English Synonyms and Antonyms — Ask to Attain

Synonyms: beg, crave, entreat, petition, request, solicit, beseech, demand, implore, pray, require, supplicate.

One _asks_ what he feels that he may fairly claim and reasonably expect;

"if a son shall _ask_ bread of any of you that is a father," _Luke_ xi, 11; he _begs_ for that to which he advances no claim but pity.

_Demand_ is a determined and often an arrogant word; one may rightfully _demand_ what is his own or his due, when it is withheld or denied; or he may wrongfully _demand_ that to which he has no claim but power.

_Require_ is less arrogant and obtrusive than _demand_, but is exceedingly strenuous; as, the court _requires_ the attendance of witnesses.

_Entreat_ implies a special earnestness of asking, and _beseech_, a still added and more humble intensity; _beseech_ was formerly often used as a polite intensive for _beg_ or _pray_; as, I _beseech_ you to tell me.

To _implore_ is to _ask_ with weeping and lamentation; to _supplicate_ is to _ask_, as it were, on bended knees.

_Crave_ and _request_ are somewhat formal terms; _crave_ has almost disappeared from conversation; _request_ would seem distant between parent and child.

_Pray_ is now used chiefly of address to the Supreme Being; _petition_ is used of written request to persons in authority; as, to _petition_ the legislature to pass an act, or the governor to pardon an offender.

Antonyms: claim, deny, enforce, exact, extort, insist, refuse, reject.

command, Prepositions: Ask a person _for_ a thing; ask a thing _of_ or _from_ a person; ask _after_ or _about_ one's health, welfare, friends, etc. * * * * * ASSOCIATE.

Synonyms: accomplice, coadjutor, comrade, fellow, mate, ally, colleague, confederate, friend, partner, chum, companion, consort, helpmate, peer.

An _associate_ as used officially implies a chief, leader, or principal, to whom the _associate_ is not fully equal in rank.

_Associate_ is popularly used of mere friendly relations, but oftener implies some work, enterprise, or pursuit in which the associated persons unite.

We rarely speak of _associates_ in crime or wrong, using _confederates_ or _accomplices_ instead.

_Companion_ gives itself with equal readiness to the good or evil sense, as also does _comrade_.

One may be a _companion_ in travel who would not readily become an _associate_ at home.

A lady advertises for a _companion_; she would not advertise for an _associate_.

_Peer_ implies equality rather than companionship; as, a jury of his _peers_.

_Comrade_ expresses more fellowship and good feeling than _companion_.

_Fellow_ has almost gone out of use in this connection, except in an inferior or patronizing sense.

_Consort_ is a word of equality and dignity, as applied especially to the marriage relation.

Compare ACCESSORY; ACQUAINTANCE; FRIENDSHIP.

Antonyms: antagonist, foe, hinderer, opponent, opposer, rival, stranger.

enemy, Prepositions: These were the associates _of_ the leader _in_ the enterprise.

* * * * * ASSOCIATION.

Synonyms: alliance, confederacy, familiarity, lodge, club, confederation, federation, participation, community, conjunction, fellowship, partnership, companionship, connection, fraternity, society, company, corporation, friendship, union.

We speak of an _alliance_ of nations, a _club_ of pleasure-seekers, a _community_ of Shakers, a _company_ of soldiers or of friends, a _confederacy_, _confederation_, _federation_, or _union_ of separate states under one general government, a _partnership_ or _company_ of business men, a _conjunction_ of planets.

The whole body of Freemasons constitute a _fraternity_; one of their local organizations is called a _lodge_.

A _corporation_ or _company_ is formed for purposes of business; an _association_ or _society_ (tho also incorporated) is for learning, literature, benevolence, religion, etc. Compare ASSOCIATE;

ACQUAINTANCE; FRIENDSHIP.

Antonyms: disintegration, independence, isolation, separation, solitude.

Prepositions: An association _of_ scholars _for_ the advancement of knowledge;

association _with_ the good is ennobling.

* * * * * ASSUME.

Synonyms: accept, arrogate, postulate, put on, affect, claim, presume, take, appropriate, feign, pretend, usurp.

The distinctive idea of _assume_ is to _take_ by one's own independent volition, whether well or ill, rightfully or wrongfully.

One may _accept_ an obligation or _assume_ an authority that properly belongs to him, or he may _assume_ an obligation or indebtedness that could not be required of him.

He may _assume_ authority or office that is his right;

if he _assumes_ what does not belong to him, he is said to _arrogate_ or _usurp_ it.

A man may _usurp_ the substance of power in the most unpretending way; what he _arrogates_ to himself he _assumes_ with a haughty and overbearing manner.

One _assumes_ the robes or insignia of office by _putting_ them _on_, with or without right.

If he _takes_ to himself the credit and appearance of qualities he does not possess, he is said to _affect_ or _feign_, or to _pretend_ to, the character he thus _assumes_.

What a debater _postulates_ he openly states and _takes_ for granted without proof; what he _assumes_ he may take for granted without mention.

A favorite trick of the sophist is quietly to _assume_ as true what would at once be challenged if expressly stated.

What a man _claims_ he asserts his right to _take_; what he _assumes_ he _takes_.

* * * * * ASSURANCE.

Synonyms: arrogance, boldness, impudence, self-confidence, assertion, confidence, presumption, self-reliance, assumption, effrontery, self-assertion, trust.

_Assurance_ may have the good sense of a high, sustained _confidence_ and _trust_; as, the saint's _assurance_ of heaven.

_Confidence_ is founded upon reasons; _assurance_ is largely a matter of feeling.

In the bad sense, _assurance_ is a vicious courage, with belief of one's ability to outwit or defy others; the hardened criminal is remarkable for habitual _assurance_.

For the calm conviction of one's own rectitude and ability, _self-confidence_ is a better word than _assurance_;

_self-reliance_ expresses confidence in one's own resources, independently of others' aid.

In the bad sense _assurance_ is less gross than _impudence_, which is (according to its etymology) a shameless _boldness_.

_Assurance_ is in act or manner; _impudence_ may be in speech.

_Effrontery_ is _impudence_ defiantly displayed.

Compare FAITH;

PRIDE.

Antonyms: bashfulness, consternation, distrust, hesitancy, shyness, confusion, dismay, doubt, misgiving, timidity.

* * * * * ASTUTE.

Synonyms: acute, discerning, penetrating, sharp, clear-sighted, discriminating, penetrative, shrewd, crafty, keen, perspicacious, subtile, cunning, knowing, sagacious, subtle.

_Acute_, from the Latin, suggests the sharpness of the needle's point;

_keen_, from the Saxon, the sharpness of the cutting edge.

_Astute_, from the Latin, with the original sense of _cunning_ has come to have a meaning that combines the sense of _acute_ or _keen_ with that of _sagacious_.

The _astute_ mind adds to _acuteness_ and _keenness_ an element of cunning or finesse.

The _astute_ debater leads his opponents into a snare by getting them to make admissions, or urge arguments, of which he sees a result that they do not perceive.

The _acute_, _keen_ intellect may take no special advantage of these qualities; the _astute_ mind has always a point to make for itself, and seldom fails to make it.

A _knowing_ look, air, etc. , in general indicates practical knowledge with a touch of shrewdness, and perhaps of cunning; in regard to some special matter, it indicates the possession of reserved knowledge which the person could impart if he chose.

_Knowing_ has often a slightly invidious sense.

We speak of a _knowing_ rascal, meaning _cunning_ or _shrewd_ within a narrow range, but of a _knowing_ horse or dog, in the sense of _sagacious_, implying that he knows more than could be expected of such an animal.

A _knowing_ child has more knowledge than would be looked for at his years, perhaps more than is quite desirable, while to speak of a child as _intelligent_ is altogether complimentary.

Antonyms: blind, idiotic, shallow, stolid, undiscerning, dull, imbecile, short-sighted, stupid, unintelligent.

* * * * * ATTACHMENT.

Synonyms: adherence, devotion, friendship, regard, adhesion, esteem, inclination, tenderness, affection, estimation, love, union.

An _attachment_ is a feeling that binds a person by ties of heart to another person or thing; we speak of a man's _adherence_ to his purpose, his _adhesion_ to his party, or to anything to which he clings tenaciously, tho with no special tenderness; of his _attachment_ to his church, to the old homestead, or to any persons or objects that he may hold dear.

_Affection_ expresses more warmth of feeling; we should not speak of a mother's _attachment_ to her babe, but of her _affection_ or of her _devotion_.

_Inclination_ expresses simply a tendency, which may be good or bad, yielded to or overcome; as, an _inclination_ to study;

an _inclination_ to drink.

_Regard_ is more distant than _affection_ or _attachment_, but closer and warmer than _esteem_; we speak of high _esteem_, kind _regard_.

Compare ACQUAINTANCE; APPENDAGE; FRIENDSHIP;

LOVE; UNION.

Antonyms: alienation, aversion, distance, estrangement, repugnance, animosity, coolness, divorce, indifference, separation, antipathy, dislike, enmity, opposition, severance.

Prepositions: Attachment _of_ a true man _to_ his friends; attachment _to_ a leader _for_ his nobility of character; the attachments _between_ two persons or things; attachment _by_ muscular fibers, or _by_ a rope, etc. * * * * * ATTACK, _v.

_ Synonyms: assail, beset, combat, invade, assault, besiege, encounter, set upon, beleaguer, charge, fall upon, storm.

To _attack_ is to begin hostilities of any kind.

A general _invades_ a country by marching in troops; he _attacks_ a city by drawing up an army against it; he _assaults_ it by hurling his troops directly upon its defenses.

_Assail_ and _assault_, tho of the same original etymology, have diverged in meaning, so that _assault_ alone retains the meaning of direct personal violence.

One may _assail_ another with reproaches; he _assaults_ him with a blow, a brandished weapon, etc. Armies or squadrons _charge_; _combat_ and _encounter_ may be said of individual contests.

To _beset_ is to set around, or, so to speak, to stud one's path, with menaces, attacks, or persuasions.

To _besiege_ and _beleaguer_ are the acts of armies.

To _encounter_ is to meet face to face, and may be said either of the _attacking_ or of the resisting force or person, or of both.

Antonyms: aid, cover, protect, shelter, support, uphold, befriend, defend, resist, shield, sustain, withstand.

Prepositions: We were attacked _by_ the enemy _with_ cannon and musketry.

* * * * * ATTACK, _n.

_ Synonyms: aggression, incursion, invasion, onslaught, assault, infringement, onset, trespass.

encroachment, intrusion, An _attack_ may be by word; an _aggression_ is always by deed.

An _assault_ may be upon the person, an _aggression_ is upon rights, possessions, etc. An _invasion_ of a nation's territories is an act of _aggression_; an _intrusion_ upon a neighboring estate is a _trespass_.

_Onslaught_ signifies intensely violent _assault_, as by an army or a desperado, tho it is sometimes used of violent speech.

Antonyms: defense, repulsion, resistance, retreat, submission, surrender.

Prepositions: The enemy made an attack _upon_ (or _on_) our works.

* * * * * ATTAIN.

Synonyms: accomplish, arrive at, gain, master, reach, achieve, compass, get, obtain, secure, acquire, earn, grasp, procure, win.

A person may _obtain_ a situation by the intercession of friends, he _procures_ a dinner by paying for it.

_Attain_ is a lofty word, pointing to some high or desirable result; a man _attains_ the mountain summit, he _attains_ honor or learning as the result of strenuous and earnest labor.

Even that usage of _attain_ which has been thought to refer to mere progress of time carries the thought of a result desired; as, to _attain_ to old age; the man desires to live to a good old age; we should not speak of his _attaining_ his dotage.

One may _attain_ an object that will prove not worth his labor, but what he _achieves_ is in itself great and splendid; as, the Greeks at Marathon _achieved_ a glorious victory.

Compare DO; GET; REACH.

Antonyms: abandon, fail, forfeit, give up, let go, lose, miss. * * * * * ATTITUDE.

Synonyms: