiselves; we may avoid
bringing ourselves into the state, but we cannot avoid the
consequences."
T.
talkative, adj., apt to engage in conversation; freely com-
municative ; chatty ; conversible.
Syn. : loquacious, garrulous, chattering.
Ant. : taciturn, silent, uncommunicative, reserved.
Syn. dis. : " These reproachful epithets differ principally
in the degree. To talk is allowable, and consequently it is
not altogether so unbecoming to be occasionally talkative :
but loquacUy, which implies always an immoderate pro-
pensity to talk, is always bad, whether springing from
affectation or an idle temper : and garrulity, which arises
from the excessive desire of communicating, is a failing
that is pardonable only in the aged, who have generally
much to tell."
taste, n., a particular sensation excited by certain bodies
when applied to the tongue, palate, etc., and moistened
with saliva ; the sense by which we perceive this by
means of special organs in the mouth.
Syn. : relish, flavour, savour.
Syn. dis. : " Taste is the most general and indefinite of
all these; it is applicable to every object that can be
applied to the oigan of taste, and to every degree and
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 265
manner in whicli the organ can be affected : some things
are tasteless, other things have a strong taste, and others a
mixed taste. The flavour is the predominating taste, and
consequently is applied to such objects as may have a
different kind or degree of taste ; the flavour is commonly
said of that which is good, as a fine flavour, a delicious
flavour ; but it may designate that which is not always
agreeable, as the flavour of fish, which is unpleasant in
things that dp not admit of such a taste. The relish is
also a particular taste ; but it is that which is artificial, in
distinction from the flavour, which may be the natural
property." These terms are also used to denote the
faculty of discerning beauty, proportion, symmetry or
whatever constitutes excellence, particularly in the fine
arts and literature; in other words, intellectual relish or
discernment.
fcemporary, adj., lasting for a time only ; existing or continu-
ing for a limited time ; provisional.
Syn. : transient, transitory, fleeting.
Ant. : perpetual, lasting, peimanent, confirmed.
Syn. dis. : " Temporary, (from tempus time), character-
izes that which is intended to last only for a time, in dis-
tinction from that which is permanent " : a scaflblding is
temporary which is erected to give aid in the building of a
permanent structure. " Transient, that is, passing, or in
the act of passing, characterizes what in its nature exists
only for the moment : a glance is transient. Transitory,
that is, apt to pass away, characterizes everything in the
world which is formed only to exist for a time, and then
to pass away ; thus our pleasures, and our pains, and our
very being, are |ienominated transitory. Fleeting, which
is derived from the verb to fly and flight, is but a
stronger term to express the same idea as transitory."
tenacious, odj-, having great cohesive force or adhering
power among the constituent particles ; holding fast ; apt
to retain long what is committed to it (as, ' a tenacious
memory ').
Syn. : pertinacious, retentive, adhesive, obstinate.
Ant. : pliant, yielding, inadhesive, irretentive.
266 THK HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
Syn. dis. : " To be tenacious is to liold a thing clor;e, to
let it go with reluctance : to be pertinacious is to hold it
out in spite of what can be advanced against it, the pre-
positive syllable per having an intensive force. A man
of a tenacious temper insists on trifles that are suj)posed
to affect his importance ; a perlinaciotts temper insists on
evej-ything which is apt to affect his opinion. Tenacity
and pertinacity are both foibles, but the former is some-
times more excusable than the latter. We may be tena-
cious of that which is good, as when a man is tenacious of
whatever may affect his honour ; but we cannot be
pertinacious in anything but our opinions, and that too,
it may be, when they are least defensible." Retentive is
having a strong power of recollecting and the faculty of
remembering and recalling things, faces, events, etc.
tendency, n., an inclining or contributing influence ; aptness
to take a certain course ; effect of giving a certain bent or
direction; inclination. {See bent.)
Syn. : drift, scope, aim, bias, proneness.
Ant. : disinclination, aversion, reluctance, opposition.
Syn. dis. : " Tendency, drift, scope, and aim, in general,
all chai'acterize the thoughts of a person looking forwai'd
into futui'ity, and directing his actions to a certain point.
Hence we speak of the tendency of certain principles or
practises as being pernicious or otherwise ; the drift of a
person's discourse ; the scope which he gives himself either
in treating of a subject or in laying down a plan ; or a
person's aim to excel, or aim to supplant another, and the;
like. The tendency of most scientific writings for the last
five-and-twenty years has been to unhinge the minds of
men : where a pei'son wants the services of another, whom
he dare not openly solicit, he will di*scover his wishes by
the drift of his discourse : a man of a comprehensive mind
will allow himself full scope in digesting his plans for
every alteration which circumstances may require when
they cume to be developed : our desires will naturally give
a cast to all our aims ; and so long as they are but innocent,
they are necessary to give a proper stimulus to exertion."
thoughtful, adj., full of thought, contemplative, meditative,
mindful, full of anxiety, solicitous.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 267
Syn. : considerate, deliberate, regardful.
Ant. : heedless, careless, improvident, thoxightless.
Syn. dis. : " The thoughtful jjei-son considei-s every-
thing carefully, and acts with reflection in regard to the
circumstances of a case. The considerate person does the
same in reference to the relation borne to it by other
persons. We should be thoughtful of ])articulars and
details, considerate towards the feelings and position of
othei's. There is reflection in thoughtfulness ; anticipa-
tion, in considerateness. Considerateness may be posi-
tive or negative, or, in other words, may show itself in
kindness or forbearance. Thoughtfulness of others is
considerateness." Deliberate may be used either in a good
or in a bad sense : in the* former, in speaking and acting
with due deliberation and without reckless haste or
impatience; in the latter, by acting with deliberate malice
and a settled intention to do evil.
threat, n., a declaration of an intention to inflict punishment,
loss, or pain on another ; a menace.
*' By turns put on the suppliant and the lord ;
Threaten' d one moment, and the next implor'd."
— Prior.
Syn. dis. : '* Threat is of Saxon origin ; menace is of
Latin extraction. They do not differ in signification ; but,
as is frequently the case, the Saxon is the familiar term,
and the Latin word is employed only in the higher style.
We may be threatened with either small or great evils ;
but we are menaced only with great evils. One individual
threatens to strike another ; a general menaces the enemy
with an attack. We are threatened by things as well as
well as by persons ; we are menaced by persons and by
^ome impending fate."
timely, a^lj-, being in good time; at the appropriate season ;
suitable, fit, proper period ; seasonable.
Syn. dis : " Tim,ely means in good time ; seasonable, in
right time : timely aid is that which comes before it is too
lat« ; desirable aid, that which meets the nature of the
occasion." . . . "A timely notice prevents that which
would otherwise happen ; a seasonable hint seldom fails in
its effect, because it is seasonable. The opposites of these
268 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
terms ai'e untimely or ill-timed and unsectsonable : untimely
is indirectly opposed to timely, signifying before the time
appointed ; as an untimely death : but ill-timed is directly
opposed, signifying in the wrong time ; as an ill-timed re-
mark."
time-serving, adj., obsequiously complying with the hu-
mours of men in power ; (a " time-server " is one who
meanly and for selfish ends adapts his opinion and man
ners to the times.)
Syn. : temporizing, servile, trimming.
Ant. : independent, unbending, high spirited.
Syn. dis. : " Time-serving and temporizing are both ap-
plied to the conduct of one who adapts himself servilely
to the time and season ; but a time-server is rather active,
and a tem,porizer passive. A time-server avows those
opinions which will serve his purpose : the temporizer for-
bears to avow those which are likely for the time being to
hurt him. The former acts from a desire of gain, the lat-
ter from a fear of loss. Time-servers are of all parties, as
they come in the way : temporizers are of no party, as
occasion requires. Sycophant courtiers must always be
tiTne-servers : ministers of state are frequently temporizers."
traiin, n., that which is drawn along behind; that part of a
gown or robe which trails behind the wearer ; a succession
of connected things ; way or course of procedure ; regular
method ; a series ; a number or body of followers or at-
tendants, etc.
Syn. : procession, retinue, following.
Syn. dis. : " The fundamental idea of train is no more
than a continuation of connected things in movement.
But we speak of trains of many things ; as, ' a train of
thought,' 'a train of ideas,' etc. It is in the personal
sense that it is synonymous with retinue " — a term used
when we speak of the attendants of a prince or other dis-
tinguished personage, in procession, or on a journey. '' Re-
tinue is applicable only to persons : we may not speak of
a retinue of carriages. The idea of procession is that of a
number of persons or conspicuous objects, as carriages,
banners, etc., moving in order and in line. The term is,
however, civil, not military. Retinue strictly denotes
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 269
the retained or engaged followers. A prince entering a
public hall with his own retinue, might be joined by the
authorities, who would follow in his train."
transact, v., to carry through, perform, or conduct (business,
afiairs, etc.) ; to do, to manage, to complete.
Syn.: negotiate, treat, manage, conduct.
Syn. dis. : " We transact business generally : we nego-
tiate a pai-ticular business. No more is involved in trans
action than the performance of a simple, or a complex
action, by or with more than one person." We may nego-
tiate a note, or have one " discounted," at our bankers ; or
we may negotiate a treaty on behalf of our country, with
some foreign power. Negotiate implies, in the former,
that in the ti-ansaction there is a due equivalent given and
taken — a promise to pay for money now advanced — ; in
the latter, an adjustment of mutual interests. " Doing
makes transaction; while deliberation is necessary for
negotiation. Terms and a common basis have to be
formed in negotiation, as well as a common end."
breatment, n., the act or manner of treating ; manner of
dealing with things; good or bad behaviour towards
another; usage.
Syn. dis. : " Treatment implies the act of treating, and
usage that of using : ti'eatTnent may be partial or tempor-
ary ; but usage is properly employed for that which is
permanent or continued : a passer-by may meet with ill-
treatinent ; but children, domestics, and those subject to
us, or in our employ, are liable to meet with '\\\-usage.
All persons may meet with treatment from others with
whom they casually come in contact ; but usage is applied
more properly to those who are more or less in the power
of others : children should receive good not iW-usage ft-om
those who have the charge of them, servants from their
masters, wives from their husbands, subordinates from
their superiors."
jrick, ri., a fraudulent contrivance for an evil purpose; a
knack or art; a sleight-of-hand performance; a frolic, a
pi'ank.
Syn. : artifice, stratagem, subterfuge.
270 TIIK HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD BOOK.
Syn. dis. : " Of these terms trick is the simplest and
most fieueric, ihe hist being modifications of this funda-
mental and simple idea. IVick commonly involves
decei)tion for self-intevest : an artifice is an elaborate,
artful, or ingenious trick. As artifice sometimes turns
upon false manipulations, arrangements, or a])pearances,
so stratagem, as a rule, turns upon false judgments or
movements. Children and foolish people play tricks;
designing persons have recourse to artifice; those who
convert life into a complicated game employ stratagem.
Subterfuge is something under cover of which one makes
an esca))e. It is an artijice employed to escape censure;,
or to elude the force of an argument, or to justify opin-
ions or actions."
trouble, n., distress of mind or what causes such; great
perplexity, affliction, anxiety, annoyance.
Syn. : disturbance, molestation, harassment.
Syn. dis. : " Trouble is the most general in its applica-
tion ; we may be trovhled by the want of a thing, or
by that which is unsuitable : we are disturbed and mo-
lested only by that which actively troubles. Pecuniary
wants are to some the greatest troubles in life ; the
perverseness, the indisposition or ill-behaviour of children,
are domestic troubles : but the noise of children is a
disturbance, and the prospect of want disturbs the mind.
A disturbance ruffles or throws out of a tranquil state ; a
molestation burdens or beai-s hard either on the body or
the mind : noise is always a disturbance to one who wishes
to think or to remain in quiet ; talking, or any noise, is a
molestation to one who is in an irritable fi'ame of body or
mind."
tumultuoilS, adj., full of tumult, disorder, or confusion;
disturbed, as by passion or the like ; disorderly, agitated,
excited.
Syn. : turbulent, seditious, mutinous.
Ant. : peaceful, calm, placid, orderly, quiet.
Syn. dis : Tumultuous describes the disposition to make
a noise, or to be in a commotion or ferment. We si)eak
of a tumultuous (or excited) gathering ; and, poetically, of
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 271
* the tumultuous seas.' Turbulent marks a hostile spirit
of resistance to authority ; when prisoners are dissatisfied
they are frequently turbulent : the nobles of Poland at
times have been turbulent : seditious marks a spirit of
resistance to government ; mutinous marks a spirit of
resistance against officei-s either in the army or navy : a
general vvill not fail to quell the first risings of a mutin-
ous spirit. " Electioneering mobs are always tumultuous ;
the young and the ignorant are so averse to control that
they ai'e easily led by the example of an individual to be
turbulent : among the Romans the people were in the
habit of holding seditious meetings, and sometimes the
soldiery would be m,utinous."
u.
Lincertaillty, n., the quality or state of being iTncertain ;
something not certainly and exactly known.
Syn. : Suspense, doubt, doubtfulness, dubiety.
Ant. : confidence, assurance, conviction, positiveness.
Syn. dis. : *' Doubt indicates the absence of sufficient
study and inquiry (though neither may yield enlighten-
ment) ; uncertainty, the absence of judgment formed, or
of the information necessary to form a judgment upon ;
suspense, the absence of determination, or of the know-
ledge of facts, which might remove s%ispense. He is doubt-
ful who hesitates from ignorance ; he is uncertain who
hesitates from irresolution ; he is in suspense who cannot
decide. Suspense has of late also come to mean that
anxiety of mind which arises fi'om ignorance of the inten-
tions of another, whex'e our interests hang on those inten-
tions. Of old the king would be said to be in suspense
who had not made up his mind whether or not to pardon
the offender. Now the ofiender is said to be in suspense
until his fate is made known to him."
understand., v., to aj)prehend or comprehend fully ; to know
the meaning of; to perceive or discern by the mind; to
comprehend. (See apprehend.)
Syn. dis. : " To understand is to have the fi-ee use of
one's reasoning faculty in regard to the relation of cause
and effect, or one thing and another. The understanding
272 THK HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
is eu) ployed upon ordinary discourse and the practical
business of life. Comprehend requires a greater exertion
or force of intellect, and denotes an employment of the in-
tellect upon what is obscure and difficult, upon (it may be)
theoretical systems or speculative truths. A simple fact
is understood ; a process of I'easoning is comprehended."
unimportant, adj., of trifling value or imj^ort ; not of great
moment. (^See significant.)
Syn. : insignificant, inconsiderable, immaterial.
Ant. : weighty, relevant, influential, leading.
Syn. dis. : " The want of importance, of consideration,
of signification, and of matter or substance, is expressed
by these terms. They differ therefore principally accord-
ing to the meaning of the primitives ; but they are so
closely allied that they may be employed sometimes
indifferently. Unimportant regards the consequences of
our actions : it is unimportant whether we use this or
that word in certain cases . inconsiderable and insignifi^
cant respect those things which may attract notice ; the
former is more adapted to the grave style, to designate
the comparative low value of things ; the latter is a
familiar term which seems to convey a contemptuous
meaning : in a description we may say that the number,
the size, the quantity, etc., is inconsiderable ; in speaking
of persons we may say they are insignificant in stature,
look, talent, station, and the like ; or, speaking of things,
an insignijicant production, or an iiisignificant woi*d.
Immaterial is a species of the unimportant, which is
applied only to familiar subjects ; it is immaterial
whether we go to-day or to-monow ; it is immaterial
whether we have a few or many."
universal, adj., extending to or comprehending the whole
number, quantity or space ; pervading all of the whole ;
all-embracing ; all-reaching ; total ; whole.
Syn. : general, exhaustive, boundless, comprehensive.
Ant. : local, partial, limited, particular, exceptional.
Syn. dis. : " What is universal includes every particu-
lar : what is general includes tlie majority of particulars.
A general rule, we say, admits of exceptions : what is
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 273
universal has no exceptions. Universal is opposed to
individual ; general, to particular. ' The foresight of
government is directed to the general welfare ' : ' the
Providence of God contemplates the univtrsal good ' :
* Among men, the faculty of speech is general, not
universal.' Although universality does not, strictly
speaking, admit of degrees, yet it is sometimes loosely so
, employed. In that way, that is general which is most
v/niversal, as in the following : * A wiiter of tragedy must
certainly adapt himself to the general taste, because the
dramatic, of all kinds of poetry, out to be most universally
relished and understood.' "
V.
vain, adj., fruitless, as an effort; ineffectual; unsatisfying;
accomplishing little ; producing no good result.
Syn. : ineffectual, fruitless, inefficient.
Ant. : effectual, cogent, potent, substantial.
Syn. dis. : " These epithets are all applied to our
endeavours; but the term vain is the most general and
indefinite ; the other terms are particular and definite.
What we aim at, as well as what we strive for, may be
vain ; but ineffectual and fruitless refer only to the end
of our labours. Wlien the object aimed at is general in
its import, it is common to term the endeavour vain when
it cannot attain this object ; when the means employed
are inadequate for the attainment of the particular end, it
is usual to call the endeavour ineffectual ; cool arguments
will be ineffectual in convincing any one inflamed with
a particular passion : when labour is specifically employed
for the attainment of a particular object it is usual to
term it fruitless if it fail : peacemakers will often find
themselves in this condition, that their labours will be
rendered fruitless by the violent passions of angry
opponents."
VenaJ, adj., ready to sell oneself for money or other con-
sideration and entirely from sordid motives ; ready to
accept a bribe.
Syn. : mercenary, sordid, hireling.
Ant. : disinterested, incorrupt, unpurchasable.
19
274 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
Syn. dis. : " Venal signifies saleable or ready to be sold,
which, applied as it commonly is to peisoiis. is a much
'stronger term than mercenary. A venal man gives up ali
principle for interest ; a mercenary man seeks his interest
without regard to principle : venal writers are such as
write in favour of the cause that can pi'omote them to
riches or honours ; a servant is commonly m,ei cenary who
gives his services according as he is paid : those who are^
loudest in their professions of political purity are the best
subjects for a politician to make venal ; a mercenary spiiit
is apt to be engendered in the minds of those who devote
themselves exclusively to trade."
vexation, n., the act of disquieting or harassing; state of
being disturbed in mind ; teasing or great troubles ; the
cause of trouble.
Syn. : mortification, chagrin, annoyance.
Syn. dis. : " Vexation springs from a variety of causes,
acting unpleasantly on the inclinations or passions of men :
mortification is a strong degree of vexation, which arises
from particular circumstances acting on particular passions :
the loss of a day's pleasiire is a vexation to one who is
eager for pleasure ; the loss of a prize, or the circumstance
of coming into disgrace when we expected honour, is a
mortification to an ambitious person. Vexation arises
piincipally from our wishes and views being crossed ;
mortification, from our pride and self-importance being
hurt ; chagrin, from a mixture of the two ; disappoint-
ments ai'e always attended with more or less of vexation,
according to the circumstances which give pain and trou-
ble ; an exposure of our poverty may be more or less of a
m,ortification, according to the value which we set on
wealth and grandeur ; a refusal of a request will produce
more or less of chagrin as it is accompanied with circum-
stances more or less mortifying to our pride."
vote, n., the expression of a desire, preference, or choice in
regard to any measure proposed, in which the person vot-
ing has an interest with others ; that by which will or
preference is expressed in elections or in deciding proposals
or measures.
Syn. : suffrage, voice, ballot, ticket.
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 275
Syii. (lis. : "The vote is the wish itself, whether ex-
pressed or not ; a person has a vote, tliat is, the power of
wishing : but the suffrage and the voice are the wish that
is expressed ; a person gives his suffraije or voice. The
vote is the settled and fixed wish ; it is that by which the
most important concerns in life are determined ; the suff-
rage is a vote given only in particular cases ; the voice is a
partial or occasional wish, expressed only in matters of
minor importance. The vote and voice are given either
for or 'Bgainst a person or thing ; the svffrage is commonly
given in favour of a person : in all piiblic assemblies the
majority of votes decide the question : members of Parlia-
ment ai'c chosen by the suffrages of the ueopie : in the exe-
cution of a will, every executor has a voice in all that is
transacted."
w.
WBiYj **•, means by which anything is accomplished ; method
or mannei of proceeding.
Syn. : manner, method, mode, course, means.
Syn. dis. : " All these words denote the steps which are
pursued from the beginning to the completion of any work.
The way is both general and indefinite ; it is either taken
by accident or chosen by design : the manner and method
are species of the way chosen by design; the former in
regard to orders. The 'method is said of that which
requires contrivance ; tfhe mode, of that which requires
practice and habitual attention ; the former being applied
to matters of art, and the latter to mechanical actions.
The course and the means are the way which we pursue in
our moral conduct : the course is the m.ode or measures
which are adopted to produce a certain result ; the Tneans
collectively for the course which lead to a certain end."
wearisome, adj., causing weariness ; inducing lassitude or
exhaustion of strength and patience.
Syn. : tiresome, tedious, troublesome, irksome.
Ant. : refreshing, invigorating, freshening, recruiting.
Syn. dis. : Wearisom,e, irksome, and tedious are applic-
able only to things, not to persons ; tiresome and
troublesome are applicable both to persons and tc things.
276 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
"The force of that wliich is tiresome is active and
energetic, producing a feeling of jiliysical annoj'ance and
exhaustion of patience. Wearisome is said of things tnoi-e
continuous in their operation, and producing the irii|)res-
sion of monotony and want of relief. A refractory child
is tiresome; a long journey through an unintereoting
country is wearisome. Such things as vain repetitions,
importunate requests, slight disappointments and checks,
are tiresome ; monotonous tasks and journeys are weari-
some; prolix speeches are fe(iww« / coni[)licated tasks and
problems difficult to solve, or threads dilliculc to unravel,
are trovhlesome."
wellbeing, n., welfare, happiness, prosperity.
Syn. dis. : '* Wellheing may be said of one or many, but
generally of a body ; the wellbeing of society depends upon
a due subordination of the different ranks of which it is
composed. Welfare, or faring well, respects the good
condition of an individual ; a parent is naturally anxious
for the welfare of his child. Wellbeing and welfare
consist of such things as more immediately affect our
existence : prosperity, which comprehends both wellbeing
and welftre, includes likewise all that can add to the
enjoyments of man. The prosperity of a State, or of an
individual, consists in the increase of wealth, power,
honours, and the like ; as outward circumstances more or
less affect the happiness of man : happiness is, therefore,
often subst tuted for prosperity : but it must never be
forgotten that happiness properly lies only in the mind,
and that consequently prosperity may exist without
happiness ; but happiness, at least as far as respects a body
of men, cannot exist without some portion of prosperity."
wicked, adj., addicted to vice or mischief; evil in principle
or practice ; bad or baneful in effect ; immoral.
Syn. : bad, unjust, iniquitous, nefarious, vicious.
Ant. : good, virtuous, moral, pure, spotless, stainless.
Syn. dis. : " Wicked is here the generic term ; iniquitous
signifies that species of wlckedess which consists in violat-
ing the law of right betwixt man and man ; nefarious is
that species of wickedness which consists in violating the
most sacred obligations. The term uncked, being indefin-
SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 277
ite, is commonly applied in a milder sense than iniquitous ;
and iniquitous than nefarious : it is tviked to deprive
another of his property unlawfully, under any circum-
stances ; but it is iniquitous if it is done by fraud and
circumvention; and ne/arious if it involves any breach of
, trust. Any undue influence over another, in making of
his will, to the detriment of the rightful heir, is iniqui-
tous ; any underhand dealing of a servant to defraud his
master is nefarious."
will, v., a defective verb used along with another verb to ex-
press future time ; in the first person, tvill promises or
expresses fixed purpose or determinatiou, as ' I zvill eat ' ;
in the second and third person, tvill simply foretells, as
* thou wilt eat,' ' he tvill eat ' ; would, pt. of toill ; I wish
or wished to, familiarly, wish to do, or to have ; should
wish. See Seath's " High School Grammar," pp. 226-231 ;
also, McElroy's '^ Structure of English Prose," pp. 108-110.
word, n., an articulate sound, or continuation of sounds, ex-
pressing an idea ; the letters which represent it.
Syn. : term, expression.
Ant. : idea, conception.
Syn. dis. : " Word is here the generic term ; the other
two are specific. Every term and expression is a word ;
but every word is not denominated a terrn or expression.
Language consists oi words ; they are the connected sounds
which serve for the communication of thought. Term,
from terminus a boundary, signifies any word that has a
specific or limited meaning ; expression signifies any word
which conveys a forcible meaning. Usage determines
words; science fixes terms; sentiment provides expres-
sions. The purity of a style depends on the choice of
words ; the precision of a writer depends upon the choice
of his terms; the force of a writer depends upon the
aptitude of his expressions. The grammarian treats on
the nature of words ; the philosopher weighs the value of
" scientific terms ; the rhetorician estimates the force of
expressions."
worldly, adj., relative to this life; devoted to this life and
its enjoyments ; bent on gain ; sordid, vile.
278 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLSIH WORD-BOOK.
Syn, : secular, temporal.
Syn. dis. : " Worldly means relative to the world,
especially relating to this world oi' life, in contradistinction
to the life to come ; as. worldly pleasures, affections, max-
ims, actions, and the like. Secular means relating to the
woi-ld, in the sense of worldly fashions, habits, duties,
studies, music, modes of living, etc. Temporal means,
literally, lasting for a time, as distinguished from eternal.
In common parlance worldly is opposed to heavenly ;
temporal, to eternal ; secular, to ecclesiastical or religious,
Secular is morally an indifferent term : the same may
commonly be said of temporal ; but worldly has generally
a bad sense, as a worldly spirit is one wliicli is imbued
by sordid principles of gain, and is wanting in high-
minded ness or purity of motive."
writer, n., an author ; a member of the literary profession .
a penman, clerk, or amanu(;nsis.
Syn. : penman, author, scribe.
Syn. dis. : " Of these the most generic is writer, mean-
ing one who wi-ites, whether by writing is meant literary
composition or the mere formation of letters by the pen,
by the type machine, or by any similar process. Feuman
is a man who handles a pen, and properly means one
skilled in the use of the i)en mechanically — a master of
caligraphy. Author is one whose pen or writing is the
medium of original thoughts. The term has a familiar
and more dignified meaning. A writer of a letter is not
termed technically an author, unless the letter has passed
into a literary form. On the other hand, he who wrote
the letter might be called, in the general sense of the
term, the author of it, if its contents were canvassed or its
writer c died to account for its statements, tone, or pur-
port." Scrihe is a now rather obsolete term for a
professional penman or transcriber,
Y.
youthful, adj., being in the early stage, or pertaining to the
early part, of life ; fresh or vigorous, as in youth.
Syn. : juvenile, puerile, young.
Ant. : aged, senile, mature, old.
SYNOKYMS DISCIUMINATED. 279
Syn. dis. : " Youthful signifies full of youth, or in the
complete state of youth : juvenile, from the Latin juvenis,
signifies the same ; but puerile from puer a boy, signifies
literally boyish. Hence the first two terms are taken in
an indifferent sense, or at least always in the sense of
what is suitable to a boy only : thus we speak of youthful
vigour, youthful employments, juvenile performances,
juvenile years, and the like : but piiertle objections,
puerile conduct, and the like. Sometimes juvenile is
taken in the bad sense when speaking of youth in contrast
with men, as juvenile tricks ; but puerile is a much
stronger term of reproach, and marks the absence of
manhood in those who ought to be men."
z.
zeal, '^•j passionate ardour in the pursuit of anything ; eager-
ess in any cause or behalf, good or bad.
" The ardour of his friendship, and his zeal in the Master's
cause, prompted the fervour with which he spoke."
Syn. : ardour, fervour, earnestness, enthusiasm.
Ant. : apathy, indifference, coldness, torpor.
Spn. dis. : " Zecd is passionate ardour in favour of a
person or a cause ; ardour is simply warmth or heat of
passion in Kve, pursuit, or exertion. Fervour denotes
the constitutional state or temperament of individuals.
We speak of the fervour of passion, declamation, suppli-
cation, desire, as demonstrative of warmth : ardour is
more deeply seated ; as ardent friendship, love, zeal,
devotedness."
III.— DERIVATION.
The lists which make up this part of the " Word-Book " are
intended to serve as a supplement to the High School Gram-
mar, of which Chaptei's IV. and XIX. ought to be read.
For the sake of convenience a short summary of the main
facts brought out in these chapters is here given.
1. Words according as they can or cannot be broken up into
parts, each of which is itself a word, are said to be COmpoUIld.
or simple words. Thus helmsman is a compound, but
its parts helm's and man are simple words. Through the
changes they have undergone, many compounds have come to
look like simple words, e. g., lord, doff, or do not shew the
meaning of each part; as, WOman, once wif-man, i.e.,
wife-man.
2. Many simple words are formed from other simple words
by putting a letter or letters before or after them ; as stand-
ing, bystander, withstand, all from stand, the parts put
before, viz., by, with, being called prefixes, and the parts
placed after, viz., ing, er, SuflQxeS. Such words are called
derivatives.
3. Such words as stand, although not formed from any
simpler word are not alone in the lang lage. Thus staff,
stead, stalk, stop, have the same simple notion of stand-
ing, iind have the same sound, st, followed oy a or a
corruption of a. Hence we say that thev all contain the
root ST A, and we call each of them, as not formed from any
simpler word but only from the roOt, a radical or root-
word.
4. Again we find that many of the words the English tongue
has borrowed from Latin and Greek, as sta-te, Sta-tue,
sta-tute, sta-ble,^ sta-tics,^ apo-sta-te,^ sy-ste-m,^
1 As a noun, " a gtanding-plotee " for cattle ; as an adj., " that can stand."
2 The science of keeping things at a standstill.
* A stander off from his old associat«>^ or principles.
< What stands together.
DERIVATION. 281
have the syllable sta, with the notion of standing ; we con-
clude, therefore, that English, Latin, and Greek have the root
STA in common.
6. The changes that the forms of words undergo, often com-
pletely altering their ap|)earance, arise fi'om three main sources,
the desire of ease, analogy, or the desire for uniformity,
and the effects of emphasis.
6. From the desire of ease often amounting to actual
carelessness, comes assimilation, that is cha ginga sound
into one more like that which immediately precedes or, more
commonly, foUowS it. Examples are :
(i.) irregular, illegal (for in-regular, in-legal), where
we have complete assimilation.
(ii.) imperfect where we have incomplete assimilation.
(iii.) woman, balance, for wif-man, bi-lance, and
the pronunciation " menny " of many where a vowel is
assimilated to a following vowel (which change is called
imalaut).
That a vowel may be influenced by the following consonant, is
seen from the correct pronunciation of clerk, sergeant,
Derby (Sr, not er). This accounts for the change of a to o
before n, and before labials as in stop.
(iv.) public (c^., people, leaves, dig (O.E., dic-ian),
in which the voiceless p, f, 0 catch from the following
vowel or semi-vowel the vibration which makes them
voiced.
7. From the same source arise transposition, as fresh,
nostrU, for fersc, nasthyrl ; epenthesis, as tapes-try,
kin-d-red, O.F. tapisserie, O.E. kynrede, the inserted t or d
making easier groups than sr, nr; and substitution of
easier sounds, viz. :
(a) Spirants for stops, which require complete con-
tact. Examples are hitner, lath (O.E., hider, latta ;
short, shire (O.E., sceort, scire); have, heave (O.E.,
habb-an, hebban) ; -ceive (Fr.) for L. CAP.
(b) Linguals and palatals,^ or labials f t guttu-
rals (which are sounded in the back part of the mouth).
1 The so-called palatals ch and j are really the linguals t and d, followed by the
sibilants sh and zh.
282 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WOKD-BOOK.
Exam|.les are : child, ditch, edge (O.E. cild, die, ecg),
charm, chief (O.F., cliarme, chef, from L. carmen,
caput) ; tough, roUgh, laugh (O.E., rdh, tdh,
hleabhan). Greek has even changed, by assimilation qu
to pp as hippos, L. equti-8, horse.
(c) Vowels for consonants, esjjecially in groups, as
sorrow, borough (O.E., sorh, burh). Conversely u
or i before a vowel changes through rapid pronunciation
into w or y. Thus in France men pronounce out " we,"
while the French-Canadians keep the old pronunciation.
" oo-ee."
(d) Front and high for back and low vowels.
See High School Grammar, pp. 404-5.
Thus i stands for ge, as in riddle, O.E. rsedels.
II II II U, in the ending ing of gerunds, O.E. -ung.
II II II e, II II participles, O.E. -ende.
ie M 11 eo, priest, friend (O.E. preost, fVeond).
In Latin words we find that as a rule i is put for the final
vowel of the first part of a compound, and for the open^ a or
e of a syllable following a prefix.
Compare anni-versary, corni-ferous, with annu-al,
cornu-copia^ ; also recipient, abstinent, with capture,
tenant. i
If a is not open, it is represented by e, as reception.
Similarly, Q and u represent au, as exclude, explode,
cp. clause and plaudit.
8. Loss occurs especially in COnSOnant-groups and in
unaccented syllables ; as—
(i.) know, gnaw, laugh (O.E. hleahh-an), ring
(O.E. bring).
(ii.) story, sample, for history,^ example, (aphse-
resis); lark, England, for lavrock, Englaland, (syn-
cope) ; lent, cab, for lencten,* cabriolet, (apocope).
9. These changes tend generally to shortening and wearing
down words, often to a great extent, as appears from such
* ' Open ' means not followed by a consonant in the same syllable.
* ' Cornucopia ' is really a phrase, not a compound.
* Then accented on the second syllable,
* O.E, for Spring ; probably the time when days grow long.
DERIVATION. 283
words as alms, aim, from eleemosyna, sestimare. But they are
counteracted in part by emphasis and analogy.
10. Ejinphasis tends not only to save the syllable that
i-eceives it, the accented syllable, from change, but sometimes
also leads to its being strengthened. Thus we say COW for
O.E. cu (pronounced coo, as still in Scotland), sight for O.E.
siht.
The effect of accent is often diminished when syllables are added, cp
child with children, nation with national.
Perhaps it is a desire to emphasise the end of a word that
leads to excrescent letters, as t of tyrant, ancient, Fr,
tyran, ancien ; n of bittern.
11. Analogy, or the tendency to treat alike all cases that
seem alike, often prevents the wearing away of words. In
grammar, it is seen chiefly in producing * regulai-ity,' as in
making s and ed. the prevailing inflexions for the plural of
nouns and the past of verbs.
In derivation it is seen in such extensions as WOndroUS,
windlass, for wonders, Windace, owing to the speaker's
thinking of the common suiiix -OUS, and lace, a string or rope.
This tendency to find or make a meaning in our words shews
itself in such forms as sparrow-grass, jerked meat, for
J^SparagUS, Charki. Words so altered are appropriately
called by a late writer " Blunder WOrds."
12. The changes that Latin underwent in becoming what
is called French are especially noteworthy. Here aCCent
is very important.
(i.) The syllable accented in Latin is the final
syllable in French, all vowels that follow the accent being
lost or changed to e mute. Examples are —
L. tem'-pus, O.F. terns, En/, tense.
ca'-mera, " chambre, n chamber.
- mas'culus, " masle or male, n male.
(ii.) The vowel just before the accent is very
often dropped ; as—
blasphema're, O.E. blasmer, Eng. blame,
gestima're, n esmer, n aim.
(ii.) Consonants are often dropped, both between
two vowels and from groups ; as—
284 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
catena, O.F chaine, Eng. chain.
precari, n preier, m pray.
So blame and aim from blaspheme, and sestimars.
(iv.) Unaccented e or i before a vowel becomes g
or ch, often with loss of ilie j)receding consonant j ab —
appropiare, our approach,
granea, i< grange,
sapius, II sage.
(v.) For Latin p, we often find French b or v ; for b we
find V ; for c before a, ch ; as, arrive, Fr. arriver, Late
Lat. adripare ; chevalier, Fr. cheval, O.L. caballus.
(vi.) To initial SC, St, sp a meaningless e has been prefixed,
as : —
esquire, O.F. escuier, late Lat. scutarius,
estate, h estat, L. status,
especial, n especial, L. specialis.
13. Moreover nearly all words borrowed from either Latin
or Greek have lost their last syllables.
14. The changes which pure English words have undergone
cannot be so clearly defined. Most of them are exemplified
under paragraphs 5-8. But the following may here be
specified.
(i.) Final vowels and inflections are dropped or changed
to e mute.
sceamu, shame,
luflan, love.
(ii.) Consonant groups are simplified, h being dropped
from hi, hr, hn, Wh being put tor hw, and sh for sC,
hlot, bring, hnut, hwerf, sceort,
lot, ring, nut, wharf, short.
(iii.) O is often changed to ch, Cg to dg, g to y or i,
ceaf, ecg, gear, segl,
chaff, edge, year, sail.
(iv.) Vowels are often changed to those with less open
sound. Thus : a is changed to o (bef re ng. Id), as aid,
lang, our old; long ; k is changed to o (regulaly), as
ham, our home ; 6 is changed to OO (regularly), as
soth, our sooth.
DERIVATION. 285
Prefixes.
Here follows a list of prefixes arranged so as to bring to-
gether those which, though belonging to different languages,
are of the same origin, and have similar meanings. " Inten-
sive" denotes the use of a prefix to strengthen or give force to
the meaning of a word or root. Thus shamed means ' much
ashamed,' convert * to turn thoroughly or altogether.'
The roots (see par. 2, and H. S. Grammar, pp. 76-7) are
printed in crt[)itals. Many words, however, come, not directly
from the roots, but from passive participles, the sign of which is
t (akin to our -d or -ed). Thus ac-cep-t, ex-cep-t, from CAP,
cap-ir. Wheu the root ends in d or t the participle has s or
SS \ thus remit and remiss, from MIT, miss-. When roots are
pnnted thus, FEIl = BEAR, the meaning is that they are not
only alike in meaning, but also of the same origin, though
belonging to different languages.
The student should give the meaning of every example
somewhat thus —
" Akin, of kin ; abject, cast away, from the root J AC, cast";
giving always to the prefix the force specified in the heading
of the paragraph.
1.— "From, off, away."
E. of, a ; akin, anew, adown^ (dun, hill), offal, offspring.
Intensive — athirst, ashamed.
L, ab, a : abject (J AC, cast), ab-s-tract (TRAH, draw),
a-vert (VERT, turn).
G. apo, ap : apogee (ge, earth), ap-helion (helio-s, sun),
apo-stle (STEL, send), apo-calypse.^
The primary form must have been apa, to which, by Grimm's
Law, Gothic of, O. E. of, correspond.
2.—" On."
E. on, an, a: aboard, an-on ("in one moment"), anvil
(O. E. an-filte^), onset, unhss (" on less" condition).
G. ana, (i) up : anatomy (;TAM, cut), analyse (LY, break).'
1 Lit., " off the hill ; " hence comes the adv. and prep. dovm.
* " Taking away the veil," " re-velation," from kalypsis, covering.
* From fyll-au to fell, make to fall, strike.
286 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
(ii) back: ana-gram (gnimma-t, letter, from GRAPH
write j, aitapaest,^ anachronism (clirono-s, time).
3. — " Against, opposite."
E. an (for and), a : answer (" swear against"*), along {^O. E.
andlang').
Un (befoi'e verbs) : unlock, untie.
G. anti, ant : antipodes (podes = feet), antarctic, ant'typ ,
anthem (for antiphon, phone sound).
L. ante, before : antechamber, antedate, anti-cipate (CAP>
take, with i for e of the prefix).
From the notion "opposite," i. e., face to face, we get
that of " before."
4.—" Out."
E. a (O.E. d) : ago (" gone out "), arise, arouse, awake.
Intensive — abide (" bide out "), affright (for a-fright).
The notion "out" readily passes into that of "out
and out," " greatly."
5.— To, at, near.
E. at, a : atone* (" set at one "), ado ( := to do"*,* tw t (O. E.
setwitan, rei)roach).
L. ad, a: advert, admit (MIT, send), aspect (SPEC, look).
ac, af, &c., Fr. a: accede (CED, go, yield), affect (FAC, do),
aggress (GR AD, gress-, step), alkire (" to the bait "), an-
nex (NECT, nex-, join), append (PEND, hang), arrange,
assist (SIST, stand), attract, attend (TEND, stretch),
achieve (chef, L. caput — head).
N.B. — Admiral, advance, and advantage are " blunder-
words" for amiraP (Milton's ^' ammiral"), avavnce, a,nd
avantage. Abbreviate and aminunition are solitary exam-
ples of ab- or am,- from ad.
1 Lit., a dactyl, " reversed," or struck back from PAV, Qr. PAI, strike.
2 Probably at first an answer to a charge in court.
* " Over against in length."
* This pronunciation of one is retained in alone and only.
' The use of at for to before the infinitive is of Norse origin.
* Amiral is from Arabic amir, prince or emir ; advance and advantage from Fr.
avancer, avanta/je, which come from avant, before, from L. ab ante, lit. "from
before."
DERIVATION. 287
6.— Not.
G. an, a : anarchy (ARCH, rule), anomaly (homalos, alike),
afatlvy (path-os^ feeling).
E. un : untrue, untruth, unpleasant.
L. in (ini, il, ir, i-) : informal, insecure, immature, illegal,
in'esistible, i-gnor int, i-gnoble, i-gnom,in-y}
E. ne : neither, never, nought, and not (ne -|- aught).
L. Tl-O'H'.^ >ionage, nonsense.
N.B. — (i.) Do not confound un, not, with un prefixed
to verbs, which means to reverse the act denoted by t^>ft
verb.
(ii.) As appears from un-plea8am.t, un is often prefixed to
foreign words if usage has made them familiar, especially
to those that have taken English endings, like -ing, -ed.
Un is often prefixed to words in -able, hardly ever to
those in -ible, as unassailable, but inaudible.
(iii.). Besides these senses, a- may stand forO.E., ge au
in aware, afford ; L. ex, e, Fr. es, out, as amend, abash,
assay for essay ; O.F., ah, as alas.
(iv.) Excei)t in the instances given here and under 1, 3,
4, 6, a before a true English word represents on.
7.— Both, on both sides.
L. Ambi, atnb : ambidextrous (dexter, right handed), amb-i-
ent^ (I, go), amb-iy-uous (AG, drive, lead, do), amputate
(puta-re, to lop).
amphi : amphitheatre, amphibious (jbio-s, life).
8. — Near (probably akin to ambi).
E. be: beside, abaft, about (for "on-by-aft," "on-by-out").
above (O.E., ufan, up).
Intensive — bedeck, beset, bedim.
Be- seems to form verbs as in benumb.
1 All three from GNO = know, whence Old L. gruirus, knowing, gno-hUis (later
nobili s), noble, c/ndinen (later nomen), name.
- A compound word.
6 The endinffs -ant and -ent are equivalent to -in^r.
* 'i'he diss of dissyllable was originally a misspellingf.
288 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
9.— Well.
L. bene : hens-fic-ent and bene-fit (FAC, do, make), benign
(GEN, produce).
11— Down.
G. cata, cat : catarrh (RHY, flow), catechise (lit., "sound*
down "), cathedral (hed-ra = seat).
11 —Around.
J_i. Circum : circumnavigate, circumvent (VEN, come),
circuit (I, go).
Really a case of circus, a ring, used adverbially.
12.— Together.
L- com (co, con, col, cor) : commingle, compute (puta-re,
reckon), coheir, co-operate, concur (CUR, run), collect
(LEG, gather), correlate, council (Fr. form of con-cili-um,
a calling together).
Intensive — as in convert, commute (muta-re, change),
condign (dignu-s worthy), correct (rectu-s, right).
G. Syn (syl, sym, sy) : syntax (taxis, arrangement), synthesis
(THE, place), syllable (LAB, take), sympathy (pathos,
feeling), system (STA, stand).
Com and syn are probably weakenings of a common form
"skom".
Contra (Pr. counter) against : contravene {VEN come),
controvert, counteract.
13. — Twice, in two.
G. di : digraph (GRAPH, write), dissyllable^
L. bis or bi : bisect (SEC, cut), biscuit (Fr. cuit, cooked),
bissextile^.
Our tun of twilight points clearly to an original dvi(s).
(see High Sch. Grammar, p. 408), shortened to di- and
bi-» This dvis is a case of dva, L. and G. duo, E. two.
' G. eche-ein, akin to echo.
* Diss- is an old misspelling for dis-.
* Lit., " Counting the sixth day (i.e., the sixth before the 1st of March) tvnce.
DERIVATION. 289
14. — Asunder, through.
L. dis : dispel (PEL, drive), distract, disubeij, disjoin, differ
(FER, bear), diverge (verg-ere, slope).
Fr. des, de : descant (canta-re, sing), defame, defeat, defy
(fides, faith), delay, deluge, defile (to file off"), deploy, detach
(cp. at-tack).
G. dia; : (i.) dia-ly-sis, dia-gnosis (GNO = know).
(iL) through, as in diatonic, diameter (metro-n, measure).
15. — From, away, down.
L. de : deject, detract, deposit (positu-s, placed), deduce (DUG,
lead).
Negative — detect (TEG-, cover).
Intensive — deny (nega-re, say no), deceive (^CAP,^ take),
delight (LAO, entice).
16.-111.
G. dys: t/ysen^ery (entera, entrails), dyr.pepsy (pep.sis, diges-
tion).
17. -Well,
G. eu : eulogy (logo-s, speech), euphony (phone, sound), eu-
phemism (i)heine, speaking, PHA, speak).
18.— Out, out and out, thoroughly.'
L. ex (e ef ; Fr., es, as, s) : extract, expel, extend, (TEND,
stretch), educe, elaborate, effect, effeminate, (feniina, wo-
man), essay and assay, estreat, escape ("get out of one's
cape"), scald (caldus, for calidus, hot).
G. ex (ec) : ex-odus (hodos, way), eccentric, eclectic (LEG,
choose).
L. extra, outside : extraordinary, extravagant (vaga-ri,
wander).
exo-gen (GEN, produce) and exotic are from Gr. exo, outwards.
19.— Before, forward, openly.
E. fore : foreknow, forestall, forehead.
• CAP in French words is weakened to -ceive, and capt to -ceitor -ceipt.
20
290 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD BOOK.
L. pro: proceed, propel, prnfdne} ('before the temple'^);
" Instead of" proconsul, pro cathedral.
(Fr. pur) purvey, provide (VID, see), pursue, pro-
secute (SEQ, follow).
G. pro (for) : prologue (logos, speech), prophet (PHE, speak),
programme.
L. pre : predict, (DIG, say), preposition, prehistoric, prejudice
(judic-ium, judgment ; judic-era, judge).
20.— From, away.
E. for : forbear, forbid, forgive, forget, forswea/r.
Intensive — forlorn ("quite lost"). So the obsolete
forbled, furpined, etc.
N.B. — Forego is a ' blunder word,' the true form being
forgo. In forfeit, foreclose, the first element is L. foris,
out of doors, outside.
21.— In, into on.
E. in '. inbred, inlay ; imbed or embed, impound.'^
L. in (im, il, ir, Fr., en, em): invert, incur, intend (TEN'D,
stretcli^), impel, impend, illumine (lumen, light), irrigate
(riga-re, wet) ; endanger, embalm, empower.
"Against" : impugn (pugna-re, fight', impute iputa-re,
reckon).
G. en (em, el) : energy ( = in-working*), endemic (demos,
people) ; emblem (BEL, throw or put), em-pyr-ean (pyr,
fire), ellipsis (LEIP, leave).
Endogen and esoteric contain the adverbs endvs and eso
inwards, both derived from G. en.
22.— Within, between, among.
L. intra : intramural (muru-s, wall).
L. intro : introduce, intromission (MIT, send), introspection.
* Therefore ' outside of it, unholy'.
*The change of E. in to im or en is caused by the analog-y of the Latin prefix tn.
» Literally stretch (the mind) upon.
< The G. erg-on was originally wergon, which by Grimm's Law answers exactly to
work, 0. K were.
* Really a " leaving in " (the mind) of a thought, instead of expressing it.
DEHIVATION. 291
L. inter (intel, Fr. entre) : international, interfere (FER,
bear\ intellect (LEG, choose), enterprise (Fr. pris, taken).
Intra (intro) alone means "within"; Inter, "between
or among."
23.— lU.
L. male Tmal): malefactor, malevolent (VOL = will), mal-
content, maltreat.
24. — Among, after.
E. mid. : midship, midriff" (hrif, belly) : — sense genei*ally
" middle."
Gr. meta : (i.) metaphysics, method (" way after").
(ii.) meta-phor (PHOR = FER = bear), metonymy
^onyma, name), meta-thesis (THE, place) — all with the
sense "change," i.e., putting after what was before.
25. — Wrongly.
Ej. mis ■ misbehave, misgive.
N.B. — In misadventure, misalliance, mischance, mischief
("wrong head"), miscount, miscreant (lit., misbeliever),
misnomef, misprise, misprision ; mis is a corruption of
Fr. mes from L. minus, less.
26.— Upon,
G. epi : epigram, epidemic, epitaph (^taphos, tomb), epoch.^
27.— Against.
L. ob (op, of, oc, os) : object, obstacle (STA, stand), obstruct
(STRUG, build), opposite, offer, offend (FEND, dash),
occur, occult ("covered over"), ostensible (TEND, show).
28. — Beside, different from.
G. para: (i.) parhelion, piralysis,^ parable,^ parallel (edlela,
each other), (ii.) paradox ^^doxa, seeming), paralogism
(logismos, calculation).
' Lit., a holding upon, originally applied to a star's apparent stopping after reaching
its culmination.
2 Lit. ' a breaking beside,' i. e., at one side —referring to the fact that one side is
usually affected.
" Lit, ' something put (thrown) beside ' another for comparison.
292 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
N.B.- In paruchule, parapet, para.-^l, the first element is de-
rived from L. para-re, to make ready, lieiice to parry or guard.
Paradise is from an old Persian word meaning "a park."
29.— Through, thoroughly, amiss.
L. per : (i.) 2)ermit (MIT, send), perspective, perspire (spira-re,
to breathe), peroration (' speaking through to the end ').
(ii.) perfect, perceive, jmrdon (doiin-er ; L. dona-re, give;),
paramount} (iii.) pervert, perjury (jura-re, to swear).
30. — Around, near.
G. peri : perimeter, period (" way around "), perigee, peri-
helion.
31. ^-Almost,
L pen : peninsula (insula, island) penult /ultimus, last).
32.— After.
L. post: postpone (pon-ere, to put), postscript (SCRIB, write).
33.— Towards,
G. pros : proselyte (elytos, come),
L. per (iJOS, pol) : portend, possess (SED, sit), pollute (lu-ere,
wash).
34.— Back, again.*
L. re, red : reject, return, renew, repel, remote (* moved back
or away'), redeem (EM, buy), redolent (ole-re, to smell),
redound (unda-re, flow), redintegrate (integer, whole).
35. — Aside, by oneself.
L. Sed orse : sed-i-tion, ("going aside") secede, select, separate,
and sever (para-re, make ready, put).
sober and solve have SO another form of se (ehrius,
drunken; LU, loose).
^ Lit. 'quite uphill,' or ' at top' ; O.F. am nt ; L. ad monteia, at the mountain.
2 The force of the i>refix is almost lost in receive, rejoice, renown (Fr. nom, name',
repute and the three cognate words, rcpro'iate, reprove and reprieve; lit. to prove
again, or rather, perhaps, 'to throw back the proof.'
DERIVATION. 293
36.— Under, upwards.
E. up: uphold, upbear, vjybraid,^ (O.E. bregdan, to braid).
L. sub (sup, suf, sue, sug, sus, sum) : subject, submit, suppress,
support (portare, to carry ^, suffer ("bear up"), suffice
('' make up"), succour (CUR, rnin), succumb (cumb-ere, lie
down), sustain (TEN, hold), subtend, suspend (PEND,
hang), surrogate, suggt^st (^GES, carry, bring in), summon
(mone-re, warn). So subterfuge?
G. hypo : hypothesis (placing under), hypo-tenuse^ (=sub-
tending), hypogastric (gastei", stomach), hyphen*" (hen, one).
The primitive form is upa, Eng. up (also w/of above) ;
L. and G. prefixed s, probably part of an adverb meaning
' from ' or ' out,' whence perhaps the meaning ' upwards,'
i. e., from under. This S Greek has as usual changed to h.-
37. — Over, above.
E. over : oversee, over-eat, overtake (catch one over or ahead
of us).
L. super (Fr. sur) : superscription, superhuman, supervise
(VID, see), supersede, surpass, surmount, surloin, sur-
name, surround, for sur-ound (unda, wave).
G. hyper : hyperbole (' shooting or throwing over the mark'),
hypercritical, hyperbatcn (going beyond), hyperborean (bor-
eas, north wind"').
38.— Across.
L. trans (tra, Fr. ti-af, tres) : transport, 'transfer, trans-it,
traduce, traverse, traffic (FAC, make, do), trespass (pas,
step).
tran (before S : transcend (SCAND, climb), transcript.
39.— Beyond.
L. ultra : ultra-marine, idtramontane, ultra-radical.
1 Skeat quotes ' Breg-dth s6na fednd, i. e., 'he will soon seize the fiend' ; so that up-
braid would mean to seize upon, arrest, accuse,
2 From sub-ter, a comparative of sub and FUG, flee.
* The tenousa is a participle from TEN, stretch. See the figure of Euclid I. 47.
* Joininj^ ' under one,' i. e., into one word.
B Perhaps this at first really meant 'across the mountains' (i. e., the Balkan , aa
boreas seems to come from an old word 60/ i— meaning mountain.
294 THE HIOH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
Outrage (O.F. oultrage), is a derivative from 'idira,
used as a separate word.
40. -Against, back.
E. with. : withstand, withdraw, withhold. A less common
prefix is found in gainsay.
From some of these prefixes used as separate words, or
words related to them, derivatives and compounds are
formed.
ab ante : avaunt, advantage, advance-ment.
extra : exterior, extreme, extraneous, strange (O.F. estrange),
estrange, extrinsic.
inter : interior, intimate, intestine (intus, within), entrails
enteric (Gr).
post : posterior, yosthumons, postern (O.F. posterle), posterity,
preposterous.
super : superior, supreme, superb (superbus, proud), summit
and sum (summus, highest ; summa, total), insuperable-
sovereign.
Paragon is from Spanish paracon (pro-ad-con), in com,
parison with.
The following stems, not properly prefixes, often form
the first part of a compound : —
auto (Gr.) : self; as auto-graph.
demi (F.): half; as demi-god.
hetero (Gr.): other; as Ae^eroc^oa;?/ (other opinion).
homo (Gr-) • same; as /io»io^ew«OMS (gen-os = kind).
mono (L.) : one, only; as monograph.
multi (L-) • ui^iiy 'y ^s multilateral, multitude.
omni (ti-) • '^'} ^^ omnivorous (vora-re, eat).
pan (Gr-) • ^ (also panto-); SiS pantheist, pantomime.
poly (Gr.) : many; »s, polygon (gonia, angle).
semi (L.) ; hemi (G.) : half; as semi-circle, hemisphere.
vice (tc) : instead of; as vice-consul.
In the following words the form of the prefix is much
changed : —
DERIVATION. 295
afford : ge-forth-ian, to fiu-ther.
affray (whence afraid) : O.F., effraier, from ex + friihu^ peace.
amend, assay : for emend, essay.
coil and cul! : O.F. coUlir, L. colligere, gather together.
couch. : O.F. colcher, L. col-loca-re, to place.
curry, to : O.F. conroier, roi, order,
quaint: O.F. coint, neat; L. cognitus, known.
megrim : for hemi-cranium, ' half-skull,' headache,
pilgrim : O.F. pelerin (? pelegrin) ; h. peregrinus, stranger.
pilcrOW : for pararaph.
spend and sport : for dispend and disport.
provost : praepositus, one set over,
provender : praebenda, things to be furnished,
somersault (or -set) : F. soubre sault, leaping over.
sombre : L. umbra, shade ; prefix ex- or sub-.
elope and uproar are from Dutch, ont-loopen, to run away,
and op roer, stirring up.
SufiOxes Traceable to Words.
-ard, (F. from O.H.Gr. hart) " one who " : dunkard, dastard
— generally implies excess.
-dom, (O.E. ddm, judgment) "rule," "the being" — earl-
(fom, wisdom, Christendom,, bumbledom, rascaldom.
-hood or head, (O.E. had state), "the being" widowhood,
childhood, godhead.
-ship (O.E. scap-an, to shape) ^' the lOQing" friendship, sureti
ship, apprenticeship.
-fast, firm : steadfast (stead, place) shamefaced^.
-ful, full of, producing : dutiful, dreadful, masterfil.
-less (O.E. leas, loose) without : speechless, guiltless.
-ly (O.E. lie, like)-. |i) ViH^Q'. friendly, masterly, (ii) man-
ner : speedily.
• So Prof. Paris as quoted by Skeat. But perhaps O.H.6. fridu, peace, is more
likely to be the word that found its way into French.
2 Commonly spelled "shamefast" in Shakspeare's time (see Schmidt), so that th«
meaning is, " firm in modesty."
296 THK HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
-some (O. E. sama, same) " same as," " tendinj^ to " :
darksome, wearisome, winsome (O.E. wyn, joy^.
-ward, direction : northward, wayward (for away-ward).
-wise, manner : likewise, crosswise.
Less common suffixes are found in knowledge, wedlock (Idc, gift, play)
hatred, kindred, older kyn-red, (ra(^d-an, to advise), bvikopric (rice,
kingdom) northern, eastern (from run). D6m is our present "doom."
English Suffixes with Analogues Latin and Greek.
-m, that which: sea-m (sew), gleam (glow), bloom and
blossom (h\ow), /ath-om (FATH to extend).
-m, S-m, -ism (G. ), act or state : enthusiasm (entheos^, in-
spired), galvanism, criticism, tvitticism^.
-m (Gr. for -mat _) schism (schiz-ein, split), problem (BEL throw).
-me (F. for L. -men) " that which " volume (VOLV, roll),
crime, legume or legumen, leaven (leva-re, to raise).
The t of Greek and the n of Latin derivatives appear in secondary
derivatives ; e.g. schism.at-ic, problematic, voluminouti, criminal.
-ment (L.) act, result : payment, pavement.
-n, en, that which, (suffix of passive participle), little,
(ii) made of, like, (iii; to become (rare), to make.
morn (MOR, shine), corn and quern, chicken (cock);
golden, silken ; waken, warn (ware).
-k-in, Httle : lamAkin, napkin (nappa, a cloth).
-n (L.), an, ain (F), ine, -in, belonging to, one who:
Roma-n, human -ane, (homo, man), librari-an, Canad-
ian, (by analogy), European, certain, canine.
(4) sovereign axvd foreign for sov-ran (Mi\ion), for-ain.
-on, (1) OOn, (F.) one who. (ii) large : centurion, bufoon,
million, balloon.
-nd: -nt and ent (L.), -ant (F,) = -ing, hence the doer:
friend (freond, loving), fend (fednd, hating), errand f as-
pira-nt (aspira-re), milita-nt (milita-re, to wage war) ;
adhereyit, co fdent and confidant (F).
1 Lit. " having a god (theos) within."
2 The c is inserted by Analogy.
8 Lit., going, or that goes.
, DERIVATION. 297
This must be carefully distinguished from —
-nd or end (L.) that must or should : reverend, addend,
tremendous, second (SEQ, follow).
-bund (L.) = -ing : mori-bund (mori, to die), vagaband (vaga-
ri, wander).
N.B. — We must distinguish from the participle -ing —
-ing (O. E. -ung), the ending of verbal nouns, and
-ing,^ l-ing, little : farthing, shilling (SKIL, divide), strip-
ling, sapling (a little "sappy " tree).
-ness, '' the being : " darkness, drunkenness.
-ness = n + es for as = L, or.
-Or^ (L.), eur (Fr.), "the being, the quality of:" ardour
(arde-re, to burn) candour (cande-i-e, be white), grandeur.
-ure (L. & E.), " that which is : " figure (FIG, form),
verdure.
Leisure, pleasure, are old infinitives in ir, treasure is 0. F. tresor.
-er, (L.) -est = -ior, comparison-suffixes ; superior, major.
-er, the doer, one connected with : writer, beggar, liar,
sailor (misspellings for -er), lawyer, saw-y-er, braz-i er.
The y may arise from the i that in 0. E. was used to form derivative
verbs as luf-i-an, to love.
-er, r, 1, le, (i) that with which ; (ii) to do often or
feebly :
(i) finger (cp. Scotch fang, to catch), worider^ (wand), stair
and stile (stig-an, climb), teasel, nail (nag, scratch),
(iii) slobber, linger (be long), dribble, drizzle (dreds-an, fall).
-r, 1, (L.) whence ar, al, ile, belonging to : regular, civi-l
(civi-3, citizen), servile, polar, tidal.
-Ole, -ule, -el, r-el little : ulobule, oriole and oriel (Fr. for
aure-olu-m, golden), satchel, cockerel, fiickerel, mongrel*,
scoundrel.^
' Once forming patronymics, as Carling.
* That the r here stands for S is clear from such derivatives as honextate-m, honesty,
and hones-tus, honest, from honor ; also from the alternative form in os, as honog.
^Lit , what makes one turn aside with awe. Skeat quotes, "Thu ne wandast for
Dtoum men," " Thou earest for no man "
* From 7ncen(fan, to mingle. ' From !so^+<!h scunner, to nauseate.
298 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOO^.
-ary (L. ariu s) -eer, -ier, -er (F.) : belonging to, one
WllO ; adversary, secondary, mountaineer, brigadier,
premier, butcher, ivarrior, bachelor, chancellor (-or foi- -er).
The French -er (for -ier) has become almost undistinguishable from the
English er (O.E. -ere) ; but if dropping the -er leaves no English word,
the suffix is probably French, e. g. , butcher, '
d, t, th = L. t or te, whence ate, ite ; F. ee, ey, suffix of
passive participle — that which (ii) possessed of :
old, naked (nacian, to shame), haft, gift, brand (brenn an
to burn), uncouth, (cuth, known); winged.; desolate
(" made quite alone") , script, joint, definite, minute (minu-
ere, to make less), triistee, payee, jury, army ; robust
(robur, strength), palmate, passionate.
We find Italian and Spanish forms in — ade, ado (mas), ada (fern), as
arcade, palisade, stockade, desperado, armada (= army).
-ate, sometimes means to make or to be, as captivate, assimi-
late, militate (milit-em, a soldier)
-itate implies repetition, as a,gitate.
Verbs in a-te were once participles, or the imitations of such.
-et, Ot, Fr. (whence let), little : fiower-et, ballot, stream-let.
-t, (G.) whence ite ist, one who : prophe-t (PHE, speak),
pafrio-t (patrio-s,^ belonging to his father), Israelite,
botanist.
-ist is formed originally from verbs in ize (Tx. iz-ein) ; as haptis-t from
baptize ; hence by analogy such words as sinecur-ist, geolog-isl.
-d, -ad. Gr., that which : monad, dacorde (for -ad).
-d, -id (L) ; having the quality of : vivid (viv-ere live), fervid
(FERV, glow).
-th (d,t) ; ce (F., from L. -tia), ice, is9, ess ; sy and sis,(G.),
act or state J strength, deed, (do) tide, (TI, divide),
lieight (for highth^), theft (O. E. theof-th) ^y^^^i-ce, malice
( malu-s, bad ), franchise ( O.F. franghiss for franc, free),
largess ; analysis, paralysis and palsy, ec-sta-sy, fancy
(for fAut-Asy ), frenzy (phren-e-sis, phren, mind),
' One who kills he-goats (Fr. boo) ; a word that shews the poverty of the people in
the Middle Ages.
2 The present sense arose in French (Skeat)— probably through connection with
patri-s (G.). fatherland.
* Used by Milton. The use of t is an instance of dissimilation. (H. S. Grammar,
p. 82,)
DERIVATION. 299
Practice is a Greek adj., prak-ti-ke, suited for doing. Greek and
French have both changed ti to s, as we in speaking change tion into
" -shun." The t is retained in secondary derivatives as analyti-c, para-
lyii-c, ecstati-c.
-ty, -tude (F. from tat-em-, tuden em^), the being, personal-
ty and -ity, hy^evity, fortitude, (forti-s, strong).
-ther = ter and tor (L. and Gr.), or (F. for a-tor) the doer :
inotlier, brother, sister^ ; minis-ter (minus, less), cap-tor,
au-thor (for auc-tor, increaser), y^ror, robber, engineer (for
-or), matador, battledoor^, stevedore^ witli Span, -dor = -tor.
-der (for ther), == tr (L. and G.), that by which : rudder
(O.K. ro-ther), bladder theatre (thea- to view), cetitre
(kent-ein, to goad).
-S-ter, one who (once fem. only), means of, spinster. Bax-
ter Brewster,^ songster, bolster (bolla, a ball), holster
(from Dutch hull-en, to coverj.
-y, -ow, having, like, (ii.) that which, (iii.) little (O.E.
-ig) • c (L. & G.), whence ic, ique (F.) belonging to,
like ■ icy, clayey, mighty , hody,^ willow ( WAL, to roll),
dummy. Tommy , civi-c (civi-s, citizen), cardia-c (G.
kardia ;= heart), logi-c (logo-s, speech), antique (ante);
zoological, &c., with -ical expressing no more than -ic.
-ish (O E. -isc) = -esque (F from O. H. G. -isk) like,
belonging to, heathenish, English, Ftench ; picturesque,
grotesque (like paintings in old crypts or grots).
" Somewhat " — bluish, oldish.
ish. (isc) is formed for -Ig by inserting 8 ; -ing, little, by inserting n.
Latin and Greek Suffixes.
■y> '6 (^- ^^^ ^- ^^' i"™)> mostly with change of t to c, whence,
by analogy, cy, ncy, nce, act or state of : and -ry
(r + y), collection, place, product, art ; forbear-
1 Double suffixes.
2 The meanings of these words seem to be respectively, "mana<?er," " bearer" (i.e.
supporter), " consoler." Daughter (t by dissimilation seems to mean "the milker."
*Lit. ' beater.'
* From stipare, to crowd, hence to stow.
5 Surnames derived from trades once followed by women.
• Probably " what binds the soul."
300 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
a/nce, suprerriMcy, bankruptcy, modesty, accuracy, (from
-ate), excellence (from -ent), cavalry, tanner-y, poetry,
carpentry.
-tor-y, sor-y, or-y place, lending to ; laboratory, manda-,
tory, cursory (CURj run).
History (G.) literally means " enquiry " from histor, en-
quirer, ceme-tery (koiman, to sleep) and mowis-tery
shortened to minster are analogous foj'mations from
Greek. Parlour, mirror, reservoir, are shortened forms.
-ion, (L ) state or act : union and omow (unu-s, one), coercion.
-tion, -sion. -a-tion (L.), son (Fr.), act, what is done;
ra-tion and reason i RA, i-eckon), solution, mission (MIT,
send), redemp-tion and ransom, salva-tion (salva-re, to
save), starv-ation.
-ble, able, -i-ble (L) that can be : soluble ( SOLV,
loosen >, deleble, (dele-re, hlot out), chargeable, inexpressible.
-CUle, -cle (L. I. F.) (i) cause of, (ii) little : miracle, mi-
raculous (mira-ri, to wonder), obstacle (obsta-re, to hinder),
radicle.
-ge, -age (F. from L. a-ticum) : that, which, place, col-
lection, belonging to, mira-ge, savage (silva, wood),
hermitage, foliage, postage.
-lent (L.) over full of: viru-lent (virus, poison), turbulent
(turba, crowd).
-ese -ess, <fec. belonging to : Chinese, burg-ess, covrteous
(formerly corteys).
-ish (F.) to make or become : publish, vanish. The Lat.
suffix is esce, " to become gradually," as deliquesce.
-ise (F.), ize (G.), to make or become : judaize, civilise.
-OUS (F.), -OSe (L.), full of: courageous, beauteous, aqu-eous
(by analogy), verbose (verbu-m, word).
In many words, especially those in -uous, -ferous-, gerous, -ous is
unmeaning, -aceous in scientific words means ' having the qualities
of,' as herbaceous.
-ive (L.), -iff (F.), that can ; one who : diffusive,^ inexpres-
sive (note the different force of -ble), plaintive ^ -iff.
In words from Latin -ive, is generally added to the parti-
ciple-stem, as in decisive, destructive^ compared with
decide, destroy.
DKRIVATION. 301
Roots and Derivatives.
Each of the following paragraphs will, in general, begin with
a group of related English words, together with kindred words
borrowed from other Teutonic languages. Then follows a list
of kindred Latin and Gi-eek forms which have given rise to
what are now English words.
It must be remembered that the Teutonic languages have
greatly changed the ' stops ' of the original Indo European lan-
guage (see the last two pages of the High School Grammar), a
change which seems to have taken place in this way. The
oi-iginal Indo-European language had aspirated consonants, gh,
dh,bh (Greek ch, th, ph; Lat. h and f), from which the
Teutons dropped h leaving in English g, d, b. Then g, d, b
were changed to k, t, p, and the original k, t, p to h, th, f.
This is indicated thus : —
English g foi- gh, d for dh, b for bh, k, t, h. th, f, answer to
Latin h, f or d, f or b, ) , -, .
Greek ch, th, ph, / S' '*' ■"' ^' P*
In the following lists O.H.G. will mean Old High Gram-
mar ; I. , Icelandic or old Norse. The sign =:; indicates that the
words joined by it are parallel forms. A word in italics is de-
rived from that which precedes it.
When the root of a group of words is mentioned, it must be
remembered that the form actually given may be only one of
two or three differing in their vowels, but all equally primitive.
Thus FER is the root of differ, PHOR of metaphor. Formerly
it was supposed that both were " corruptions " of BHAR, but
this view is now given up, e and o being now recogn zed as
primitive vowels. When, therefore, a i-oot is given with a as
its vowel, we must understand this a as sj'mbol for e and o
also. Similarly when 1 or u is given, we shall probably find
parallel forms with diphthongs as el, ai, etc.
Acre (O. E. secer, field) L. ager, field i. e. * what is driven
over,' from AG, drive, move, lead : whence, L. actu-S,
impulse ; axi-S axle ; ala, contracted from axula, wing ;
cp. axle (O.E. eaxl, shoulder); ag-ih-S, nimble; G
agOgO-S, leader. Ache (O.E. ece), and G. agon,
struggle (" with notion of violent movement").
302 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
Der. : acorn (not oak-corn^), agrarian, ambiguity, actuate,
-arj'^, axial, aisle ; agility ; demagogue (derao-s, people),
synagogue (agoge, leading), enegetic (G. hege-o-mai, lead),
hegemony (G. hegemon, leader), strategy, (strato-s, ai-my ),
stratagem, agony.
Aghast,^ gasted, (Lear, II., i., 57), gaze, ghost (O.E.
gast), ghastly. Teut. GAIS, to terrify, cp, L. heere-re
(hses), to stick..
Der. : ghostly, garish ; adhesive, hesitate, cohere, inherent.
Ail (O.E. eglan), eel (O.E. ael), awe (I. agi), ugly (I. ugga,
to frighten), from a root AGH, to choke or afflict ; whence
L. angUStU-S, narrow; anxiuS, vexed; ege-re, be in
want.
Der. : anguish, ind-igent*, quinsy for kynanche, " dog throt-
tling."
Angler (O.E. angel, a hook) and ankle from ANK, to
bend ; whence L. ancora*, anchor ; L. angulus, angle.
Der. : awkward (see Skeat), triangle.
Atti (for asm), L. and G. ES, be ; Latin participle sent,
being, (in present, absent), cp. SOOth® (O.E. sdth) and
ety-mo-s, true.
Der. : etymology, essential, interest, sin (see Skeat).
Arm, what reaches; root-meaning, reach or fit, rime (misspelt
rhyme, L. artu-S, limb; art-em, art ; ra-tus, reckoned,
agreed ; O.E. rim, number), ration-em, a reckoning.
G. arithmOS, number ; harmonia®, a fitting together.
Der. : rate, reason, arraign (call to a reckoning), harmonical.
B for BH ; Latin, F, Greek, PH.
Banns, proclamation — banish^ bandit, boon (N. bdn,
prayer) ; i*oot-meauing, to speak. L. fa-ri to speak, fa-
num temple ; fa-tum fate, " what is spoken," fa ma
report. G. phone, sound, PHE- speak.
«
1 In O.E., »cern ; op. Gothic akrana, fiuit, from akr-s, a field.
- Mis-spelling for agast (Wyclif) ; cp. Gothic us-gaith-s beside himself ; us-gaisnau, to
be amazed.
' ind- is an extension of in.
* Borrowed from Greek.
6 goth for «ant=L. -sent — Greek et for geat, whence etyrnos.
* The Greeks were like the Cockneys in their use of ?i. It is often inserted where
not needed ; it is quite lost in modern Greek.
' Through French and Late Latin from the cognate High German words.
DEKIVATION. 303
Der. : abandon, contraband^, ineffable, nefarious (fas, right),
fairy, anthem, phonic, prophecy, phonograph, telephone.
Be; boor and bower (bu-an to dwell), bond-man and
husband • (I. bondi, dweller), by-la w^ and byre^ ; voot-
meaning, to grow or become. L. futurU-S aboixt to be ;
tri-bu-S, tribe ; FE to produce ; whence fe-li-S, cat ;
fe-lic-em, fruitful, prosperous. G. phy-sis, nature,
imp (for emphyton), graft, child.
Der. : futurity, tribute, physician.
Bear, = L. FER = G. PHOR ; brother = L. frater.
Der. : bier, bi. rrow, offer, metaphor, frateiiial, friar, fratricide
Bide (O.E. bid-an) ; a- bide, abode ; cp. L. fid-ere (older form
feid-ere), to trust, fcedus (feder-), treaty ; fiducia, trust,
fldeli-S, faithful, fide-S (O.F. feid), faith, whence dif-
fida-re, to renounce faith, to defy}
Der. : confidential, federal, fiduciary, perfidious, affiance,
fidelity = fealty,
Bite, bitter, beetle ("the biter"), bait (I. beita, make to
bite), whence a-bet* (a for ad) ; root-meaning to split, cp.
hence L. flS-SU-S (for fid-tu-s), sj)lit ; fl-ni S (for tid-ni-s),
end, af-flni-S, near; flni-re to finish. Hence fine, (adj.)
— finite, finished ; (noun) a fined payment ; whence fir-
nance ; also vent, formerly fente.
Der. : imbitter, affinity, paraffine (parum, little), confine,
define, finial, finish, fissure.
Blink, blench, bleak (O.E. bl4c, shining); blank, blanch
(Fr. from O.H.G. blanch). L. FULG, shine; fulmen, thu-
derbolt; flagrare to burn, fiamma (for flag-ma),
_^ame ; flagitimn, a shameful crime; G. PHLEG, burn.
Eemembering the frequent change of r to 1 we may take here bright
(0. E. beorht) ; and frig-ere, to roast ; whence fry.
Der. : bleach, effulgence, blanket, inflammation, flagitious,
phlegm.
1 O.H.G. baa or pan, aproclaiuatiou.
2 I. 63/ a town.
* I. biir, house, granary.
4 This meaning appears in Shakespeare's lines : —
" All studies here I solemnly defy
Save how to gall and pinch this Bolingbroke."
*jl&et was formed in French with a French prefix from the Norse verb.
304: THE HIGH SCHOOL KNGLISH WORD-BOOK.
(i.) Blow, to piitf (O.E. b!a,w-a;i), bladder, blain (O.E.
bleg-en), bleb, blubber; blaze (veib, O.E. blte's-an),
blas-t, blazon, blister, bluster, blare, and blurt
(with r for s), blot, bleat ; blaze (noun, blsese), blush
Both blaw-an and blae's-an are extensions of BLA,
cp. L. FLA, blow ; flatu-S, wind,
(ii.) BLOW, to flower (O.E. blow in), bloom, blOSSOm,
blood.^ L. flos, flor-em, flower ; flore re, to bloom.
Both groups are of the same origin.
Der. : (i.) blazonry, emblazon, flatulent, inflation, afflatus,
conflated, (ii.) floscule, bleed, inflorescence, fluur (" flower
of wheat "), florin (from Florence).
Bore = fora-re j G. pharynx, gullet ; Celtic bar, whence
harrier, embarass, barrack, and probably barrel, seems to
belong to this root, taken in the sense " to cut."
Der. : perforate, embargo, barricade, debar, disbar, barrister.
Borough and burrow (O. E. burh, town), burgomaster,
(Du.); burgess and burglar^ bury, borrow (borg,
pledge), all connected with O. E. beorg-an, to protect,
root BHARK, whence L. farci-re, to cram ; frequ-ent-em,
crowded. G. PHRAK, in diaphragm.
Der. : hauberk ( hals, neck ), habergeon, harbour (I.
herbergi-^), harbinger ; force meat, frequentative.
Bow (O.E. biig-an, to bend), el boW, buxom (for buh-sum*),
badge (bed,g, ring^), bight, bout (Dan. bugt, a turn),
bow (of a ship, I. bog-r), perhaps buy. L. FUG, flee.
Der. : bower-anchor, fugue, fugitive, subterfuge. Bough
(O.E. bdg, arm), seems to come from a different root.
Break, brake^ breach, breeches^ brick (F. brique a
fragment); bray, to pound (O. F. brei-er, OHG brech-en)
to break). L. FRAG, frang-ere, fract, to break, frag-
1 So called from its colour.
2 Both through Fr. from O.H.G. burc ; lar, from L. latron-em, thief.
8 From herr, army, and bjarga, to defend.
* "Easily bent."
6 At least from a form parallel to it in Old Low German. Skeat refers to Old
Saxon hd(j, a ring, and Low Lat. baia, collar.
* Brake, a machine, is from Old Dutch or Piatt Deutsch ; brake a thicket seems to
mean liroken ground, and may be pure English.
' Breeches is from O. E. broc, pi brec, which has not the declension of a borrowed
word. It would seem to mean the ' broken, i. e., divided garment.'
DERIVATION. 305
His, /rail Celtic brag (Irish brag-aim,' I boast), lit. a
breaking forth.
Der. : Breakfast, brakesman, bracken, fragment, fracture,
irrefragable, infringe, refractory.
Brook (O. E. briic-an, to use), broker, cp. L. fru-i (for
frug-i), fruc-t- to enjoy, fructus and fruges, fruit.
Probably L. fung-i (funct-) is related.
Der. : frugiferous, fruition, fruit; function, defunct.
Call, crane, care (O.E. cearu, sorrow^), jar ; root-meaning,
to make a harsh noise; L. GAR, chatter; garrulus,
chattering, gallus, cock, au-gur (avi-s, bird), a sooth-
sayer, slogan (Gael sluagh-gaim, the host's cry).
Der. : garrulous, gallinaceous, augury.
Oan, ken, keen, know ( O. E, cunn-an and cnawan )
= GNO (L. and G.), to know ; gnotu-s or notu-S, (L.)
Tfnown, nomen, name; gnaru-s, knowing; i-gnora-re,
be unknowing ; nota, mark , narra-rc, to tell (make
knowing).
Der. : cunning, kith, noble, notable, cognomen, noun, nar-
rative, notoriety ; gnostic, gnomon.
Come, root KWAM^ = GWAM whence L. (by loss of g.),
VEISr, and by assimilation am-bula-re, walk, G. BAN,
or BA go, whence basi-S, foot, base.
Der. : Comely, perambulator, ambulatory, venture, ad- vent,
con-venticle, &c. ; basal Arbiter, from ar for ad and
bit-ere, to go. Hence arbitra-tion -ry ; -am of ambulare
is evidently for ambi-.
Corn and quer-n ("ground" and " grinder" , churn (O. E.
ceran to turn), root KAR, to grind , cp. L. gran-Um,
grain. L grandis and gra-Vi-S = G. bary-S, heavy,
whence aggravate, grief, bary-tone, baryta, probably from
the same root, but with the sense " oppress."
Der : kernel, curmudgeon (for corn-mudging, corn hoard-
ing , garner, granaiy, grange, garnet, pomegranate.
Choose, choice, and kiss (O.E. coss), root-meaning, to
taste , L. gustu-S, taste, whence F. gout, taste.
Der. : ragout, gustatoiy.
1 German, lit. the ' shouter ' is explained a< the name given by the Gauls, to their
enemies, the hurrahing Teutons.
* Which is found in the Gothic kwam, I carae.
21
3U6 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WOKD-BOOK.
D (originally DH) = G. th L. f, d (not initial;,.
Dare, durs-t, (cp. G thars OS courage) from a root meaning
to be firm; cp. L. for-ma, shape; fre nu-m, rein;
firmu-S, strong; G. thronO-S, seat, thorax, breast-
l)late.
Draw, dregs, drain, dray, dredge, also drink, drown
(M.E. tUunc-n-ian),from another extension of the same root
Der. ; refrain, affirm, force, drawl, draggle, draught, drench.
Dike (O.E. die, what is formed or moulded), doUgh, (O.E.
dse'g), lady (loaf kneeder), dairy (N. deig, a maid or
kneader), cp. L. FIG (fict), to make up ; whence feign (F
feind-re for L. fing-ere).
Der. : figure, figment, fictile, fiction, feint and faint.
Do, doom, root-meaning, place ; cp L. FAC (fac-t, Fr. fait)
do, make; hence -fy ; facili-S, "do-able," easy; famu-
lus, house-slave; fa-ber, workman ; Gr. THE place;
thesaurOS, treasure, (O. Fr. tresor).
Der. : deed, deem, dempster, feat, benefit, counterfeit,
deficit, forge, fabricate, frigate, fashion, faction, facility
and faculty, family, feasible, theme, hypothec, epithet.
Dust ; Lat. fu-mus, smoke ; Gr. thymo-S, thyme ; thy-
os, incense. Deaf, dumb, damp, and G. typho-s,
mist, contain an extended form.
Der. : thurible, tunny, (for thunny), fume, typh-us and -old
Dull, dwell (originally detain, deceive), deceive ; L. fraud-
-em, deceit ; frustra, in vain.
Der. : dolt, fraudulent, frustrate.
East,^ Easter, cp. L. aurora dawn ; i-oot EUS or AXIS,
shine or burn. L. US-tUS, burnt; aurU-m, gold ; auS
ter, south wind (the " burner ").
Deriv. : Auroral, adust ; auriferous, oriole and oriel (Fr. or)
gold, austere (auterus, stern). The connection of combus-
tion is not certain.
Edge (O.E. ecg), ear^; root-meaning sharp, swift; L. ac-er,
sharp ; ace-re, be sour ; aCU-tus, sharp ; G. akros,
sharp, top. Also, L. equUS ; G. hippoS, horse.
Der. : acrimony, eager, vinegar, ague, acrostic
iQ. E. East, Eastie, goddess of sprinur, in which e;i represents as usual, as older au
from wa. In Latin s between two vowels regularly becomes r ; ep. our were with
was.
DERIVATION. 307
Else (O.E. ell-es, gen of el, other) akin to Lat. aliu S and Gv.
allO-S, other, and Lat. alter, the other.
Deriv. : Alien, alibi, alias, inalienable, alteration, alternate,
altercation,^ altruism, parallel.
F originally P..
Fair,^ (or fseger), fain, fang, root FAG,^ to fasten, whence
pac-em, peace ; pac-tu-s, agreed ; impingere (im-
pactu-s, to fasten (hence sti-ike) upon; palu-S (for pac-lus)
a pale ; PagUS, a village ; Pagina, a page. Fee (O. E.
feoh, cattle) cp. L. pecu, cattle, whence pecunia
money ; peculium, a slave's own herd ; all pointing to
the time when cattle constituted the chief property.
Der. : pay (Fr payer, to appease), compact, impact, im-
pinge , pole, pawl, impale ; fief, feudal, fellow (I. felagi*),
pecuniary, peculation, pack (a Celtic word), pagan (cp.
heath-en. )
Fare (far -an, to go) far, fear,-' fresh (O. E. fersc, lit. going)
firth (I. fjorth-r) root-meaning, to cross, whence L. ex-
peri-ri, to try, and peric(u)uni, trial, danger portu-S
a port ; porta, i^ gate ; porta-re, to carry ; G. peir-a
ein, to try, poro-s a passage. Also, L. para-re, get
ready, and pare-re, appear.
Der. : ferry, ford, wayfarer ; expert, experiment, perilous,
importunate, opportune (portunu-s, accessible) ; porte,
porter, porch = portico, port-ly, -pur-port, important,
pirate, porous, Bosporus (bous, great, lit. " ox"), parade.
Fathom (O.E. faeth-m), cp. L. pate-re, to be open, and
pand-ere (pans), to stretch ; paSSUS, pace. G. peta-
lon, leaf,
Deriv. : patent, expansive, pass, pace, compass, petal, pan,
i(short form of paten or patine, as pail of patella.)
■' Lat. altercari ; the origin of the c is not certain.
2 Grig. " fit," the meanuig of Gothic fagrs.
3 Verner has shown that after an originally unaccented vowel, the h, th, or f that
in Teutonic languages represents an Aryan k, t, p changes to g, b or a.
* Sharer in afelag or property from fe -\- lay, law.
6 Used originally of the perils of wayfarers
308 THE HIGH SCHOOL KNGLISH WOHD-BOOK.
Feath er, find\ cp. Lat. penna'-' (for petna), also pinna and
Gr. ptero-n, wing ; root-meaning, fall or fly, L. pet-
ere, fly towards, seek ; Gr. PET (or pto), fall.
Der. : pen, pinnacle, diptera, pterodactyl (daktylos, finger),
coleoptera (koleo-s shield), compete, compatible, impetuous,
perpetual, petition, propitious, asymptote, symptom.
Fire == G. pyr, lit. what purifies; cp. L. pu-ru-S, pure ;
puta-re, cleanse, lop, reckon.
Der. ; fiery, purify, count = compute, amputate, impute,
pyrometer, pyrotechnics (techne, art), pyrites.
Flax, fold^; L. plica-re to fold, plect-ere to plait. Also
— plex (in compounds) =fold.
Der. : imj)ly = employ = implicate ; explicit = exploit ;
simplicity, complicate ; plagiary (plagium, kidnapping,
from plaga, a net).
Flow, fly (O.E. fleog-an) ; fleet, flit, float, root meaning,
to flow or float ; cp. pluma, feather ; plora-re, to weep.
.N^.B. — There is no connection with L. flu-ere, to flow.
Der. : flood, flutter, fledge, flight, fly (n) ; plumage, ex-
plore.
Food, foster (O. E. faster, for fdd-stor, nourishment) fod-
der; L. pastu-S, fed; pastor, shephered; pani-S,
bread.
Father = L. pater, probably from the same root in the
sense " to protect." Also, L. poti-S, able , posse, to be
able ; hos-pitem, host ; cp. G. despote-S, master, and
Pan, the shepherd-god. Feed, forage ^ (Low Lat.
fodmm);
Der. : pasture, pastoral, pabulum, pantry, companion, pan-
nier, paternal, patrimony, potent, possible, hospitable,
hostel = hospital = hotel, hostler, hospice.
Foot, fast, vat (O. E. fset). L. pedem, foot, im-
pedi-re, hinder, ex-pedi re, to further. G. pod-a,
foot.
Der. : fetter, fetlock, pedestal,* pedestrian, impediment, ex-
pediency, pawn, and pioneer (Old Fr. and Spanish peon
1 Orig. , light upon.
2 By assimilation ; the intermediate form penna has good authority.
*0.E. feald-an, Gothic falth-an akin to flah-to, which shows the root to be FLAH.
* Stal, through Italian, from German stall, a stall .
DERIVATION. 309
for ped-on-em, foot soldier), tri-pod, trapezoid (G. tetra-
four), polyp.
Pull, folk, flocks root-notion, to fill. Lat. ple-re, to
fill ; amplu-s and plenu-s, full ; plus, more ; mani-
pulu-S, handful ; plebe S, commons ; po pulu-S, people,
whence publicus (for popli-cu-) ; pi- = fold. G.
plethos, fulness ; poli-S, city ; polite-S, cititizen ;
poly-S, many.
Der. : Plenary, plural, plebeian, popular, manipulate, ample,
double, triple, &c., implement, complete, phethora, polity,
policy, police, metropoli-s (mother city).
G for GH, Latin, H, or F ; Greek, G.
Gird, glean, yard, garden (Fr. from O.H.G.) ; root-mean-
ing to seize or hold ; L. hor-tU-S, garden ; late L.
COrte-m (from cohort-em'*), castle, yard, hered-em,
heir; G. cheir, hand ("holder") chorO-S, a dancing
place.
Der. : girth, horticulture, courteous, heredity, chirography,
surgeon,; (contraction of chirurgeon), choir.
Glad (O. E. glsed, bright), glade, glass, glare, gleam,
glimpse, glimmer, glee, glib, glide, gloom, glow,
gloat, gloss, glitter, glint, glance, glisten ; root-
meaning, to shine or glow ; yelloW, gold, grOW,
green, also guild and yield (from gildan, to pay) ;
cp. G. chloro-S, green ; chryso-S, gold ;chole ( =gall),
bile; also, with a metaphorical application, yearn (O.E.
georn) ; Gr, charis, favor, tlianks. L. fornac-em,
furnace, and G. thermo-S, hot, are generally explained
as irregularly for hornac-em, chermo-s.
Der. : gloaming, gild, guilt (O. E. gylt, debt), chlorine,
chrysalis, choleric ; exicharist.
N. B. — Charily is for caritate-m, love, not from charis,
grace.
Goad (O.E. gdd^), gad (I. gaddr), yard (O. E. gyrd, a rod)
root-meaning, to strike ; cp. L. h.OS-ti-S, enemy ; hence
" stranger," cp. guest (O. E. gaest).
1 Probably a variant of folk (Skeat).
* Cohortem originally meant a yard or enclosure.
* For gasd, cp. Gothic (jazds.
310 THE HIGH SCHOOL KNGLISH WORD BOOK.
Der. : gadfly, gad-about, hostility, host^ ; also garfish, i:ai-
lic (O. E. gdr, spear.
Grind ; L. frica-re, rub ; Gr. chri-ein, to anoint.
Der. : grist, fricative, friable, friction, chi'ism, Christ.
Gut,^ ingot, gush;' geysir,^ gust,^ -pour ; L. FUND
(fus), pour, futilis (easily emptied), refuta-re, to pour
back ; fonte-m. fountain ; hauri-re (haust-), to drain ;
G. CHY, pour.
Der. : fuse, foundry, futility, refutation, font,*, nugget (for
" ningot "), profusion, foison = fusion, confound, i-efund,
suffuse, exhaust, chyle, chyme, chemist.
H originally K, Latin G
Ham (so called from the " bend " in the leg), hem, root-
meaning, bend, cp. cam (in Shakespeare from Welsh cam,
crooked), L. cam-era, vaulted room, Fr. chambre.
Der. : akimbo, concamei'ated, the Cam, chamber, comrade
(Span, camarada), chum. Some would add hammercloth
(I, hamr, covering) ; others hammer.
Hate lOE. hatian, orig., to drive away), root-meaning fall,
hence fell or drive, OA.D (cas-), fall; casUS, chance,
CED (cess), go or yield.
Der. : heinous (F. haine from Low German, hatjan to hate),
caducous, Occident, chance = cadence, cheat (for escheat^),
case, casual, pai-achute (Fr. chute, a fall), decadence, decay,
cession, ex-ceed (so pro- and sue-), cede, recede, cease.
Have, hawk:= havoc (O.E. hafoc), hovel (hof, house),
heaV"e (O.E., hebban) — all from IIA.F seize ; cp. L. CAP
(cap-t, F. ceiv-, ceit-) to take, capta-re or captia-re, to
chase ; cap-ac em, able to contain ; cap-Sa, chest. From
the same root couie, head (O.E. heafod) = L. caput
(capit, F. chef), G. keph-ale,^ L. capillu-s, hair.
^Host, an entertainer, for hospitem, see under food ; host, an army, from hostem
(though misunderstaiidinj^ the phrase "bannitus in hostem,/ "summoned against the
enemy" to mean "summoned for an expedition"); host, the sacramental bread,
from hostia, a victim.
2 Also in Provincial English, a channel ; op. the " Gut of Canso."
3 Of Norse origin.
* Baptismal /ont is font-em, font of type is O.F. fonte, from fondre, to cast.
6 What falls to tlie crown for want of heirs. The word got its present meaning
from the rascality of the royal " E^heators."
« Only with another sufllx.
DEKIVATION. 31 1
Der. : haft, haven ( what contains ) heavy, heaven (1),
receive, 2'eceipt, conceit, &c., incipient ; chase = catch,
cate, cater,^ cap, case = ehase,^ = sash, casket, capitulate,
chapter, captain = chieftain, cattle^ = chattle, = capital,
kerchief, cabbage, cadet (see Skeat), capillary, dishevel (F.
chevel).
Heal (0. E. hse'lan, from hdl), w hole (hdl), hale,* hail ;*
G. kalo-S beautiful, kallos beauty.
Der. : Health, holy, holiday, halibut, hollyhock (both for
holy-), hallow, wholesome, wassail (lit. " be hale ") ; cali-
graphy, calisthenics (sthenos strength).
Heart (O.E. heorte) = L. COrdi^ = G, kard-ia ; root mean-
ing to leap or swing ; whence also L. cardin-em, hinge.
Der. : hearty, cordial, core, Cceur de Lion, courage, (Fr.)
quarry' (O.F. coree, intestines of slain animal), cardiac,
pericardium, cardinal.
Hedge, haw, cp. L. cing ere (cinct-), to surround.
Der. : hawthorn, church-hay, hag, haggard, precincts, cinc-ture.
Hall (O.E. heal), hele (helan to hide), hell, hole, hollow,
hold, and holster, (Dutch) hull, husk (once hulsc),
cover or hide ; L. cela-re, to hide ; cella a cell ; clam,
secretly ; OC-CUl-ere to hide ; Color,^ color.
Der. : helmet, conceal, cellar,^ clandestine, occult, domicile.
HilP, holm, haulm. L. cel-sus, high; cul-men, top;
colmnna, pillar. G. kara, head ; cp. L. cerebrmn,
brain, " borne in the head," and cervlc-emi, neck (carry-
ing the head).
Der. : hillock, excelsior, culminate, colonel, cheer^" (see
Skeat), cerebral, cervical.
Probably from the same I'oot in the sense ' to be hard,' are
1 Formerly catour and acatour, buyer (aeeepta-re).
" Chase, to hunt, is from captare : a frame, Is from capsa, as in casket.
3 Once cattle constituted most men's capital.
* Norse, from hsill ; from hal, must come, hole misspelled whole.
5 The nomiTiative cor has dropped di.
6 Quarry (for stone) is from quadra-re to square, and should be quorrer.
' Conceived of as a covering,' that hid the real surface of the object.
8 Not Si salt cellar, which conies from sal, salt, and should be saliere.
9 The O.E. hyll corresponds to L. colli-s, y being after an " umlaut " f' r o
w Spenser's Red Cross Knight was " of his cheer too solenm sad."
312 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WOKD-BOOK.
horn = L. COrnU ; L. carina, a nut shell; a hull; and
can cer, crab ; whence hornet, corner, car>een, cancer.
Home (O.E. hdm), hive (O.E. hiw, a house), while ("a rest").
hind (see Skeat), L. QUI to rest ; ci-vi-S, citizen ; G
koiman, to sleep.
Der. : Quiet, quit, quite, acquiesce, requiem, city (Fr. cit^,
L. civitat-em, a state), citizen^, cemetery, comic and comedy
(G. komos'^, feast + ode, song); hamlet, (O.F. hamel, 0
Frisian, ham, a dwelling).
Horse, same origin as L. CUR, (curs) run ; CUrru-S, chariot;
cel-er, swift ; Celtic car, cart, carry, career,
charge ; G. polos, sky (as " whirling").
Der : Curricle, curriculum, concur, discourse, recourse,
chariot, cargo, caricature, pole.
Idle (orig. clear, hence empty), from AIDH, shine or burn. G.
AITH, whence alther,^ upper air. L, SSde-S, house
(" fire-place "*) ; sestu-a-re, to boil.
Der. : etherial, Ethiopian (Op-s, face), edify, edile, estuary.
K = original G.
Kin, kind, child, knave (cnapa, boy), queen^ (O.E.
cwen, woman, i.e. "mother"), root-meaning to j)roduce
or be born. L. GEN, produce ; genus, (gen-er-), kind ;
genius, spirit attending man ft-om birth ; ingeniu-m,
inborn faculty ; gna.tU-S or natU-S, (F. n^) born ;
gente-m and nation em, a kindred or nation ; natura,
nature, (the " producer "). G. genea, race ; geneslS,
birth ; gyne, (gynaik) woman (cp. O.E. cw^n) ; ge, earth
(the " All-Mother ").
Der. : kindred, king, (O.E. cyning, lit. "son of the tribe"/,
knight (prob. " belonging to the tribe "), gender, genial,
ingenious, engine, ingenuous (L. -uus, free born), indigen-
ous, gentle = genteel =^ gentile, gentry, puny = puisne ;
heterogeneous, oxygen, gynarchy, geology.
1 Skeat accounts for the z as a misreading of the Middle English symbol for y.
2 So called because the guests lay or reclined at it.
• Supposed to be of a fiery nature ; cp. the terra em-pyr-ean.
* Cp. Irish aidhe, a houseand, aedh, fire.
6 Quean, a contemptible woman, is exactly the same word except in spelling. This
shows the correctness of the derivation.
DERIVATION. 313
L sometimes represents R.
Leaf, lobby, lodge (L. L. kubia, poich ; O.H.Gr. laup, leaf);
L. lapid-em, stone ; liber, book (orig. bark). G. lepra,
scale.
Der. : leaflet, lapidary, dilapidate, library, leper.
Lean (O.E. blini-an) to slope; L. cli-na-re,^ to slope; cll-
VUS, a slope ; G. KLIN, to slant ; klima-t, a slope ;
klimax, ladder.
Dei*. : lean (adj.), lid, inclination, declension = declination,
declivity, proclivity, (proclivus, inclined), clime = climate,
synclinal, climacteric.
Lie (O.E. licgan), lair; ledge,^ low (I. 14g-r, low, lit. flat),
log (I. log-r, a felled tree), leaguer (Du. leger, camp),
ledger (Du. logger, one that lies) ; L. lectu-S (F. lit.),
a bed; cp., law ; (O.E. lagu), lit. what "lies" or is in
order = L. leg-em (F. loi).
Der. : lay, layer, letter, coverlet (once coverlite), lectern,
(prop. " couch," Gr. lek-tron), leal = loyal = legal, legis-
late (latus, carried).
Lief (O.E. le(5f, dear), love, (lu-fi-an), leave, furlough
(Dan. forlov, leave) ; root-meaning, to desire ; cp. L. libl-
din-em, lust ; liber, free (doing as he likes) ; F. livr-er,
give (freely).
Der. : belief, libidinous, liberty, liberal, libertine, deliver,
livery (what is delivered).
Light, (O. E. ledht) ; lea^ low (I. log flame) loom (I. Ijoma
to gleam); root-meaning, to shine; cp., L. luc-em
and lu-men (from lucmin) light; luna, moon. G.
lynx, the "bright-eyed" animal.
Der. : lighten, lightning; lucid, limn = illuminate, lunatic,
lucubration (LTJC -I- br, from FER, bear.) Lu-Str-um
purificaton, whence illustrious, illustrate is by some re-
ferred to in this group ; by others, to LAV, wash
(see lye).
Light (adj. O. E. ledht) ; root-meaning = to spring. L.
levl-s, light ; leva-re, to lighten ; F. leger, light (p. 303).
1 Obsolete, except in compounds.
2 Also Norse.
» A brigrht spot, probably among the dark woods ; cp.— loo in Waterloo.
314 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
Der. : alight/ lighter (Du.), levity, alleviate, relief, leaven,
levy = levee, legerdemain.
Loan (O. E. laen, from lih-an, to grant) ; root-meaning
let free ; L. linqu-ere (lict), to leave, lice re, to be
allowed (" left free ") ; G. leip-ein, to leave.
Der. : deliquent, relict, derelict, licence, licentious, licen-
tiate ; eclipse, ellipsis (" leaving in the mind ").
List-en (O.E. hlyst, hearing): loud (O.E. hlud) ; lurk (Dan-
luske, to sneak'-); root meaning, to hear. L. client-em>
retainer (" listener ") ; gloria, glory.
Der. : lurch, clientele. Slave, from slav, a word that in the
Slavonic languages means " glory."
Loose (O.E.le^s), lose/ loss; root-meaning, break or separate.
G. LY, to break ; L. SO-lv ere (solut), to break up, to pay.
Der. : leasing, forlorn, perhaps lust ; analytic, electro-lyte,
palsy = paralysis, assoil = absolve, dissolute, solvent.
Lye (O.E. led,h), lather (O.E. leathor), root LAV, to wash.
L. lava-re (lot, lut), to wash; di-luv-ium, a flood;
probably lustra-^'e, to purify ; poUutU-s^ detiled.
Dei*. : lave, lava, lotion, lavender (lavanda, things to be
washed) laundry, ablution, alluvial, deluge, lustration,
illustrious, luted (lutu-m, mud).
May (O.E. mjeg, I can), main, maiden (maegden, lit.
" grown "), maw (lit. great), make, match (O.E. maca,
equaF), mickle (O.E. mycel), muCh ;' root-meaning,
grow, be strong. L. mag-nU-S, great ; major, greater;
maximus, greatest ; magis-ter, master. G. mega and
megalo-, great ; mechane (L. machina), contrivance.
Der. : Might, mayor, majority, magistrate, maxim, megalo-
mania, mechanist, machine, machination, perhaps many.
(i.) Mete, mother,^ moon (mona, the measurer), meals
(O. E. msel, stated time) ; root-meaning, to handle or
measure.
1 Alight is properly to lighten the load on the horse.
2 The notion is to be listening.
3 The vowel sounds have changed irregularly, owing to analogy ; see loose and lose
ill Skeat.
■•Lit., washed over, as when a river overflows and ^o^^uteg its bank with mud (Skeat).
•' " One of the same make."
'' Taken by Skeat as Norse.
'' The measurer, i.e., the manager.
DEKIVATION. 315
L. manU-S, hand; mensUS, measured; moduS (moder),
measure ; mater, = mother ; materia, stuff,
(ii.) Man, mind, mood, mean (O.E. mten-an, to intend).
L ment-em, mind ; mone re, to remind, warn ; mon-
stru-m, prodigy, 'warning ;" mane re, abide. G. mne-
mon, mindful ; man-la, madness (excite 1 thought) ; all
with the metaphorical sense "to think." G. mathein,
to learn ; L, medita-rl, to meditate ; and mederl, to
heal, from an extension of the same root.
Der. : (i.) meet (adj.), month, Monday ; manual, mensuration,
moderate, maternal, material; probably also mature (ma-
turus, early), matins ; also probably moral (uios, custom^).
Der. : (ii.) mental, monition, monument, monstrous, mansion,
mnemonics, mathematics.
Mould (earth), meal ; L. molli-s, soft ; mel, honey ; mola,
a mill ; malleu S, a hammar ; root MAR, to crush,
whence, with application to persons, murd-er, L. mort-
em, death ; morbu-S, disease. Extended forms mark,
malt, melt, milt, mild; L. margin-em, border;
mulce-re, to stroke.
Skeat connects 0. melan-, black, and L. malu-S, bad ; the notion
being, " dirty ^."
Der. : mildew^, emolument, mellifluous, malleable, mortality,
morbid, emulsion, melancholy, malice.
New (O.E. niwe) = L. noVU-S == G. neo-S (for nevo-s);
L. nuntiUS (Fr. nounce), messenger (for novu-s).
Der. : news, new-fangled, novelty, innovate, neologist, neo-,
nuncio, annunciation, pronounce, but -nunciation, de-
nounce.
Night (O.E. neaht), from NEK or NOK, perish, destroy. L.
nocte-m = night, nec-em, death ; noce-re (F, nui-re),
to hurt ; G. nekrO-S, dead.
Der. : nocturnal, internecine, pei-nicious, innocent, noxious,
nuisance.
Nimble (M.E. nimel, O.E. nim-an, to take), numb ;* root-
meaning, to allot, take f G. no'mo-S, law (" what allots") ;
' The measure of conduct.
* As from dust or powder.
* Honey dew (Skeat).
■* Lit. '• seized," O. E. nuin-en ; hence deprived of sensation.
6 " Allot to oneself."
316 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
nomo' S, pasture (" what is allotted "); nomisma, coin;
L. numeru-S (F. nombre), number.
Der. : numbskull, Nym, antinomian, nomad, numismatics,
numerous, and the ending -nomy.
One (O.E. kv}) = l,. unus (formerly oino-s) ; whence
nullu S (ne+ullus), none.
Der. : none (n-an), any (O.E. ae'rig), onion ^ union, nullify,
annul.
Q = original G.
Quick (O.E. cwic, living), |/ KWIW, live ; L. vivu-S, alive ;
viv-ere, to live ; victu-s, food ; vita, life. G. bio-s,
life ; ZOOn, living thing.
Der. : quicken (make alive), quicklime, couch-,"^ grass ;
viands, vivid, vivify, victuals, vitality, biology, zodiac.
R is sometimes changed to L.
Rack, reach (O.E. rse'c-an), right (O.E.rih-t, straight), rank
{adj.), |,/ JRAK, stretch. L. REG (rect), rule ; reatus
= right ; reg-nu-m, kingdom ; reg-em (F. roi), king ;
reg-ula, rule; SU-rg-ere (surrect), rise ("reach up").
Der. : reckon (recc-an. to set right), righteous (riht-wls), rake
(of a ship), rich^, dirgf**; direct, dress, rector, correct, escort,
reign, royal = regal, realm, regulate, surge, source = surge,
(in-), resurrection ; also reg-ion, erect (whence alei^t), rig-id
(rige-re, be stiff), with the original meaning "stretch."
Rake (O.E. raca), a tool for gathering; L. leg-ere (lect),
gather or read ; Gr. leg-ein, gather or speak ; logO-S,
speech, reason (with 1 for r.)
Der. : legend, lecture, elite = elect, selection, legume, coil==
cull (collig-ere) ; antho-logy (anthos, flower), lexicon (lex-
ikos, belonging to speech), logic, catalogue, dialogue, and
words in — logy.
Saw (O.E. saga), sedge, scythe (O. E. sigthe), root-mean-
ing, to cut. L. seca-re, to cut; serra, a saw.
1 O.E. fi is a corruption of ai, cp, dn with Gothic ains and German ein ; ham, home,
with haima, heira.
2 Provincial English, quich grass ; O.E. cwic was sometimes shortened to cue, as
sweltry to sultry.
^FromO.E. rio, adoubletof reg-em, i.e. like a kiiij,'-; but r(c/ie« comes through French
from oHG riche.
* From dirijje the first words of an anthem (Psalm v. 8) in the ancient office for the
dead.
DERIVATION. 317
Der. : section, segment, sickle ( sec-ula), scion, risk (see
Skeat), and perhaps chisel.
Salt^ = L. sal = G. hal-s ; cp. seal,^ and L. insula, island
(" in water "), from a root meaning to go ; specialized
in L. sali re (salt, suit), to leap.
Der. : saline, halogen, isola-te (It.), salient, dissilient, de-
sultory, assail, assault, result.
Share,^ shear, sharp, shire, shore, scarf, short, score ;
scare*, scaur, scrap, scrape, scratch; root-
meaning, to cut ; cp. L. curtu-s = short ; coriu m,
skin or leather; COrtiC-eni, bark, also cern ere and
G. kri-, to sift, and, with 1 for r, E. SCale = shell,
(O.E. sceale, shell), SCale (scdle, balance), shell,
shelf (but not shelve), skill (I. skil, distinction).
Der. : shirt and skirt^ (= short), sherd, shred ; cuirass,
scorch (take skin off), discern ; critic, shilling.
Silly (O.E. sse'lig, happy) ; cp. L. salvU-S, safe ; salut-em
health ; SOllu-S, whole ; SOlu-S, only ; SOla-ri, to com-
fort ; SOlidu-S, solid ; Gr. holo-S, whole.
Serva-re to preserve is probably related ; servu-s, slave, may be
from SEK, to bind ; whole (see heal, p. 311), has no connection
with holo-s, nor salve (0 E. sealf ) with salvu-s.
Der. : solicit (citus, stirred up), solidarity, console, save
salutary, holocaust (kausto-s, burnt), catholic, preserve,
servile.
Sit, seat ; cp. L. sede-re and sid-ere, to sit ; sub-sidiu-m,
help : G. hedra, seat.
Dei-. : set, settle, sediment, subside, assessor, assiduous,
dihedral, cathedral, saddle
Sow, seed; cp. L. sa-tus, sowed; se-men, seed; seculu-m,
a generation, the world ; Saturnus, the god of sowing.
Der. : Saturnine, Saturnalia, Saturday, seminary, dissemin-
ate, secular.
Span, spin, speed, spade^ (spa^du) ; root-meaning, to
stretch. L. spa-tiu-m, space ; spes, hope ;. sponte,
of one's free will, and probably stude-re, to be intent.
1 At first, probably an adjective.
2 The marine animal.
* The share of ploughshare is O.E. scear ; share, a portion, is seearu.
* This and the four followinjj words are Norse.
6 So called from its broad surface.
318 THK HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WOKD-BOOK.
Gr spa-ein, to draw. Also, with loss of s, path, L.
pont-em, a bridge ; penus, Ktoi-ehou.se, and perhaps
pati (pass), to suffer, and G. pathos, suffering.
Der. : spindle, spider, spacious, expatiate, despair, prosper-
ous, spontaneous ; studious, S{)asm ; })ontiff, i)enury, passive,
pathetic.
Stand, stead, steed, stud, all from STA-D, an extended
form of STA , to stand. L. ST A, stand ; status, stand-
ing ; statutura, law ; statura, height ; destina-re,
to ap]toint ; sistere, to stand; G. STE, stand; sta-
tO-S, standing; histo S, web.
Der. : stable, establish, staid, stage, arrest, interstice, con-
stant, institute, stanza, assist, statics, system, histology.
The following words contain extensions of STA, to stand :
Stare, Gr. stereos, firm ; sterili-S, barren, fr-om STA-R.
stall, stale, stalk, stilt, stout (with 1 for r) ; cp.
stolid (L. stolidus), stultify, (stultu-s, a fool).
staple, step, stub, stump, staff, stiff, stifle, from
STA-P, to make stand.
stem, stammer, stumble, from ST AM.
Der. : stereotype, sterile.
Sweet ; L. suavis (for suad-vi-s) ; suade-re (suas), to
advise.
Der. : suavity, assuage, suasive, dissuade.
T for original D.
Tear (v.), tarry (see Skeat), tire (v) ; root-meaning, to rend.
L. dole-re, to grieve ; dele-re, to destroy. G. derma-t,
skin.
Der. : condole, dolorous, delete, indelible, pachyderm (pa-
chy-s, thick.
Thane (O. E. thegn, child, servant), thank, think, thing ;
root-meaning to fit, hew, produce ; cp. G. techue, art ;
taxi-s (from tak-ti-s), arrangement, tek-ton, carpenter.
L. tex-ere (text), to weave ; SUb-tili-S, finely woven.
Der. : technology, syntax, taxidermy, tactics, architect, tex-
tile, tissue^ subtle = subtile, Pentateuch and intoxicate,
(see Skeat.)
' Reallj- a passive participle of F. titttre, to weave from tex-ere.
DERIVATION. 319
Thin = tenuis ; root meaning, to stretch. L. TEN-D (tent
or tens), stretch; TE>f (tain), hold; tenta-re, to try ;
tener, tender. G. TEN, stretch ; tono-S, tone
Der. : tend, retentive, retain, taunt := tempt, tentative, hy-
potenuse, tonic, monotone.
Thirs-t, L. torrere (tost), to parch ; terra, dry land ; tes-
ta, a pitcher (used in alchemy. )
Der. : torrent, torrid, toast, tureen, terreen, test.
Thrill, through, thorn, throe, drill (Du driUen, to bran-
dish), root-meaning, to cross over, penetrate, rub ; ter-
minus, end ; tri-tu-S, rubbed ; torna-re, turn. G.
telos. end.
N. B. — Throw, thread, and Scotch thraw (O.E. thraw-
an) also thrust ; akin to which are L. torqu-ere (tort),
to twist, and tropo-S, trope, a turn, are from exten-
sions of the same x-oot.
Der. : term, transom, trestle, trite, triturate, turn, attorney,
teleology, talisman ; torture, retort, tropics, trophy.
Tuesday, cp. L. Jovis, Jove's; diurnus, daily; whence
F. jour, day; deus, a god; divinu-S, godlike.—
root-meaning, be bright
Der. : jovial, journal, deity, deist, divine.
W = Latin V.
Wake, watch, wax, eke ; root meaning, be strong ; L.
vegere, be lively ; vigil, watchful ; auge-re, in-
crease ; auxilium, help.
Der. : vegetable, vigor, vigilant, auction, augment, auxiliary,
august (augustu-s, majestic).
Wallow (O. E. wealw-ian), walk, welP, Welter (cp. Ger-
man waltz) ; root meaning, to turn. L. VOLV (volut),
roll ; valva, a door ; G. halo-S, a threshing floor.
The 1 here stands for an older r, seen in the next gi*oup.
Writhe, wreath, wrest, wrist, wroth, worth. ^ L.
VERT (vers), turn ; versa-ri, to be.
Der. : revolution, voluble, convolvus, valve, halo ; wreathe,
wrestle, wrath, conversation.
Ware, ward, warden,^ guard, warren, garrison;
root-meaning, look sharply. G. horaein, to see; L.
1 Properly a spring-.
* As in " Woe worth the day."
^ This and the ne.xt three words are French from German kindred forms.
320 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
Vere-ri, to fear, probably too. L. Veru-S, tiue (referred
by some to the root VOL for VER, choose) ; worth (n)
and ware perhaps mean " what is guarded."
Der. : wary, war-n, guardian, guarantee, warrant, panorama,
verily, very, reverence, veracity.
Water, wet ; L. unda, wave ; unda-re, to flow ; G. hydor,
water.
Der. : ottor, winter (T), undulate, abundant, redound, hydrant.
Wit, wot, wise; L. Vide-re (vis), to see; G. eidos, ap-
pearance (whence o-id), eidolo-n and idea, image;
histor, enquirer.
Der. : witness, visionary, advise and advice, idolater (latris,
servant), ideal, history.
Word = L. verbu-m ; G. rhetor, orator ; eiron, dissem-
bler (" who only says ").
Der. : verbage, rhetoric, irony.
Who, what ; L. qui-s, who ; qua-li-s, what like ;
quantu-S, how great ; quot, how many.
Work (O.E. weorc) = G. ergo-n (for wergo-n), organ on,
instrument.
Wreak, wring, wrong, irk (Norse), L. nrge-re, to press ;
VUlgUS, crowd. Probably both groups contain the same
root with the sense, to press.
Der. : wrought, wright, energy, liturgy (leitos, belonging to
the people), surgeon, organic, wretjh, wrinkle, wriggle,
divulge.
Yoke = L. jugu-m ^^ G. zygon ; L. jung-ere, to join ;
G. zeugma, a yoking ; cp. L. jus, right ; jurare, to
swear; judic-em, a judge ; judiciu-m, judgment; also
L. jus, broth ("mixture"), and G. zymo-S, yeast.
Der. : conjugate, jugular, syzygy, juncture, junto (Span.), jus-
tice, injury, judicial, prejudice, juice, zymotic.
DERIVATION.
321
Supplementary List of Root Words.
LATIN.
aequU-S, equal
alacer, prompt.
albuS, white.
al-ere, to feed.
altUS, high.
ama-re, to love.
amicU-S (F. ami), friend.
anima, soul.
animu-s, mind (cp. G.
anemo-s, wind),
aptu-s, fit.
adeptus, having obtained.
aqua (F eau), water,
arcus, a bow.
arde-re (ars), to burn.
argentum, silver.
argU-ere, make clear.
audi-re, to hear.
ob-edi-re, to obey.
ave-re, be intent.
avidus, greedy.
avi-S, bird.
bellum, war (cont. of duell-
um, from duo, two).
bibere, to drink,
bonus, good,
bene, well.
brevis==G.brachy-s, short.
caballu-S (L. cheval), a horse
caed-ere, to cut.
calc-em., lime.
CalCUlu-S, a pebble,
causa, cause.
cave-re (caut), to beware.
CaVU-S, hollow.
caelum, heaven.
cande-re, to shine. >
candidu-s, white.
22
carmen (F. charme), song,
form of words.
carn-em, flesh.
celer, swift.
cense-re, to judge,
centum = G. he-katon =
hund-red.
circu-s,= G. kyklos=iing
(O.E. bring).
claud-ere (ciaus, clos), to
shut.
COl-ere (cult), to cultivate.
coqu-ere (coct), to cook.
corona, crown.
corpus (corpor), body.
cre-sco, grow.
Crea-re, create (make grow),
cumulus, heap.
damnu-m, loss. ^
da-re (dat), = G. do-, give.
dec-em = G. deka = ten.
deCUS, honor, ornament.
dent em, G. odon-t=tooth.
dic-ere, to say.
dica-re, to assign.
dignu-S, worthy.
disc-ere, to leam.
dOCe-re, to teach.
duc-ere = (tow), to lead.
durU-S, hard.
ed-ere = eat.
es-ca, food.
ego = I.
em-ere, to buy.
fall ere (fals), to deceive,
fend-ere (fens), to dash,
ferru m, iron.
flig-ere (flict), strike.
322
THE HIGH SCHOOL KNGLISH WORD-BOOK.
fixu-S, fastened.
fllu m, a thread.
flect-ere (flex), to bend,
foliu-m (-foil), leaf.
foris, outside.
gelu, fi-ost, cp. chill.
ger-ere I'gest-), to carry,
glomus, (glomer), a ball,
grad-i (gress), to step.
gramen, grass.
gratu-S, pleasing.
gratia, favour, thanks.
greg-em, a flock.
habe-re (habit), to have
debe re, (debit), to owe.
("have from ").
hi-a-re, G. cha-, to gape.
horr-ere, to bristle or shud-
der.
horta-ri, to encoui-age.
humu-S, ground.
homo, man.
imita-ri, to imitate.
ire (it), to go.
COm.item, comjianion.
iter-(itiner), journey.
jace-re (jact), to throw,
jac-ere, to lie.
JOCU-S, a jest.
juva-re, to help,
juvenis = young.
lab-i (laps), to slip,
labor, work.
lac-ere (licit), entice.
latus (pai't), carried.
latllS (adj. for stlatus), wide.
lega-re, to send.
hbra, a balance.
ligare, to bind,
hgnum, wood.
limen, threshold.
litera (better littera), letter.
lOCU-S, place.
loqu-i (locut), talk.
lud-ere (lus), to play.
m.acies, leanness.
macer, lean,
mare, the sea.
mediu S = middle,
merc-em merchandise,
milit-em, soldier,
niille, thousand.
mine-re, to project.
minor, minimus, less,leasi
minu-ere, to diminish,
mitt-ere (miss), to send.
morde-re (mors), to bite.
mort-em, death (cp
murd-er).
move-re (mot), to move.
multu-S, many,
muta-re, to change.
navi-s=Gr. naus, a ship.
OCUlu-S = eye.
Optare, to desire.
optimus, best.
opus (oper), work.
Ordin-em (F. ordre), order.
origin-em, origin.
ori-ri, to rise.
orna-re, to deck.
Otium, ease.
ovum (cp. avi.s), egg.
OCto, G. Okto == eight.
part-em, part.
pecca-re, to sin.
pell-ere (puis), drive.
pend-ere, to pay.
pende re, to hang.
placa-re, to appease.
place re, to please.
plumbu-m (F. plong-er),lead.
prehend-ere (F. pris), to
DERIVATION.
323
pon-ere (posit, not pos-^), to
place.
probu-s, good.
proba-re, to prove.
prope (F. proch-), near.
quaer-ere (quest), to seek.
quatuor (quadr)=G. tetr-
= four.
quer-i, to complain.
quinque = five.
rabies (F. I'age), madness.
rad-ere (ras), scrape,
radius, a spoke.
rap-ere (F ravir), snatch,
hurry.
ride-re (ris), laugh.
rod-ere (ros-), gnaw; cp. rad-
ere.
roga-re, to ask.
rump-ere ( rupt ), burst,
break.
sacer, holy.
SanctU-S (F saint), holy.
SanU-S = sound.
SCribere, script, write.
sen-em, old man.
senti-re (sens), to feel,
septem =G. hepta =
seven.
sequ-i (secut, sue), to follow.
SOCi-US, a companion,
sex = G. hex = six.
Signu-m (siofillu-m), a seal.
Silva, awo. d
Situ-S, placed.
spec-ta-re = G. SKEP,
SKOP, loo^-
pro-
cp-
cp.
splende-re, shine,
sponde-re (spons), to
mise.
stingu-ere, (stinct), thrust ;
Stimulu-S, goad ; cp. G.
stigma, brand, our
stick,
string-ere (strict), bind
string.
Teg -ere (tect), cover,
tnatch.
tempus (tempor), time.
tempera-re, to mix.
tolera-re, to bear; cp. G.
talanton, weight, talent.
trah-ere (tract, trait), to
draw.
tre-S= G. trei-s = three,
tume-re, to swell.
uti (us-), to use.
Utili-S, useful.
uxor, wife.
vacca, cow.
vacuus and vanus, empty.
Vaca-re, be free,
vale-re, be strong; cp. well,
veh-ere (vex), carry.
via = way.
vesper, evening.
Vesti-S, garment.
vetus, old.
Vinc-ere (vict), to conquer
vitru-m, glass.
VOra-re. to devour, to eat.
vove-re (vot.), vow.
VUISU-S, torn.
VUlnuS (vulner), wound.
1 The ?>o« that seems to represent posit, as in depose, repose, comes from Fr. poser,
late Latin pausare, from Greels: pau-ein, to stop.
324
TIIK HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD BOOK.
GREEK.
akou-ein, to hear
bal-lein, (ble), to throw.
biblo-s, book.
bio-S, life.
chrono-s, time.
didak-to-s, taught.
dog-mat, opinion.
doxa, opinion, glory.
dyna-mis, force.
dynaste-S, one powerful.
gamo-S, mai-riage.
glOSSa, tongue.
gonia, angle.
graph-ein, to write.
gramma-t, letter.
haire-ein, to take,
helio-s, sun.
hiero-s, holy.
hora, season, hour.
idiOS, one's own, private.
kako-s, bad.
kaUStO-S, burnt.
kosmo-S, beautiful order,
world.
lab-ein (leps), to take.
litho-S, stone.
mikro-s, little.
mei-on, less.
mise-ein, to hate.
Onoma (onyma), name.
ortho-s, light.
osteo-n = L. ossi, bone.
OXy-S, sharp.
pau-ein, (pos), to cease.
petra, rock.
PHEN (phan), to show.
phile-ein, to love.
phot-, light.
poie-ein, to make,
prakto-s, done.
SOpho-S, wise.
Stell-ein, to send.
StenO-S, short.
tele-, afar,
theo-s, a god.
topO-S, a place.
typo-S, blow, mark, type.
APPENDIX.
COMPOUND WOEDS.*
1. Words should not be hyphened where separate words
will convey the signification just as well ; and separate simple
words should always be united when they are in common use,
and when the words themselves are accented as single words.
2. The number of words foi-merly hyphened, or written
as two words, which -elipe now generally written as one, is large
and constantly increasing ; as,
railroad (railway is preferred), steamboat, slaveholder, slaveowner,
wirepuller, footnote, prehistoric, quicklime, bystander, onlooker,
headquarters, masterpiece, horseplay, wellbeing, goodwill, downcast,
eavesdropper, noteworthy, byword, anything, anybody, everything,
everybody, roughhew, heartache, raindrop, teardrop, nowadays,
commonplace, candlelight, fireplace, foi-ever, forevermore.
Many people even go so far now as to write any one and evej-y one as
single words. But these are just as distinctly pronounced and accent-
ed as two words as any man and every man.
3. So, many words which are now frequently seen com-
pounded, or written as two woi'ds, may be found written as
one by Spenser, Shakespeare, Milton, or other old authors, and
should now be so written ; as,
wellnigh, erelong, bygone, alehouse, schoolboy, spellbound,
awestruck, downtrodden, selfsame.
4. Where a noun is used as an adjective, a useless compound
word should not be made ; as,
mountain top, Sunday school, supper table, slave trade, coffee trade,
minute hand, multiplication table, journeyman printer, peasant woman,
cabbage leaf, sister city, brother minister, apple tree, fellow student.
5. The following adjectives and nouns, as well as many
others, are sometimes needlessly compounded : —
common law, common sense, ill health, free will, grand jury,
Canadian Pacific Railway Co., North American Life Insurance Co.,
* The authors are in ebted for this chapter, dealing with a perplexing: subject, to
Marshall T. Bis^elow, of Boston, from whose work, "Mistakes in Writinjif English," it
is taken, with some additions and adaptations.
326 THK HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
New Westminster Directory, North Toronto Car Service, Map and
School Supply Association, Yonge Street Bakery, Canada Southern
R.K., Berlin Wool Shop, French Canadian.
Also phrases like the following : —
good bye, good morning, ever to be remembered (event), well laid out
(grounds), long looked for (return), inside out, imcalled for (remarks),
by and by, attorney at law, the pulling down, the carrying away, the
blotting out, never to be forgotten, out of the way, good for n' thing,
well to do, hand to mouth, recently published, crudely expressed,
cunningly contrived, etc.
Using hyphens between these words adds nothing to the
clearness of the expression.
6. The following rules are given for foregoing classes o!
words, in accordance with the foregoing general principles.
The Dictionaries are so inconsistent that they are not sat;
guides.
7. Military and civil titles like the following are hyphened: —
governor-general, lieutenant-governor, receiver-general, adjutant-
general, sergeant-major, aide-de-camp, commissary-general, (jueen-
mother, queen-dowager, Prince-Consort, attorney-general, major-
general, 4ieutenant-colonel, rear-admiral, vice-president, vice-chancellor,
etc. ; hut viceroy, vicegerent.
8. The following words expressing kindred are hyphened . —
father-in-law, son-in-law, etc., step-mother, step-daughter, etc.,
cousin-german, second-cousin, great-grandfather, great-grandson, etc.,
grand-uncle, great-aunt, mother-in-law, etc.
9. The following points of the compass should be written as
single words : —
northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest.
But the following are hyphened : —
north-northeast, west-southwest, etc.
10. Fractions like the following, when written out, should
not be hyphened : —
one half, two thirds, five eighths, ten thousandths.
Another class are hyphened as follows : —
one twenty-fifth, forty-nine fiftieths, ninety-nine hundredths,
thirteen ten-thousandths, etc.
Numbers like the following are also hyphened : —
twenty-live, forty-nine, tweuty-lifth, forty-second, etc.
COMPOUND WOKDS. 327
11. Compounds of half ov quarter (whether a fraction or
trom quarters) like the following are usually printed with a
hyphen : —
half-dollar, half-crown, half-barrel, half-way, half-past, half-witted,
half-yearly, half-price, quarter-barrel, quarter-day, quarter-face, quar-
ter-deck, etc.; 6m^ quartermaster.
12. The words fold, score, fenny and fence, united with
numbers of one syllable, are written as single words ; but with
numbers of more than one syllable they are h3'phened or
written as two words : —
twofold, tenfold, twenty-fold, hundred-fold, two hundred-fold ;
fourscore, twenty score, a hundred score ; halfpenny, twopenny
tenpenny, halfpence, foiirpence, tenpence, fifteen-penny, fifteen pence.
13. Ordinal numbers compounded with the word rate or
hand are usually written with a hyphen ; as,
first-rate, fifth-rate ; second-hand, fourth-hand, etc.
14. Numerals are compounded with words of various mean-
ing, which explain themselves : —
one-eyed, one-armed, two-handed, two-headed, three-legged, four-
story, four-footed, etc.
Numerals are also combined with a noun to form an adjec-
tive, as follows : —
two-foot rule, ten-mile run, one-horse chaise, twenty-feet pole, etc.
•15. Compound nouns ending with rtian or woman are
written as one word , as.
Englishman, workman, oysterman, goodman ; needlewoman.
Frenchwoman, marketwoman, etc.
16. Compounds ending with holder, monger are usually
written as one word ; as,
bondholder, stockholder, landholder, slaveholder ; boroughmonger,
cheesemonger, ironmonger.
17. Compounds ending with hoat, hook, drop, light, house,
room, side or yard ai*e made single words if the first part of
the compound is of only one syllable, but are joined by a
hyphen if it is of more than one, or written as two words ; as,
longboat, sailboat, canal-boat ; handbook, daybook, commonplace-
book ; dewdrop, raindrop, water-drop ; daylight, sunlight, candle-
light ; alehouse, boathouse, warehouse, greenhouse, meeting-house,
dwelling-house ; bedroom, greenroom, [also anteroom), dining-room,
dressing-room ; bedside, fireside, hillside, river-side, mountain-side ;
churchyard, farmyard, courtyard, timber-yard, marble-yard.
328 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK.
1 8. Compounds ending with work are usually written a8
single words, unless the combination is unusual : as,
groundwork, network, framework, needlework, brickwork, ironwork,
stonework ; but mason-work, carpenter- work.
19. Compounds octree, leaf and bush are frequently made;
but this seems unnecessary. Such words are always printed
separately in the Oxford Bibles.
20. Compounds ending with like are written as one word,
unless derived from a proper name, or unusual combinations,
when they take the hyphen ; as,
childlike, lifelike, womanlike, workmanlike, fishlike ; Argus-like,
Bedouin-like, business-like, miniature-like.
21. Compounds beginning with ei/e are written as one word;
as, eyelash, eyebrow, eyeglass, eyewitness.
22. Compounds bef^nning with school are written as one
word, except when made with a participle (school-bred, school-
teaching) ; as,
schoolboy, schoolmate, schoolfellow, schooldame, schoolhouse,
schoolmaster, schoolmistress.
But the following are better as separate words : —
school days, school district, school committee, school teacher, school
children, school board, etc.
23. The word fellow is frequently compounded with another
nonn, as /eUow-citizen, fellow-traveller, etc.; but there seems
to be no better reason for this than for compounding any of
the pairs of words given in paragraph 4, above.
24. Compounds of a noun in the pofisessive case with an-
other noun, and having a peculiar signification, are not infre-
quent ; as,
bird's-eye, king's-evil, crow's-nest, bear's-foot, Jew's-harp, etc.
But many like words have become consolidated ; as,
beeswax, ratsbane, townspeople, etc.
25. Compounds of a verbal noun ending in ing with a noun
or adjective are generally connected by the hyphen ; as,
printing-office, dining-table, composing-room ; good-looking, cloud-
compelling, church-going bell, etc.
In a few pages of Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors occur the
following compounds of this ftlass . —
COMPOUND WORDS. 329
"always wind-obeying deep," "well-dealing countrymen," "dark
working sorceress," "soul-killing witches," "fool-begged patience,'
" sap- consuming winter,"
26. Compounds of words expressing colour, like hrownish-
yellow or yellowish white, need not be written with a hyphen ;
but where a noun is written with an adjective expressing
colour, the hyphen should be used ; as,
lemon-yellow, iron-grey, iron-red, silver-grey, emerald-green ; also
red-hot.
27. The word self\s united with numerous words c" various
parts of speech, forming compounds which are self-explaining.
The hyphen is used in all words beginning with self, excepting
selfhood, selfsame, and selfish with its derivatives. Self is also
compounded with pronouns as a termination, and the compound
written as one word ; as, himself, myself itself, etc. Some
writers use oneself for one's self, and its use in this form is
increasing.
28. Many compound personal epithets are in constant use,
which are usually written with a hyphen and explain them
selves ; as,
light-haired, blue-eyed, sharp-nosed, broad-shoul-iered, long-legged.
29 Compounds of adverbs like aftove, ill, well, so, (but no'
of adverbs ending in ly), with a participle or participial adjec
tive, to form an epithet, may be written with a hyphen when
they precede the noun they qualify, but not otherwise ; as,
" the well-known author," "the so-called spelling reform," "this
ill-advised proceeding," " the above-named parties."
Compound adverbs should be written as single words ; as,
meanwhile, awhile, meantime, everywhere, anywhere, forever,
forevermore, moreover, howsoever, wheresoever, hereinbefore.
30. Compounds of all with an adjective or a participle are
very common, and are wi-itten with a hyphen ; as,
all-conscious, all-wise, all-knowing, all- commanding, all-seeing, all-
honoured, all-informing, all-mighty, hut Almighty.
31. Compounds made with prefixes are very perplexing as
to the use of the hyphen, and are given in the Dictionaries and
used by authors both with and without it. Those made from
prepositions or adverbs, like over, under, after, out, cross or
counter, with words of one syllable, are generally made one
word, and sometimes with words of more than one syllable.
330 TUE HIGU SCliOOIi ENGLISH VVOKD-BOOK.
But the practice is so variable, and the difference of the
Dictionaries so great, that the matter must be left to the taste
and discretion of the writer. All words should be consolidat-
ed that it is possible to consolidate.
Many of these compounds given in the Dictionaries, however,
would be much better written as separate words, as they have
two main accents ; as,
upper lip, over anxious, over cunning, over burdensome, after age,
after part, cross section, cross reference, counter revolution, counter
influence.
32. Compounds made from prefixes like demi, semi, non,
sub, inter, intro, intra, extra, etc., or like deutero, electro,
pseudo, sulpho, thermo, etc., are often made and written as
single words, although usage is unsettled.
33. Where the prefix co-, re- or pre- occurs before a word
which begins with the vowel of the prefix, or where before a
consonant the prefix makes a word similar in form with an-
other of different signification, a hyphen should be used after
the prefix ; as,
co-operate, co-ordinate, pre-exist, pre-eminent, re-examine, re-crea-
tion, re-collect, re-formation.
34. It is not claimed that the foregoing rules are perfect,
and usage is so variant that it cannot be expected they will be
univei-sally adopted, as the matter is dependent on taste as well
as custom. But the main principle is to use the hyphen
only where it will help the reader to understand the writer's
meaning.
The authoi*s append a selection of hyphened words, according
to recent English usage, which they have come across in their
reading, in addition to those already cited. Whether words
should be compounded, hyphened, or written separately, has
been so often left to the conflicting practice of printers, and is
at all times so puzzling a question, that the addition of the
list may not therefore be unacceptable.
Austro-Hungary, Anglo-Turkish, anti-social, anti-clerical,
awe-insj)iring, art-critic, after-glow, apple-blossom, agreed-on
(dimensions), all-embracing, broad-based, burial-places, by-pro-
duct, ball-room, black-letter, battle-field, beacon-fires, basket-
chair, book-making, by-the-way, by-the-bye, by-and-by, brain-
COMPOUND WORDS. 331
weight, beer-shop, blue-stocking, cool-headed, common-sense
(plan), character-sketching, clear-cut, cock-sure, co-operator,
close-shaven, crude! y-expi-essed, chalk-drawing, child-criminals,
cannon-ball, close-titting, cock-eyed, dark-green, deep- blue,
dark blue, day-dream, day-time, distinguished-looking, dining-
hall, dance-music, death-bed, dead-lock, dead-weight, dew-drop,
dog's-eax-ed, double-dealing, double-faced, down-trod, drift-wood,
dumb-waiter, dwelling-{)lace, day-school, dust-bin, eau-de-Co-
logne, ebb-tide, egg-shaped, elbow-room, eye-glass, English-
built, empty-headed, exquisitely-modulated, ever-changing, ever-
increasing, ever-growing, evil-speaking, four-footed, four-storied,
fellow-men, flame-coloured, finely-drawn, folk-lore, foul-mouthed,
frock-coated, far-off, field-sports, fellow-subjects, fellow-citizen,
fever-areas, farm-buildings, far-reaching, feather-brained, first-
class, fair-minded, fan-light, flower-bed, faint-hearted, fair-
haired, fair-spoken, free-sj^oken, fashion-monger, field-day, field-
glass, field-officer, fii-e-engine, fire-proof, fine-spun, fine-drawn,
flesh-tints, fool's-errand, free-hearted, gas fittings, gold-mounte-l,
ofood-night, good-humour, goody-goody, garden-scene, golden -
mouthed, gentle-hearted, good-will, God-speed, go-between, the
go-by, go-cart, good-natured, good-tempered, good-breeding,
great-hearted, ground-swell, lialf-breed, half-holiday, half-pay,
half dead, hand-glass, hand-bell, haggard-looking, half-closed,
hard-di-inking, hot-headed, high-spirited, high-born, home-made,
hiding-place, high-minded, highly- wrought, half- weird, half-con-
scious, hand-mirror, half-believing, half-century, half- forgotten,
highly-finished, Hartington-Salisbury (coalition), half-burned.
Home-rule, high-sounding, hair-trigger (temper !), hard-visaged,
harvest-home, heart-burning, heart-rending, heart^sore, heart-
melting, heart-sickening, hanger-on, head-dress, head-gear, heir-
apparent, hero-worship, high-flavoured, high-mettled, horse-
jockey, hydra-headed, ice-cream, ice-house, ill-tempered, ill-bred,
ill-favoured, India-rubber, iron-bound, ill-will, Indo-China, ill-
disposed, ill-gotten, ivy-covered (ruins), iron-grey, ivory-headed,
ill-guidance, ill-starreJ, ill-considered, jaw-breaker, joint-stock,
job-lot, job-printer, judgment-day, kind-hearted, knee-deep,
kirk-session, kitchen-maid, knight-errant, lunch-time, large-
hearted, long-lived, long-loved, look-out, life-buoy, lady-love,
long-forgotten, Liberal-Conservative, long-protracted, long-suf-
fering, life-size, life-like, last-named, long-continued, law-mak-
ers, low-bred, money-making, much noted, master-hand, merry-
making, middle-class, make-believe, meeting-place, matter-of-
332 THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH WORD-BOOK
fact, magic-lantern, make-shift, maiden-like, maid-servanti
manor-house, maple-sugar, market-gardener, master-mind, mean-
spirited, me lium-sized, mid- winter, middle-aged, many-sided,
modern-looking, mill-dam, mocking-bird, mole-hill, moss-grown,
mother-of-pearl, moving- power, musk-melon, narrow-minded,
neat-handed, near-sighted, news-room, night-cap, non-payment,
non-contagious, non-submissive, noble-hearted, nobly-born,
newly-met never-failing, nineteenth-century (poet), non-useful,
nice-looking, nesting-places, nature-worship, night-lights, novel-
reading (public), note-book, off-hand, old-fashioned, oil-well,
oj)en-handed, open-mouthed, over-tired, on-goings, orange-peel,
oyster-shell, over-zealous, out-put, out-of-door, over-elaborate,
old-time, open-air, pen-and-ink, peace-offering, pi-ess-gang, pass-
degree, poet-painter, pleasure-seeking, paper-knife, pinched-
faced, peasant-life, pro-Russian, j)oet-]aureate, panic-stricken,
quick-witted, quai-ter-day, r«,in-beaten, reading-book, railway-
carriage, rain-cloud, rock-bound (coast), rhyme-sounds, rough-
cast, race-horse, rack-rented, rail-fence, reading-desk, rear-
rank, receipt-book, red-haired, resting-place, return-ticket, re-
turning-officer, riff-raff, nng-finger, right-minded, river-bed,
oad-maker, rolling-stock, root^crop, rose-coloured, round-
shouldered. Sabbath -breaker, sailing-master, safety-lamp, saddle-
horse, salt-cellar, sand-bank, sash-frame, sauce-pan, scale-boai'd,
scrap-book, screw-driver, sea-i;i"een, sea-level, sea-sickness, seal-
ing-wax, search-warrant, seed-time, self-command, self-abase-
ment, self-conceit, self-evident, self-sacrificing, self-love, self-
assertive, self-questioning, self-condemning, self-respecting, self-
defence, self-educated, self-importance, self-righteous, self-sup-
porting, self-government, self-elected, self-constituted, self-
willed, state-directed, simple-minded, sight-seeing, semi-detached,
sea-fight, sweet-scented, sub-title, still-born, sonnet- writter, set-
off, sense-organs, safety-valve, sky-line, signal-rocket, sixth-
form (boy); semi-moral, short-service (system), stable-boy,
stone-woi'k, such-and such, so-and-so, steel-grey (dress), sou^-
piercing, soul-sustaining, so-called, sweetly-scented, soft-spoken,
semi-starvation, thorough-going, turning-point, title-page, tor-
toise-shell, tide-swayed, twin-born, trade-unions, transformation-
scene, toilet-table, tulip-tree, typhoid-fever, tenant-right, un-
looked-for, undreamed-of, vantage-ground, washing-day, wooden-
shoed, water-colour, watei'-melon, well-dressed, worn-out, well-
known, well-nigh, white-cowhid (monks), well-deserved, work-
a-day, world-wide, water-sprite, war-whoop, walking-stick,
COMPOUND WORDS. 333
would-be, wage-earner, wide-spread, well-trained (intellect),
wrong-doing, wind-swayed, wife-beating, war-drum, well-to-do,
word -picture, wall-paper, watei'-colours, weak-hearted, wax-
modelling, weather-beaten, wedding-ring, wedding-cake, well-
favoured, well-intentioned, whip-hand, wine-merchant, window-
blind, wishy-washy, work-box, wood-engraving, worldly-minded,
yeai-book, yellow-haired.
Supply the hyphen when needed in the following sentences ;
The shrill-sounding bugle had scarcely awaked us when we
heard the far distant cannon loud booming through the cold
grey dawn ; and not far distant from us we were soon able to
distinguish the misty forms of the Russian skirmishers in their
ash grey coats.
We had become so absorbed in his slow striking sentences
that we were astonished when the slow striking clock pealed
forth twelve.
Old school ideas ai'e not more taught in old school houses
than in new ones.
He is a stone mason, but not a master mason.
The sextons in '• Hamlet" were grave diggers, but not grave
diggers.
INDEX TO SYNONYMS.
A. Page.
abandon, -ed, -ing .* 95
abase, -nient 95
abash, -ed 96
abate, -nieiit 96
abbreviate 96
abdicate 96
abduct, -ion 97
aberration, -ant 97
abet, -tor 98
abeyance 98
abhor, -reiice 98, 187
ability, -ties 98, 187
abject 99
abjure 99
abnegate, -tion 99
abnormal 97, 99
abode 185
abolish, -ition 100
abominate, -able, -atioii 98, 100
abortive 100
abridge, -inent 96, 100
abrogate 100, 101
absolute, -ly 240
abstain, -ing 101
abstinence 101
abstemious, -ness 101
abstract 100
abuse 108
accede 103
accessory 9S
'accident 132
accomplice . 98
accomplish, -ment 101, 179
achieve, -ment 103
accord 103
accordant 140
accordingly 140
account, -able 101 , 102
accurate 102
accuse, -ation 102
accute 212
acknowledge 248
acquiesce 103, 1 14
active 154
adage 116
addict, -ed 104
address 1 03
adduce, -ed 104
adjacent 106
adjoin, -ing 106
administer, -ed 104, 105
admirable 105
adopt, -ed 105
adroit 105
adulation 175
Page.
advanced 104
advantage, -ous lOii
adverse . 106, 250
affable, -ability 107
affinity 213
affluence '. . 107
affront 107
age 145
agnostic, -isui ] 08
aggrandize, -ment 108
aggravate 166
agree 103
agreeable 139
ailment 166
aim 266
alien, -^te, -ation 109
alike 218
all 164
alleged 104
allegory 109
allude, -sion 109
always 164
amenable 157
amend 110
among 123
ample . . . 110
anecdote Ill
animate, -ation 110
annals.. .. Ill
annotation 229
answer Ill
antipathy 187
anxiety 131
apathy, -thetic 198
aphorism 116
apology 112
apothegm 116
apparent 112
appellation 226
apply 104
apprehend, -sion 112
approbation 114
approve 114
apt, -ness 248
ardent 279
arduous 113
arraign 102
art, arts 219, 244
artifice 270
ascendency 200
ascribe 113
asperse, -sion 113, 129
assemble 142
assent 114
assert, -tion 114, 221
INDEX TO SYNONYMS.
335
Pagk.
assiduous
assign, -ed 104,
assume
assurance
atrocious
attention I'S,
attribute
austere, -ity
author
authority
averse, -sion 115, 187,
avocation
awaken
axiom
backward .
balance
banish, -ment
base
beat, -en
because
becoming
beg, -8
begin, -ning liO,
beguile.
behaviour
belief
belles lettres 217,
beneficent
benevolence
benignity
bent
beseech
besides 122^
bestow
better
between
betwixt
beyond
bias
blame, -ing
bland .
blunder
bodily
bold, -ness
border, -s
bound, -ed, -ary
bountiful 121,
brace
bravery
breeding .
burlesque 12G,
business
bye-word
154
113
106
2;4
1«S
224
-113
115
279
200
250
115
167
116
115
116
117
117
118
118
140
111)
119
234
147
120
121
219
121
122
122
122
119
123
180
110
123
123
123
122
124
179
164
143
124
125
125
126
126
125
160
236
244
116
cabal .. 127
calamity, -ies 127
calculate 128
calibre 128
calm 129
calumniate, -or 113, 114
calumny 129
Pagk.
can, cannot 222
candid 13i;
candour 130
capacious .... 110
capacity 98
captious 130
care 131, 188
carelessness 199
case 166
carriage 121
carrying ■. 121
cause 131
cautious 131
celebrate 132
censure 124
chagrin 274
chance 132, 185
changeable 132
character 133, 156
characterize 150
charge 102, 131
charming 149
cheer 110
cheerful 180
chief 187
choice 134, 233
choose, -ing 134
chronic 212
chronicles Ill
circulate 262
circumspect 131
circumstance 134
cite, -ed 134, 246
civil 107, 253
civilization 144
claim 135
clamour 229
clandestine, -ly 135
clear 112
clearness 238
close, -ed 135
coherence 196
coincide 103
collected 129
colloquy 142
combination 127
comely . 119
comical 157
commence, -ment 120
commerce 206
commercial 136
commemorated 132
commendable 215
comment 229
commentary 229
common, -ly 136, 178
commonplace 136
communication 206
communion 206
comparison 269
compatible 141
compendium 100
compensation 136
competent 246
competition 137
336
INDKX TO SYNONYMS.
Paok.
complaisance, -t 107, 137
complaint 15(i
complete 101
completion 141 , 1(52
compliment 17o
comply 103
compose, -ed 12;), 177
comprehend 272
compute, -tation 128
co'iception 172
conceive 112
concern . 131
concert 141
conciliate, -or, -ing 138
conclude, -sive 135, 139, 147
concur, -reiice 103, 114
condemTi 124, 252
condescension 107, 137
condone 168
conduce, -ive 138
conduct 121
confer ' 180
conference 142
confined 226
confines 125
confirm, -ed 139
conformable ] 39
confound, -ed 96, 116
confused 96
confute, -ed 139
conjuncture 143
connection 206
consanguinity 213
consequence 160, 226
consequently 140, 226
consent 103, 114
consider, -ate, -ation 140, 193, 267
consistent 140
consonate 140
conspiracy 127
constitute 177
constitution 177
consummate, -ation 141
contemplation 140
contend 146
contiguous 106
contract, -ed. 96, 226
contrary 106
contribute 104, 138
contrive l4l
contumacious, -acy 231
convene 142
conversation 142
convoke 142
copy 166
cordial 188
corporal, -eal 142
corroborate 139
count 128
couple 126
court 189
courteous, -y 107
craving 120
created 131
credit 121, 133
Pagb.
crime 143
crisis 143
criterion 262
cross 130
cross-grained 130
cry . 229
cultivation 144
culture 144
curtail 96
custom 144
damage 191
danger 145
date 145
dealing 206
debar, -ring 146
debased 95
debate 146
deceive, -ed, -ing 146
decent 119
deception 147
decide 147
decisive 138
declamation 103
decree 147
decrease 96
decry 148
deed 103
defamation 113, 129
defeat 117, 118
defect 194
defence 112
defer 148
deference 137
degraded 95
delay 148
deliberate, -tion 146, 267
delicate 148
delicious 149
delightful, -ed 149, 180
delude 147
delusion 147, 174
demand 135
demeanour 121
demur 150
denunciation 226
depict 150, 236
deportment 121
depraved 95
depreciate 148
deprive 146
derision 253
describe 150
description 102, 150
desert, -ed 95, 223
design 1 51
designation 226
desire, -able 119, 161
desolate, -tion 247
deter, -red, -mine 147, 151
detest, -able 98, 100
detract, -ion 113, 129, 148
devastation 247
develop, -ed, -ment 151
INDEX TO SYNONYMS.
337
Pa0b.
devise 141
devoted 104
dialect 214
dialogfue 142
diction 152
dictionary 162
difference 152
difficult, -y 113, 158, 231
diffidence 153, 224
diffuse, -ness 153
diligent, -ce 154, 255
diminish 96
direction : 184
directly 154
disaster 127
disbelief 154
discernment 155
disconcert 116
discourse 142
discretion 155, 210
discriminate, -tion 155, 156
discursive 153
discuss 146
disease 155
dishearten 151
dislike 187
disorder 156
disparage 148
disposition 156
disproved 139
dispute 146
disqualify 146
disseminate 262
dissimulate 174
dissoluteness 220
distinction 153
distinguish, -ed 156, 157
distrust 153
ddsturb, -ance 270
docile 157
domicile 185
doubtful 271
dread 112
drift 195, 266
droU 157
dull 2C4
duty 158
B.
each 165
ease 158
eccentric 159
economy 159
economical 159
education 159
effect, -ual, -ive 160
efficient, -cacious 161
effort, -8 128, 158
eligible 161
elocution 161
eloquence 161
elucidate, -tion 168, 169
emend 110
emergency 143
emolument 179
33
Paob.
emotion 174
emphasis 263
emulation 137
encyclopijediii 152
endurance 162
enigma 109
enliven 110
enmity 187
enthusiast, -iasm 162
entire 162
entitled 246
entreat 119, 241
enumerate 128
envy, -ious 163, 208
epitome 100
epoch 145
equity, -able 171, 211
equivocate, -cal 163
era 145
erect 204
erratic 97
error 164
erudition 213
essay 164
essence 227
essential 227
establish, -ed 139, 204
estimate 128
estrange 109
events 185
ever, every 164
evidence, -t 112, 165
exact 102
examination 165
example 166
exasperate, -ed 166
exceed 167
excel 167
excepted 231
exception, -al 97, 231
excite 167
exclude 146
exculpation 112
excuse 112, 168
execrable 100
exemption 194
exhilarate 110
exigency 143
exile 117
expedient, -ce 168, 227
expel 118
explain, -planatory 168
explicit 169
exploit 103
exploration 166
exposed 264
express 169
expressive, -ion 259, 278
expulsion Ii7
P.
fable 169
facetious, -ness 170
facility , 158
fact 134
338
INDEX TO SYNONYMS.
Pagr.
faction 127
factious 170
faculty, -ties 171
fair..; 171
faithless, -ness 171
fame 172, 181
fanatic 162
fancy 172
fashion 144
fate 132, 147
fatigue 173
fault 194
fealty 189
fear 112
fearlessness 125
feasible 173
feeling 174
feign, -ing 174
fertile 175
fervour 278
fickle 132
fine 149
fine arts 244
finish,-ing 135,175
fit : 119
flagitious 188
flagrant 188
flat 204
flattery, -ing 175
flavour 265
fleeting 265
flight 265
flightiness 217
flourish 176
fluctuate 150
foil 117
folded 151
foolish 209
forbear, -ing 101
forecast 176
foresight 176
forgive, -en 168
forsake 95
form 176
fortitude 125, 162
fortune, -ate 132, 186
found, -ed, -ing 204
frame 177
frankness 130
fraud 178
freedom 194
frequently 178
fretful 130
frontiers 125
fruitless, -ful. . .■. 175, 274
frustrate 116
fulfil, -led 101, 178
G
gain 174
garb .. .189
garrulity 264
general -ly _ . 179, 274
generation 145
genius 205
Pagk.
gentle 179
gibe 210
giddiness 217
give 180
glad 180
glory 181
glossary 152
good-breeding 222
good-manners 252
goodness 223
govern, -ing 181
graceful 119
gracious 182
grant 180
gratify, -ed, -ing, -ification 180, 182
grave . 183
grievance 183
grudge 183
guide 184
guile 177
guilt 143
guise 184
H.
habit 144, 184
habitation 185
happen, -s, -ing 185
happy, -iness 186, 278
harangue 103
hard 113
hardship 183
harm 191
haste, -n, -y 186
hatred 186
hazard 145
head 187
headstrong 232
hearty, -iness 188
heed, -ful 188, 224
heinous 188
hesitate, -ion 150, 254
hidden 135, 215
hint 109
hold 189, 221
homage 189
honesty 190
honour 181
hostile 107
however 190
humanity 122
humbled 95
humiliated 95
humour 182
hurry 186
hurt 191
I.
idle 192
idiom 214
ignorant, -ce 192
illiterate 102
illness 257
ill-timed 268
ill-usage 269
ill-will 187
INDEX TO SYNONYMS.
339
Page.
Uustrate, -tion 168
illustrious 157
magination 172
mmaterial 193
mmediately 154
mminent 193
mtnunity 193
mpeach . 102
ni pending 193
mperfection 194
mpious, -iety 209
mplacable 195
mplored 120
mply , -led 258
mport 195
mportunity 260
mpose 147
mpugned 1 39
mpute 113
nadvertence, -cy 12C, 235
nattention 190
nbred 202
nborn 202
incident 134
ncite 167
nclination Ii2
ncoherent, -ce 190
ncongrous 196
nconsiderable 272
nconsistent, -cy 196
nconstant 196
neon vertible 1 97
incredulity 155
ndebted 197
indifference 198
ndiscriminate, -Iv 244
ndisposition 198, 258
ndisputable 197
ndolent, -ce 192, 199
ndubitable 197, 199
ndulge 182
ndustrious 154
neffectual 273
nexorable 195
nlamous, -y 200
nferior 254
nfidelity 155
nfluence 200
nfraction 201
nf rlnge, -ed, -ment . . 201
ngenious, -ly 201
ngenuous, -ness 130 201
ngratiate, -ing 203
nherent 202
nimical 107
Iniquitous 278
njury.. 191, 203
njustice 203
nquiry 165
insensibility 195
nsigniflcant 272
insipid 204
insinuate, -ing 203
nspire, -ation 110
nstaiice, -tly 154, 166
Page.
instantaneously 154
institute, -ed, -ing 204
insult 108
integrity 190
intellect, -ual 203, 223
intelligence 205, 228
intend 151
intercede, -ces=ion 205
Intercourse 206
interfere 200
intermeddle 206
intermediate 123
Interposition 205, 207
interpretation 224
intervene, -tion 123, 207
intrepidity 125
introductory 207
intrude, -sion 207
invective 208
invent 141
investigation 165
inverted 235
invidious 208
irrational . . 209
irrelevant 193
irrefragable 197, 199
irreligious, -ion 209
irritate 166
J.
jealous, -y 163, 209
jeer 210
jeopardj' d.i5
jocose, jopiihr 170
jocund 220
joyful 180
judgment 155, 210
jjstifieation 112
just 119
justice 211
juvenile 278
K.
j^^gQ _ 212 ■
Ifind, -ness 122, 182, 212
kindred 212
knowledge 213
L.
laborious 154
lack 213
lag 218
language 214
languor 173
latent 215
lassitude 173
laudable 215
law 147, 215, 222
lawful 215
lax, -ity 220
lay, laid 216
lazy 192
leader 187
learning, -ed 213, 217, 219
leave 216
340
INDEX TO SYNONYMS.
Page.
legal 215
legitimate 215
lessen 96
letters 217
levity 217
lexicon 152
liable . . . . ; 264
libel 129
liberality 121
liberty 216
licence 216
licentiousness 220
lie, lies 216
lightness 217
likeness 218
linger 218
listless, -ness 198, 218
literary' 217
literature 217, 219
livelihood 219
lively, -ness 220
living 219
loath, lo ithe, -ing 08, 115, 187
loiter 218
loose, -ness 220
loquacity 264
low 99
lucky 186
lucre 179
ludicrous 157
M.
maintain, -ed 114, 221
maintenance 219
makeshift 168
malady 156
malevolent, -ce 221
malice 187, 221
malicious 221
malignity, -nant 187, 221
manage 141
manifest 112
manner, -s 144, 221, 275
material 143
maxim 116, 222
may 222
mean 99, li8, 136, 151
meaning 1 95
mediate 206
meditate 1 76
meekness 179
memoirs Ill
memorable 258
menaced 267
mend LIO
mental 223
mercantile 136
mercenary 274
merciful 182
merit 223
merry 220
metaphor 109
method 144, 275
methodical 234
mild 179
Page.
mind 2'.-3
mindful 223
mischance 127
misconduct 1 4:^
misconstrue 224
misdemeanour 1 43
misfortune .27
misgiving 153
mishap 127
misinterpret 224
mislead 147
mistake 104
mistrust 1 63
mode 275
model 166
moderation 224
modesty 224
moral 222
mortification 274
motive 131
munificence, -ent 12 1
mutable 132
mutinous 271
mutual, -ly 225
N.
name 226
narrative 102
narrow 226
naturally 22(5
necessary 227
necessity 227
need 213
nefarious 278
neglecting 227
negligent 227
negotiate 269
neighbourhood 228
news 228
nice 149
noise, -y 228
note 229
notice 229
novel 169
O.
obedient, -ce 230
object, -s, -ion 230
obligation 158
obnoxious 264
obsequious 230
observe, -ed 230
observant, -tion 224, 229
obstinate, -cy 231
obvious 112
odd 159
offence 143
often 178
omen 233
opposite 107
option, -al 233
opulence 137
oral 233
oration, oratory 103, 161
order, -ly 234
INDEX TO SYNONYMS.
341
Paqb.
ordinary 136
origin 234
outcry 229
outdo 167
outrage 108
outwit 167
overpowered 118
oversight 235
overthrow, -n 118, 235
overturn, -ed 235
P.
paint 236
pair 126
parable 109
paragraph 239
pardon, -ed 168
parody 236
partake 236
participate 236
particular, -ize 261
patience 162, 237
pattern 166
pause 150
peaceful 130
peevish 130
penetration 155
penman 278
perceptive, -tion 237
peremptory, -ilv 240
perfect " 163
perform 101
peril 145
period 145, 239
perplex, -ed 238
perspicuous, -ly 238
petulant 130
phrase, -ology 152, 239
placid 130
plain 112
plea 112
plot 127
polite i07
posed 238
positive, -ly 239
possible 240
postpone 148
practice, -able 145, 240
prayer 241
precedent, -ce 166, 242
precinct 125
precise 102
preclude 146
preeminence 242
preface 241
preferable, -ence 134, 161, 233
prelude 241
prerogative 135
presage 233
prescription 145
prepossession 123
pretence, -sion 135, 242
pretext 242
prevaricate 163
priority 242
Paoe.
privacy 243
privilege 135
proceeding 242
procession 268
proclamation 147
procrastinate 148
production 128
profession 244
profligate 95
prognostic 233
prohibit 146
prolix, -ity 154
prolong 148
prominent 157
promiscuous, -ly 244
prompt 247
proof 165
propagate 262
proper 119
proportion 247
propose 245
proposition 239
prosecute 245
prosperity 278
protract 148
proverb 116
puerile 278
purpose 151, 245
pursue 245
puzzled 238
qualify, -ification 245
quibbling 163
quiet 129, 158
quote, -ed 134, 246
R.
rare 247
rate, ratio 247
rational 248
ravage 247
ready, -iness 248
realize 101
reason, -able 131, 248
recant '. 99
recapitulate 251
recite 251
reckoning 128
reciprocal 225
recognize 248
recompense 137
reconcile, -ing 133
recover 249
rectify no
rectitude 249
redress 2.50
refer, -ence 109
refinement 144.
reform no
refrain, -ing loi
refute, -ed 139
regain 249
regard 223
342
INDEX TO SYNONYMS.
Page.
regrular 234
rehearse 251
rejoinder Ill
relieve 10(i
relinquish 95
reluctant 115, 250
remainder 117, 251
remark, -ed 229
remiss 227
remnant 251
remuneration 137
renounce 99
repair 249
repartee 252
repeat, repetition 251
repeal 100
represent 150
reproach 124
reprobate 95, 252
reprove, -ing 124
repudiate 99
reputation 133
request 241
requisite 227
requital 137
research 165
resignation 237
residue 251
response Ill
retentive 266
retinue 268
retirement , 243
retort 252
retract 99
retrieve 249
retrospect 253
reversed 235
review 253
reviling 129
riddle 109
ridicule, -ous 157, 253
right 119, 135
rigour 115
rise 234
rivalry 137
romantic 257
routed 118
rule 234
rural 253
rustic 253
S.
satisfaction 137
scarce 247
scope 266
scribe 278
scruple 254
seasonable 267
seclusion 243
secondary 255
secret 135
secular 278
seditious 271
sedulous, -ity 255
seemly 119
Page.
select 134
selection 233
self-conceit 255
self-sufficient 256
self-willed 255
sensible 256
sensitive 256
sentence 239
sentient 256
sentimental 256
sequence 257
serene 129
series 257
severe, -ity 115
shall, should 257
share 236
shuffling 163
sickness 257
signal 258
signify, -icant 258
simile, itude 269
sin 143
sincere 130
singular 247
situation 134
slander, -er 114, 129
social, -iable 260
solicit, -ation 120, 259
solicitude 131
spacious 11c
special 261
specify 261
speech 103
spontaneous, -ly 261
spread 262
standard 262
sternness lis
strain 263
strange, -er 109
stratagem 270
stress 263
strictness 115
stubborn, -ness 232
subject 230, 264
submission, -i ve 230
subordinate . . . . ' 255
substance 143
subterfuge 270
subvert, -ing 235
succession 257
suffrage 275
suggest, -ion 109
suitable 139
summary 100
summon, -ing 134
superintendence 235
supplicate, -ion 120
suppress 100
suspense 271
synopsis 100
T.
talk, -ative 264
taste 264
tautology 252
INDEX TO SYNONYMS.
343
Pagk.
temper 156
temperance 101
temporal 278
temporizer 268
temporary 265
tenacious 266
tend, -s 138, 165
tendency 266
tenderness 122
term 278
test 263
testimony 165
therefore 140
thougrhtful 267
threat, -ened 267
tidings 228
time, timely 146, 267
time-server, -intr 268
title 226
trade 244
train 268
transact, -ed, -Ion 243, 269
transitory 265
treatment 269
trick 2o9
troubles 270
trust 121
tumultuous 270
turbulent 271
U.
ultimate 139
uncertainty 27 1
understand, -ing 271
undauntediiess 125
unimpo. cant 272
unique 247
universal 136, 272
unseasonable 268
untimely 268
upbraid 124
uprightness 249
ilrbane 253
usage 145, 269
V, PAa*.
vain 273
variable 132
venal 274
verbal 233
versatile •. . . 132
vexation 274
vicinity 228
vigilant 131
vile 118
vilify, -fication 129
vindicate 114
visible 112
visitation 127
vocal 233
vocation 115
voice 275
voluntary 261
vote 275
vulgar 136
W.
wary, -iness 131
watchfulness 131
waver 254
way 275
wealth 107
wearisome 276
welfare 276
wellbeing 276
wicked 276
will 277
willingness 261
whole 165
word 277
worldly 278
writer 278
Y.
youthful 279
Z.
zeal 279
THB CWPP, CLARK COMPANY, LIMITKO, PlllNTERS, COLBORNK STUKKT, TORONTO.
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