English Synonyms and Antonyms — Character to Clear

Synonyms: constitution, genius, personality, reputation, temper, disposition, nature, record, spirit, temperament.

_Character_ is what one is; _reputation_, what he is thought to be; his _record_ is the total of his known action or inaction.

As a rule, a man's _record_ will substantially express his _character_; his _reputation_ may be higher or lower than his _character_ or _record_ will justify.

_Repute_ is a somewhat formal word, with the same general sense as _reputation_.

One's _nature_ includes all his original endowments or propensities; _character_ includes both natural and acquired traits.

We speak of one's physical _constitution_ as strong or weak, etc. , and figuratively, always with the adjective, of his mental or moral _constitution_.

Compare CHARACTERISTIC.

Prepositions: The witness has a character _for_ veracity; his character is _above_ suspicion; the character _of_ the applicant.

* * * * * CHARACTERISTIC.

Synonyms: attribute, feature, peculiarity, sign, trace, character, indication, property, singularity, trait.

distinction, mark, quality, A _characteristic_ belongs to the nature or _character_ of the person, thing, or class, and serves to identify an object; as, a copper-colored skin, high cheek-bones, and straight, black hair are _characteristics_ of the American Indian.

A _sign_ is manifest to an observer; a _mark_ or a _characteristic_ may be more difficult to discover; an insensible person may show _signs_ of life, while sometimes only close examination will disclose _marks_ of violence.

Pallor is ordinarily a _mark_ of fear; but in some brave natures it is simply a _characteristic_ of intense earnestness.

_Mark_ is sometimes used in a good, but often in a bad sense; we speak of the _characteristic_ of a gentleman, the _mark_ of a villain.

Compare ATTRIBUTE; CHARACTER.

* * * * * CHARMING.

Synonyms: bewitching, delightful, enrapturing, fascinating, captivating, enchanting, entrancing, winning.

That is _charming_ or _bewitching_ which is adapted to win others as by a magic spell.

_Enchanting_, _enrapturing_, _entrancing_ represent the influence as not only supernatural, but irresistible and _delightful_.

That which is _fascinating_ may win without delighting, drawing by some unseen power, as a serpent its prey; we can speak of horrible _fascination_.

_Charming_ applies only to what is external to oneself;

_delightful_ may apply to personal experiences or emotions as well; we speak of a _charming_ manner, a _charming_ dress, but of _delightful_ anticipations.

Compare AMIABLE; BEAUTIFUL.

* * * * * CHASTEN.

Synonyms: afflict, chastise, discipline, punish, refine, subdue, castigate, correct, humble, purify, soften, try.

_Castigate_ and _chastise_ refer strictly to corporal punishment, tho both are somewhat archaic; _correct_ and _punish_ are often used as euphemisms in preference to either.

_Punish_ is distinctly retributive in sense; _chastise_, partly retributive, and partly corrective;

_chasten_, wholly corrective.

_Chasten_ is used exclusively in the spiritual sense, and chiefly of the visitation of God.

Prepositions: "We are chastened _of_ the Lord," _1 Cor.

_ xi, 32; "they ...

chastened us _after_ their own pleasure, but He _for_ our profit," _Heb.

_ xii, 10;

"chasten _in_ thy hot displeasure," _Ps.

_ iv, 7; chasten _with_ pain;

_by_ trials and sorrows.

* * * * * CHERISH.

Synonyms: cheer, encourage, harbor, nurse, shelter, cling to, entertain, hold dear, nurture, treasure, comfort, foster, nourish, protect, value.

To _cherish_ is both to _hold dear_ and to treat as dear.

Mere unexpressed esteem would not be _cherishing_.

In the marriage vow, "to love, honor, and _cherish_," the word _cherish_ implies all that each can do by love and tenderness for the welfare and happiness of the other, as by support, protection, care in sickness, comfort in sorrow, sympathy, and help of every kind.

To _nurse_ is to tend the helpless or feeble, as infants, or the sick or wounded.

To _nourish_ is strictly to sustain and build up by food; to _nurture_ includes careful mental and spiritual training, with something of love and tenderness; to _foster_ is simply to maintain and care for, to bring up; a _foster_-child will be _nourished_, but may not be as tenderly _nurtured_ or as lovingly _cherished_ as if one's own.

In the figurative sense, the opinion one _cherishes_ he holds, not with mere cold conviction, but with loving devotion.

Antonyms: See synonyms for ABANDON; CHASTEN.

* * * * * CHOOSE.

Synonyms: cull, elect, pick, pick out, prefer, select.

_Prefer_ indicates a state of desire and approval; _choose_, an act of will.

Prudence or generosity may lead one to _choose_ what he does not _prefer_.

_Select_ implies a careful consideration of the reasons for preference and choice.

Among objects so nearly alike that we have no reason to _prefer_ any one to another we may simply _choose_ the nearest, but we could not be said to _select_ it.

Aside from theology, _elect_ is popularly confined to the political sense; as, a free people _elect_ their own rulers.

_Cull_, from the Latin _colligere_, commonly means to collect, as well as to _select_.

In a garden we _cull_ the choicest flowers.

Antonyms: cast away, decline, dismiss, refuse, repudiate, cast out, disclaim, leave, reject, throw aside.

Prepositions: Choose _from_ or _from among_ the number; choose _out of_ the army;

choose _between_ (or _betwixt_) two; _among_ many; choose _for_ the purpose.

* * * * * CIRCUMLOCUTION.

Synonyms: diffuseness, prolixity, surplusage, verbiage, periphrasis, redundance, tautology, verbosity, pleonasm, redundancy, tediousness, wordiness.

_Circumlocution_ and _periphrasis_ are roundabout ways of expressing thought; _circumlocution_ is the more common, _periphrasis_ the more technical word.

Constant _circumlocution_ produces an affected and heavy style; occasionally, skilful _periphrasis_ conduces both to beauty and to simplicity.

Etymologically, _diffuseness_ is a scattering, both of words and thought; _redundancy_ is an overflow.

_Prolixity_ goes into endless petty details, without selection or perspective.

_Pleonasm_ is the expression of an idea already plainly implied; _tautology_ is the restatement in other words of an idea already stated, or a useless repetition of a word or words.

_Pleonasm_ may add emphasis; _tautology_ is always a fault.

"I saw it with my eyes" is a _pleonasm_; "all the members agreed unanimously" is _tautology_.

_Verbiage_ is the use of mere words without thought.

_Verbosity_ and _wordiness_ denote an excess of words in proportion to the thought.

_Tediousness_ is the sure result of any of these faults of style.

Antonyms: brevity, compression, condensation, plainness, succinctness, compactness, conciseness, directness, shortness, terseness.

* * * * * CIRCUMSTANCE.

Synonyms: accompaniment, fact, item, point, concomitant, feature, occurrence, position, detail, incident, particular, situation.

event, A _circumstance_ (L. _circum_, around, and _sto_, stand), is something existing or occurring in connection with or relation to some other fact or event, modifying or throwing light upon the principal matter without affecting its essential character; an _accompaniment_ is something that unites with the principal matter, tho not necessary to it; as, the piano _accompaniment_ to a song; a _concomitant_ goes with a thing in natural connection, but in a subordinate capacity, or perhaps in contrast; as, cheerfulness is a _concomitant_ of virtue.

A _circumstance_ is not strictly, nor usually, an occasion, condition, effect, or result.

(See these words under CAUSE.

) Nor is the _circumstance_ properly an _incident_.

(See under ACCIDENT.

) We say, "My decision will depend upon _circumstances_"--not "upon _incidents_."

That a man wore a blue necktie would not probably be the cause, occasion, condition, or _concomitant_ of his committing murder; but it might be a very important _circumstance_ in identifying him as the murderer.

All the _circumstances_ make up the _situation_.

A certain disease is the cause of a man's death; his suffering is an _incident_; that he is in his own home, that he has good medical attendance, careful nursing, etc. , are consolatory _circumstances_.

With the same idea of subordination, we often say, "This is not a _circumstance_ to that."

So a person is said to be in easy _circumstances_.

Compare EVENT.

Prepositions: "Mere situation is expressed by '_in_ the circumstances'; action affected is performed '_under_ the circumstances.'

" [M. ] * * * * * CLASS.

Synonyms: association, circle, clique, company, grade, rank, caste, clan, club, coterie, order, set.

A _class_ is a number or body of persons or objects having common pursuits, purposes, attributes, or characteristics.

A _caste_ is hereditary; a _class_ may be independent of lineage or descent;

membership in a _caste_ is supposed to be for life; membership in a _class_ may be very transient; a religious and ceremonial sacredness attaches to the _caste_, as not to the _class_.

The rich and the poor form separate _classes_; yet individuals are constantly passing from each to the other; the _classes_ in a college remain the same, but their membership changes every year.

We speak of _rank_ among hereditary nobility or military officers; of various _orders_ of the priesthood; by accommodation, we may refer in a general way to the higher _ranks_, the lower _orders_ of any society.

_Grade_ implies some regular scale of valuation, and some inherent qualities for which a person or thing is placed higher or lower in the scale; as, the coarser and finer _grades_ of wool; a man of an inferior _grade_.

A _coterie_ is a small company of persons of similar tastes, who meet frequently in an informal way, rather for social enjoyment than for any serious purpose.

_Clique_ has always an unfavorable meaning.

A _clique_ is always fractional, implying some greater gathering of which it is a part; the association breaks up into _cliques_.

Persons unite in a _coterie_ through simple liking for one another; they withdraw into a _clique_ largely through aversion to outsiders.

A _set_, while exclusive, is more extensive than a _clique_, and chiefly of persons who are united by common social station, etc. _Circle_ is similar in meaning to _set_, but of wider application; we speak of scientific and religious as well as of social _circles_.

Prepositions: A class _of_ merchants; the senior class _at_ (sometimes _of_) Harvard;

the classes _in_ college.

* * * * * CLEANSE.

Synonyms: brush, dust, purify, scour, sponge, wash, clean, lave, rinse, scrub, sweep, wipe.

disinfect, mop, To _clean_ is to make clean by removing dirt, impurities, or soil of any kind.

_Cleanse_ implies a worse condition to start from, and more to do, than _clean_.

Hercules _cleansed_ the Augean stables.

_Cleanse_ is especially applied to purifying processes where liquid is used, as in the flushing of a street, etc. We _brush_ clothing if dusty, _sponge_ it, or _sponge_ it off, if soiled; or _sponge_ off a spot.

Furniture, books, etc. , are _dusted_; floors are _mopped_ or _scrubbed_; metallic utensils are _scoured_; a room is _swept_; soiled garments are _washed_;

foul air or water is _purified_.

_Cleanse_ and _purify_ are used extensively in a moral sense; _wash_ in that sense is archaic.

Compare AMEND.

Antonyms: befoul, bespatter, debase, deprave, soil, stain, taint, besmear, contaminate, defile, pollute, spoil, sully, vitiate.

besmirch, corrupt, Prepositions: Cleanse _of_ or _from_ physical or moral defilement; cleanse _with_ an instrument; _by_ an agent; the room was cleansed _by_ the attendants _with_ soap and water.

* * * * * CLEAR.

Synonyms: apparent, intelligible, pellucid, transparent, diaphanous, limpid, perspicuous, unadorned, distinct, lucid, plain, unambiguous, evident, manifest, straightforward, unequivocal, explicit, obvious, translucent, unmistakable.

_Clear_ (L. _clarus_, bright, brilliant) primarily refers to that which shines, and impresses the mind through the eye with a sense of luster or splendor.

A substance is said to be _clear_ that offers no impediment to vision--is not dim, dark, or obscure.

_Transparent_ refers to the medium through which a substance is seen, _clear_ to the substance itself, without reference to anything to be seen through it; we speak of a stream as _clear_ when we think of the water itself; we speak of it as _transparent_ with reference to the ease with which we see the pebbles at the bottom.

_Clear_ is also said of that which comes to the senses without dimness, dulness, obstruction, or obscurity, so that there is no uncertainty as to its exact form, character, or meaning, with something of the brightness or brilliancy implied in the primary meaning of the word _clear_; as, the outlines of the ship were _clear_ against the sky;

a _clear_ view; a _clear_ note; "_clear_ as a bell;" a _clear_, frosty air; a _clear_ sky; a _clear_ statement; hence, the word is used for that which is free from any kind of obstruction; as, a _clear_ field.

_Lucid_ and _pellucid_ refer to a shining clearness, as of crystal.

A

_transparent_ body allows the forms and colors of objects beyond to be seen through it; a _translucent_ body allows light to pass through, but may not permit forms and colors to be distinguished; plate glass is _transparent_, ground glass is _translucent_.

_Limpid_ refers to a liquid clearness, or that which suggests it; as, _limpid_ streams.

That which is _distinct_ is well defined, especially in outline, each part or object standing or seeming apart from any other, not confused, indefinite, or blurred; _distinct_ enunciation enables the hearer to catch every word or vocal sound without perplexity or confusion; a _distinct_ statement is free from indefiniteness or ambiguity; a _distinct_ apprehension of a thought leaves the mind in no doubt or uncertainty regarding it.

That is _plain_, in the sense here considered, which is, as it were, level to the thought, so that one goes straight on without difficulty or hindrance; as, _plain_ language; a _plain_ statement; a _clear_ explanation.

_Perspicuous_ is often equivalent to _plain_, but _plain_ never wholly loses the meaning of _unadorned_, so that we can say the style is _perspicuous_ tho highly ornate, when we could not call it at once ornate and _plain_.

Compare EVIDENT.

Antonyms: ambiguous, dim, foggy, mysterious, opaque, unintelligible, cloudy, dubious, indistinct, obscure, turbid, vague.

Prepositions: Clear _to_ the mind; clear _in_ argument; clear _of_ or _from_ annoyances.

* * * * * CLEVER.

Synonyms: