English Synonyms and Antonyms — Becoming to Bluff

Synonyms: befitting, congruous, fit, meet, seemly, beseeming, decent, fitting, neat, suitable, comely, decorous, graceful, proper, worthy.

That is _becoming_ in dress which suits the complexion, figure, and other qualities of the wearer, so as to produce on the whole a pleasing effect.

That is _decent_ which does not offend modesty or propriety.

That is _suitable_ which is adapted to the age, station, situation, and other circumstances of the wearer; coarse, heavy boots are _suitable_ for farm-work; a juvenile style of dress is not _suitable_ for an old lady.

In conduct much the same rules apply.

The dignity and gravity of a patriarch would not be _becoming_ to a child; at a funeral lively, cheery sociability would not be _decorous_, while noisy hilarity would not be _decent_; sumptuous display would not be _suitable_ for a poor person.

_Fit_ is a compendious term for whatever fits the person, time, place, occasion, etc. ; as, a _fit_ person; a _fit_ abode; a _fit_ place.

_Fitting_, or _befitting_, is somewhat more elegant, implying a nicer adaptation.

_Meet_, a somewhat archaic word, expresses a moral fitness;

as, _meet_ for heaven.

Compare BEAUTIFUL.

Antonyms: awkward, ill-fitting, indecent, unbecoming, unseemly, ill-becoming, improper, indecorous, unfit, unsuitable.

Prepositions: The dress was becoming _to_ the wearer.

Such conduct was becoming _in_ him.

* * * * * BEGINNING.

Synonyms: arising, inauguration, origin, source, commencement, inception, outset, spring, fount, initiation, rise, start.

fountain, opening, The Latin _commencement_ is more formal than the Saxon _beginning_, as the verb _commence_, is more formal than _begin_.

_Commencement_ is for the most part restricted to some form of action, while _beginning_ has no restriction, but may be applied to action, state, material, extent, enumeration, or to whatever else may be conceived of as having a first part, point, degree, etc. The letter A is at the _beginning_ (not the _commencement_) of every alphabet.

If we were to speak of the _commencement_ of the Pacific Railroad, we should be understood to refer to the enterprise and its initiatory act; if we were to refer to the roadway we should say "Here is the _beginning_ of the Pacific Railroad."

In the great majority of cases _begin_ and _beginning_ are preferable to _commence_ and _commencement_ as the simple, idiomatic English words, always accurate and expressive.

"In the _beginning_ was the word," _John_ i, 1. An _origin_ is the point from which something starts or sets out, often involving, and always suggesting causal connection; as, the _origin_ of evil; the _origin_ of a nation, a government, or a family.

A _source_ is that which furnishes a first and continuous supply, that which flows forth freely or may be readily recurred to; as, the _source_ of a river; a _source_ of knowledge; a _source_ of inspiration; fertile land is a _source_ (not an _origin_) of wealth.

A

_rise_ is thought of as in an action; we say that a lake is the _source_ of a certain river, or that the river takes its _rise_ from the lake.

Motley wrote of "The _Rise_ of the Dutch Republic."

_Fount_, _fountain_, and _spring_, in their figurative senses, keep close to their literal meaning.

Compare CAUSE.

Antonyms: See synonyms for END.

* * * * * BEHAVIOR.

Synonyms: action, breeding, conduct, deportment, manner, bearing, carriage, demeanor, life, manners.

_Behavior_ is our _action_ in the presence of others; _conduct_ includes also that which is known only to ourselves and our Maker.

_Carriage_ expresses simply the manner of holding the body, especially in sitting or walking, as when it is said of a lady "she has a fine _carriage_."

_Bearing_ refers to the bodily expression of feeling or disposition; as, a haughty _bearing_; a noble _bearing_.

_Demeanor_ is the bodily expression, not only of feelings, but of moral states; as, a devout _demeanor_.

_Breeding_, unless with some adverse limitation, denotes that _manner_ and _conduct_ which result from good birth and training.

_Deportment_ is _behavior_ as related to a set of rules; as, the pupil's _deportment_ was faultless.

A person's _manner_ may be that of a moment, or toward a single person; his _manners_ are his habitual style of _behavior_ toward or before others, especially in matters of etiquette and politeness; as, good _manners_ are always pleasing.

Prepositions: The behavior _of_ the pastor _to_ or _toward_ his people, _on_ or _upon_ the streets, _before_ the multitude, or _in_ the church, _with_ the godly, or _with_ the worldly, was alike faultless.

* * * * * BEND.

Synonyms: bias, curve, diverge, mold, submit, twist, bow, deflect, incline, persuade, turn, warp, crook, deviate, influence, stoop, twine, yield.

In some cases a thing is spoken of as _bent_ where the parts make an angle; but oftener to _bend_ is understood to be to draw to or through a curve; as, to _bend_ a bow.

To _submit_ or _yield_ is to _bend_ the mind humbly to another's wishes.

To _incline_ or _influence_ is to _bend_ another's wishes toward our own; to _persuade_ is to draw them quite over.

To _warp_ is to _bend_ silently through the whole fiber, as a board in the sun.

To _crook_ is to _bend_ irregularly, as a _crooked_ stick.

_Deflect_, _deviate_, and _diverge_ are said of any turning away;

_deviate_ commonly of a slight and gradual movement, _diverge_ of a more sharp and decided one.

To _bias_ is to cut across the texture, or incline to one side; in figurative use always with an unfavorable import.

_Mold_ is a stronger work than _bend_; we may _bend_ by a superior force that which still resists the constraint; as, a _bent_ bow; we _mold_ something plastic entirely to some desired form.

* * * * * BENEVOLENCE.

Synonyms: almsgiving, charity, kind-heartedness, munificence, beneficence, generosity, kindliness, philanthropy, benignity, good-will, kindness, sympathy, bounty, humanity, liberality, unselfishness.

According to the etymology and original usage, _beneficence_ is the doing well, _benevolence_ the wishing or willing well to others; but _benevolence_ has come to include _beneficence_, and to displace it.

We should not now speak of _benevolence_ which did not help, unless where there was no power to help; even then we should rather say _good-will_ or _sympathy_.

_Charity_, which originally meant the purest love for God and man (as in _1 Cor.

_ xiii), is now almost universally applied to some form of _almsgiving_, and is much more limited in meaning than _benevolence_.

_Benignity_ suggests some occult power of blessing, such as was formerly ascribed to the stars; we may say a good man has an air of _benignity_.

_Kindness_ and _tenderness_ are personal; _benevolence_ and _charity_ are general.

_Kindness_ extends to all sentient beings, whether men or animals, in prosperity or in distress.

_Tenderness_ especially goes out toward the young, feeble, and needy, or even to the dead.

_Humanity_ is so much _kindness_ and _tenderness_ toward man or beast as it would be inhuman not to have; we say of some act of care or _kindness_, "common _humanity_ requires it."

_Generosity_ is self-forgetful _kindness_ in disposition or action; it includes much besides giving; as, the _generosity_ of forgiveness.

_Bounty_ applies to ample giving, which on a larger scale is expressed by _munificence_.

_Liberality_ indicates broad, genial kindly views, whether manifested in gifts or otherwise.

We speak of the _bounty_ of a generous host, the _liberality_ or _munificence_ of the founder of a college, or of the _liberality_ of a theologian toward the holders of conflicting beliefs.

_Philanthropy_ applies to wide schemes for human welfare, often, but not always, involving large expenditures in _charity_ or _benevolence_.

Compare MERCY.

Antonyms: barbarity, greediness, ill-will, malignity, self-seeking, brutality, harshness, inhumanity, niggardliness, stinginess, churlishness, illiberality, malevolence, selfishness, unkindness.

Prepositions: Benevolence _of_, _on the part of_, or _from_ the wealthy, _to_ or _toward_ the poor.

* * * * * BIND.

Synonyms: compel, fetter, oblige, restrict, shackle, engage, fix, restrain, secure, tie.

fasten, _Binding_ is primarily by something flexible, as a cord or bandage drawn closely around an object or group of objects, as when we _bind_ up a wounded limb.

We _bind_ a sheaf of wheat with a cord; we _tie_ the cord in a knot; we _fasten_ by any means that will make things hold together, as a board by nails, or a door by a lock.

The verbs _tie_ and _fasten_ are scarcely used in the figurative sense, tho, using the noun, we speak of the _ties_ of affection.

_Bind_ has an extensive figurative use.

One is _bound_ by conscience or honor; he is _obliged_ by some imperious necessity; _engaged_ by his own promise; _compelled_ by physical force or its moral equivalent.

Antonyms: free, loose, set free, unbind, unfasten, unloose, untie.

Prepositions: Bind _to_ a pillar; _unto_ an altar; _to_ a service; bind one _with_ chains or _in_ chains; one is bound _by_ a contract; a splint is bound _upon_ a limb; the arms may be bound _to_ the sides or _behind_ the back; bind a wreath _about_, _around_, or _round_ the head; twigs are bound _in_ or _into_ fagots; for military purposes, they are bound _at_ both ends and _in_ the middle; one is bound _by_ a contract, or bound _under_ a penalty to fulfil a contract.

* * * * * BITTER.

Synonyms: acerb, acidulous, caustic, pungent, stinging, acetous, acrid, cutting, savage, tart, acid, acrimonious, harsh, sharp, vinegarish, acidulated, biting, irate, sour, virulent.

_Acid_, _sour_, and _bitter_ agree in being contrasted with _sweet_, but the two former are sharply distinguished from the latter.

_Acid_ or _sour_ is the taste of vinegar or lemon-juice; _bitter_ that of quassia, quinine, or strychnine.

_Acrid_ is nearly allied to _bitter_.

_Pungent_ suggests the effect of pepper or snuff on the organs of taste or smell;

as, a _pungent_ odor.

_Caustic_ indicates the corroding effect of some strong chemical, as nitrate of silver.

In a figurative sense, as applied to language or character, these words are very closely allied.

We say a _sour_ face, _sharp_ words, _bitter_ complaints, _caustic_ wit, _cutting_ irony, _biting_ sarcasm, a _stinging_ taunt, _harsh_ judgment, a _tart_ reply.

_Harsh_ carries the idea of intentional and severe unkindness, _bitter_ of a severity that arises from real or supposed ill treatment.

The _bitter_ speech springs from the sore heart.

_Tart_ and _sharp_ utterances may not proceed from an intention to wound, but merely from a wit recklessly keen; _cutting_, _stinging_, and _biting_ speech indicates more or less of hostile intent, the latter being the more deeply malicious.

The _caustic_ utterance is meant to burn, perhaps wholesomely, as in the satire of Juvenal or Cervantes.

Compare MOROSE.

Antonyms: dulcet, honeyed, luscious, nectared, saccharine, sweet.

* * * * * BLEACH, _v.

_ Synonyms: blanch, make white, whiten, whitewash.

To _whiten_ is to _make white_ in general, but commonly it means to overspread with white coloring-matter.

_Bleach_ and _blanch_ both signify to _whiten_ by depriving of color, the former permanently, as linen; the latter either permanently (as, to _blanch_ celery) or temporarily (as, to _blanch_ the cheek with fear).

To _whitewash_ is to _whiten_ superficially, especially by false approval.

Antonyms: blacken, color, darken, dye, soil, stain.

* * * * * BLEMISH.

Synonyms: blot, defacement, disgrace, injury, spot, blur, defect, dishonor, reproach, stain, brand, deformity, fault, smirch, stigma, crack, dent, flaw, soil, taint, daub, disfigurement, imperfection, speck, tarnish.

Whatever mars the beauty or completeness of an object is a _blemish_, whether original, as squinting eyes, or the result of accident or disease, etc. , as the pits of smallpox.

A _blemish_ is superficial; a _flaw_ or _taint_ is in structure or substance.

In the moral sense, we speak of a _blot_ or _stain_ upon reputation; a _flaw_ or _taint_ in character.

A _defect_ is the want or lack of something; _fault_, primarily a failing, is something that fails of an apparent intent or disappoints a natural expectation; thus a sudden dislocation or displacement of geological strata is called a _fault_.

Figuratively, a _blemish_ comes from one's own ill-doing; a _brand_ or _stigma_ is inflicted by others; as, the _brand_ of infamy.

* * * * * BLOW.

Synonyms: box, concussion, disaster, misfortune, stripe, buffet, cuff, knock, rap, stroke, calamity, cut, lash, shock, thump.

A _blow_ is a sudden impact, as of a fist or a club; a _stroke_ is a sweeping movement; as, the _stroke_ of a sword, of an oar, of the arm in swimming.

A _shock_ is the sudden encounter with some heavy body; as, colliding railway-trains meet with a _shock_; the _shock_ of battle.

A

_slap_ is given with the open hand, a _lash_ with a whip, thong, or the like; we speak also of the _cut_ of a whip.

A _buffet_ or _cuff_ is given only with the hand; a _blow_ either with hand or weapon.

A _cuff_ is a somewhat sidelong _blow_, generally with the open hand; as, a _cuff_ or _box_ on the ear.

A _stripe_ is the effect or mark of a _stroke_.

In the metaphorical sense, _blow_ is used for sudden, stunning, staggering _calamity_ or sorrow; _stroke_ for sweeping _disaster_, and also for sweeping achievement and success.

We say a _stroke_ of paralysis, or a _stroke_ of genius.

We speak of the _buffets_ of adverse fortune.

_Shock_ is used of that which is at once sudden, violent, and prostrating; we speak of a _shock_ of electricity, the _shock_ of an amputation, a _shock_ of surprise.

Compare BEAT.

* * * * * BLUFF.

Synonyms: abrupt, brusk, impolite, rough, blunt, coarse, inconsiderate, rude, blustering, discourteous, open, uncivil, bold, frank, plain-spoken, unmannerly.

_Bluff_ is a word of good meaning, as are _frank_ and _open_.

The _bluff_ man talks and laughs loudly and freely, says and does whatever he pleases with fearless good nature, and with no thought of annoying or giving pain to others.

The _blunt_ man says things which he is perfectly aware are disagreeable, either from a defiant indifference to others' feelings, or from the pleasure of tormenting.

Antonyms: bland, genial, polished, polite, refined, reserved, urbane.

courteous, * * * * * BODY.