English Synonyms and Antonyms — Abandon to Abridgment

Synonyms: abdicate, desert, leave, resign, abjure, discontinue, quit, retire from, cast off, forego, recant, retract, cease, forsake, relinquish, surrender, cede, forswear, renounce, vacate, depart from, give up, repudiate, withdraw from.

_Abandon_ is a word of wide signification, applying to persons or things of any kind; _abdicate_ and _resign_ apply to office, authority, or power; _cede_ to territorial possessions; _surrender_ especially to military force, and more generally to any demand, claim, passion, etc. _Quit_ carries an idea of suddenness or abruptness not necessarily implied in _abandon_, and may not have the same suggestion of finality.

The king _abdicates_ his throne, _cedes_ his territory, _deserts_ his followers, _renounces_ his religion, _relinquishes_ his titles, _abandons_ his designs.

A cowardly officer _deserts_ his ship; the helpless passengers _abandon_ it.

We _quit_ business, _give up_ property, _resign_ office, _abandon_ a habit or a trust.

_Relinquish_ commonly implies reluctance; the fainting hand _relinquishes_ its grasp;

the creditor _relinquishes_ his claim.

_Abandon_ implies previous association with responsibility for or control of; _forsake_ implies previous association with inclination or attachment, real or assumed; a man may _abandon_ or _forsake_ house or friends; he _abandons_ an enterprise; _forsakes_ God.

_Abandon_ is applied to both good and evil action; a thief _abandons_ his designs, a man his principles.

_Forsake_, like _abandon_, may be used either in the favorable or unfavorable sense; _desert_ is always unfavorable, involving a breach of duty, except when used of mere localities; as, "the Deserted Village."

While a monarch _abdicates_, a president or other elected or appointed officer _resigns_.

It was held that James II.

_abdicated_ his throne by _deserting_ it.

Antonyms: adopt, defend, occupy, seek, advocate, favor, prosecute, support, assert, haunt, protect, undertake, cherish, hold, pursue, uphold, claim, keep, retain, vindicate.

court, maintain, * * * * * ABASE.

Synonyms: bring low, depress, dishonor, lower, cast down, discredit, humble, reduce, debase, disgrace, humiliate, sink.

degrade, _Abase_ refers only to outward conditions.

"Exalt him that is low, and _abase_ him that is high."

_Ezek.

_ xxi, 26. _Debase_ applies to quality or character.

The coinage is _debased_ by excess of alloy, the man by vice.

_Humble_ in present use refers chiefly to feeling of heart;

_humiliate_ to outward conditions; even when one is said to _humble_ himself, he either has or affects to have humility of heart.

To _disgrace_ may be to bring or inflict odium upon others, but the word is chiefly and increasingly applied to such moral odium as one by his own acts brings upon himself; the noun _disgrace_ retains more of the passive sense than the verb; he _disgraced_ himself by his conduct; he brought _disgrace_ upon his family.

To _dishonor_ a person is to deprive him of honor that should or might be given.

To _discredit_ one is to injure his reputation, as for veracity or solvency.

A sense of unworthiness _humbles_; a shameful insult _humiliates_; imprisonment for crime _disgraces_.

_Degrade_ may refer to either station or character.

An officer is _degraded_ by being _reduced_ to the ranks, _disgraced_ by cowardice; vile practises _degrade_; drunkenness is a _degrading_ vice.

Misfortune or injustice may _abase_ the good; nothing but their own ill-doing can _debase_ or _disgrace_ them.

Antonyms: advance, elevate, honor, raise, aggrandize, exalt, promote, uplift.

dignify, * * * * * ABASH.

Synonyms: bewilder, daunt, embarrass, mortify, chagrin, discompose, humble, overawe, confound, disconcert, humiliate, shame.

confuse, dishearten, Any sense of inferiority _abashes_, with or without the sense of wrong.

The poor are _abashed_ at the splendor of wealth, the ignorant at the learning of the wise.

"I might have been _abashed_ by their authority."

GLADSTONE _Homeric Synchron.

_, p. 72. [H.

'76. ] To _confuse_ is to bring into a state of mental bewilderment; to _confound_ is to overwhelm the mental faculties; to _daunt_ is to subject to a certain degree of fear.

_Embarrass_ is a strong word, signifying primarily hamper, hinder, impede.

A solitary thinker may be _confused_ by some difficulty in a subject, or some mental defect; one is _embarrassed_ in the presence of others, and because of their presence.

Confusion is of the intellect, embarrassment of the feelings.

A witness may be _embarrassed_ by annoying personalities, so as to become _confused_ in statements.

To _mortify_ a person is to bring upon him a painful sense of humiliation, whether because of his own or another's fault or failure.

A pupil is _confused_ by a perplexing question, a general _confounded_ by overwhelming defeat.

A hostess is _discomposed_ by the tardiness of guests, a speaker _disconcerted_ by a failure of memory.

The criminal who is not _abashed_ at detection may be _daunted_ by the officer's weapon.

Sudden joy may _bewilder_, but will not _abash_.

The true worshiper is _humbled_ rather than _abashed_ before God.

The parent is _mortified_ by the child's rudeness, the child _abashed_ at the parent's reproof.

The _embarrassed_ speaker finds it difficult to proceed.

The mob is _overawed_ by the military, the hypocrite _shamed_ by exposure.

"A man whom no denial, no scorn could _abash_."

FIELDING _Amelia_ bk.

iii, ch. 9, p. 300. [B.

& S.

'71. ] Compare CHAGRIN; HINDER.

Antonyms: animate, cheer, encourage, rally, buoy, embolden, inspirit, uphold.

* * * * * ABATE.

Synonyms: decline, ebb, mitigate, reduce, decrease, lessen, moderate, subside.

diminish, lower, The storm, the fever, the pain _abates_.

Interest _declines_.

Misfortunes may be _mitigated_, desires _moderated_, intense anger _abated_, population _decreased_, taxes _reduced_.

We _abate_ a nuisance, _terminate_ a controversy, _suppress_ a rebellion.

See ALLEVIATE.

Antonyms: aggravate, enhance, foment, rage, amplify, enlarge, increase, raise, continue, extend, magnify, revive.

develop, Prepositions: Abate _in_ fury; abated _by_ law.

* * * * * ABBREVIATION.

Synonyms: abridgment, contraction.

An _abbreviation_ is a shortening by any method; a _contraction_ is a reduction of size by the drawing together of the parts.

A _contraction_ of a word is made by omitting certain letters or syllables and bringing together the first and last letters or elements; an _abbreviation_ may be made either by omitting certain portions from the interior or by cutting off a part; a _contraction_ is an _abbreviation_, but an _abbreviation_ is not necessarily a _contraction_; _rec't_ for receipt, _mdse.

_ for merchandise, and _Dr.

_ for debtor are _contractions_; they are also _abbreviations_; _Am.

_ for American is an _abbreviation_, but not a _contraction_.

_Abbreviation_ and _contraction_ are used of words and phrases, _abridgment_ of books, paragraphs, sentences, etc. Compare ABRIDGMENT.

* * * * * ABET.

Synonyms: advocate, countenance, incite, sanction, aid, embolden, instigate, support, assist, encourage, promote, uphold.

_Abet_ and _instigate_ are now used almost without exception in a bad sense; one may _incite_ either to good or evil.

One _incites_ or _instigates_ to the doing of something not yet done, or to increased activity or further advance in the doing of it; one _abets_ by giving sympathy, countenance, or substantial aid to the doing of that which is already projected or in process of commission.

_Abet_ and _instigate_ apply either to persons or actions, _incite_ to persons only; one _incites_ a person _to_ an action.

A clergyman will _advocate_ the claims of justice, _aid_ the poor, _encourage_ the despondent, _support_ the weak, _uphold_ the constituted authorities; but he will not _incite_ to a quarrel, _instigate_ a riot, or _abet_ a crime.

The originator of a crime often _instigates_ or _incites_ others to _abet_ him in it, or one may _instigate_ or _incite_ others to a crime in the commission of which he himself takes no active part.

Compare HELP.

Antonyms: baffle, deter, dissuade, hinder, confound, disapprove, expose, impede, counteract, disconcert, frustrate, obstruct.

denounce, discourage, * * * * * ABHOR.

Synonyms: abominate, dislike, loathe, scorn, despise, hate, nauseate, shun.

detest, _Abhor_ is stronger than _despise_, implying a shuddering recoil, especially a moral recoil.

"How many _shun_ evil as inconvenient who do not _abhor_ it as hateful."

TRENCH _Serm.

in Westm.

Abbey_ xxvi, 297. [M.

] _Detest_ expresses indignation, with something of contempt.

_Loathe_ implies disgust, physical or moral.

We _abhor_ a traitor, _despise_ a coward, _detest_ a liar.

We _dislike_ an uncivil person.

We _abhor_ cruelty, _hate_ tyranny.

We _loathe_ a reptile or a flatterer.

We _abhor_ Milton's heroic Satan, but we can not _despise_ him.

Antonyms: admire, crave, esteem, love, approve, desire, like, relish.

covet, enjoy, * * * * * ABIDE.

Synonyms: anticipate, dwell, remain, stop, await, endure, reside, tarry, bear, expect, rest, tolerate, bide, inhabit, sojourn, wait, confront, live, stay, watch.

continue, lodge, To _abide_ is to remain continuously without limit of time unless expressed by the context: "to-day I must _abide_ at thy house," _Luke_ xix, 5; "a settled place for thee to _abide_ in forever," _1 Kings_ viii, 13; "_Abide_ with me!

fast falls the eventide," LYTE _Hymn_.

_Lodge_, _sojourn_, _stay_, _tarry_, and _wait_ always imply a limited time; _lodge_, to pass the night; _sojourn_, to _remain_ temporarily;

_live_, _dwell_, _reside_, to have a permanent home.

_Stop_, in the sense of _stay_ or _sojourn_, is colloquial, and not in approved use.

Compare ENDURE; REST.

Antonyms: abandon, forfeit, migrate, reject, avoid, forfend, move, resist, depart, journey, proceed, shun.

Prepositions: Abide _in_ a place, _for_ a time, _with_ a person, _by_ a statement.

* * * * * ABOLISH.

Synonyms: abate, eradicate, prohibit, stamp out, abrogate, exterminate, remove, subvert, annihilate, extirpate, repeal, supplant, annul, nullify, reverse, suppress, destroy, obliterate, revoke, terminate.

end, overthrow, set aside, _Abolish_, to do away with, bring absolutely to an end, especially as something hostile, hindering, or harmful, was formerly used of persons and material objects, a usage now obsolete except in poetry or highly figurative speech.

_Abolish_ is now used of institutions, customs, and conditions, especially those wide-spread and long existing; as, to _abolish_ slavery, ignorance, intemperance, poverty.

A building that is burned to the ground is said to be _destroyed_ by fire.

_Annihilate_, as a philosophical term, signifies to put absolutely out of existence.

As far as our knowledge goes, matter is never _annihilated_, but only changes its form.

Some believe that the wicked will be _annihilated_.

_Abolish_ is not said of laws.

There we use _repeal_, _abrogate_, _nullify_, etc. : _repeal_ by the enacting body, _nullify_ by revolutionary proceedings; a later statute _abrogates_, without formally _repealing_, any earlier law with which it conflicts.

An appellate court may _reverse_ or _set aside_ the decision of an inferior court.

_Overthrow_ may be used in either a good or a bad sense; _suppress_ is commonly in a good, _subvert_ always in a bad sense; as, to _subvert_ our liberties; to _suppress_ a rebellion.

The law _prohibits_ what may never have existed; it _abolishes_ an existing evil.

We _abate_ a nuisance, _terminate_ a controversy.

Compare CANCEL; DEMOLISH;

EXTERMINATE.

Antonyms: authorize, establish, reinstate, revive, cherish, institute, renew, set up, confirm, introduce, repair, support, continue, legalize, restore, sustain.

enact, promote, * * * * * ABOMINATION.

Synonyms: abhorrence, curse, hatred, plague, abuse, detestation, horror, shame, annoyance, disgust, iniquity, villainy, aversion, evil, nuisance, wickedness.

crime, execration, offense, _Abomination_ (from the L. _ab omen_, a thing of ill omen) was originally applied to anything held in religious or ceremonial _aversion_ or _abhorrence_; as, "The things which are highly esteemed among men are _abomination_ in the sight of God."

_Luke_ xvi, 15. The word is oftener applied to the object of such _aversion_ or _abhorrence_ than to the state of mind that so regards it; in common use _abomination_ signifies something very much disliked or loathed, or that deserves to be.

Choice food may be an object of _aversion_ and _disgust_ to a sick person; vile food would be an _abomination_.

A toad is to many an object of _disgust_; a foul sewer is an _abomination_.

As applied to crimes, _abomination_ is used of such as are especially brutal, shameful, or revolting; theft is an _offense_; infanticide is an _abomination_.

Antonyms: affection, blessing, enjoyment, joy, appreciation, delight, esteem, satisfaction, approval, desire, gratification, treat.

benefit, * * * * * ABRIDGMENT.

Synonyms: abbreviation, compend, epitome, summary, abstract, compendium, outline, synopsis.

analysis, digest, An _abridgment_ gives the most important portions of a work substantially as they stand.

An _outline_ or _synopsis_ is a kind of sketch closely following the plan.

An _abstract_ or _digest_ is an independent statement of what the book contains.

An _analysis_ draws out the chief thoughts or arguments, whether expressed or implied.

A

_summary_ is the most condensed statement of results or conclusions.

An _epitome_, _compend_, or _compendium_ is a condensed view of a subject, whether derived from a previous publication or not.

We may have an _abridgment_ of a dictionary, but not an _analysis_, _abstract_, _digest_, or _summary_.

We may have an _epitome_ of religion, a _compendium_ of English literature, but not an _abridgment_.

Compare ABBREVIATION.

* * * * * ABSOLUTE.

Synonyms: arbitrary, compulsory, haughty, peremptory, arrogant, controlling, imperative, positive, authoritative, despotic, imperious, supreme, autocratic, dictatorial, irresponsible, tyrannical, coercive, dogmatic, lordly, unconditional, commanding, domineering, overbearing, unequivocal.

compulsive, exacting,