English Synonyms and Antonyms — Absolute to Accessory

In the strict sense, _absolute_, free from all limitation or control, and _supreme_, superior to all, can not properly be said of any being except the divine.

Both words are used, however, in a modified sense, of human authorities; _absolute_ then signifying free from limitation by other authority, and _supreme_ exalted over all other; as, an _absolute_ monarch, the _supreme_ court.

_Absolute_, in this use, does not necessarily carry any unfavorable sense, but as _absolute_ power in human hands is always abused, the unfavorable meaning predominates.

_Autocratic_ power knows no limits outside the ruler's self; _arbitrary_ power, none outside the ruler's will or judgment, _arbitrary_ carrying the implication of wilfulness and capriciousness.

_Despotic_ is commonly applied to a masterful or severe use of power, which is expressed more decidedly by _tyrannical_.

_Arbitrary_ may be used in a good sense; as, the pronunciation of proper names is _arbitrary_; but the bad sense is the prevailing one; as, an _arbitrary_ proceeding.

_Irresponsible_ power is not necessarily bad, but eminently dangerous; an executor or trustee should not be _irresponsible_; an _irresponsible_ ruler is likely to be _tyrannical_.

A perfect ruler might be _irresponsible_ and not _tyrannical_.

_Authoritative_ is used always in a good sense, implying the right to claim authority; _imperative_, _peremptory_, and _positive_ are used ordinarily in the good sense; as, an _authoritative_ definition; an _imperative_ demand; a _peremptory_ command; _positive_ instructions; _imperious_ signifies assuming and determined to command, rigorously requiring obedience.

An _imperious_ demand or requirement may have in it nothing offensive; it is simply one that resolutely insists upon compliance, and will not brook refusal; an _arrogant_ demand is offensive by its tone of superiority, an _arbitrary_ demand by its unreasonableness; an _imperious_ disposition is liable to become _arbitrary_ and _arrogant_.

A person of an independent spirit is inclined to resent an _imperious_ manner in any one, especially in one whose superiority is not clearly recognized.

_Commanding_ is always used in a good sense; as, a _commanding_ appearance; a _commanding_ eminence.

Compare DOGMATIC; INFINITE; PERFECT.

Antonyms: accountable, constitutional, gentle, lowly, responsible, complaisant, contingent, humble, meek, submissive, compliant, docile, lenient, mild, yielding.

conditional, ductile, limited, * * * * * ABSOLVE.

Synonyms: acquit, exculpate, forgive, pardon, clear, exempt, free, release, discharge, exonerate, liberate, set free.

To _absolve_, in the strict sense, is to _set free_ from any bond.

One may be _absolved_ from a promise by a breach of faith on the part of one to whom the promise was made.

To _absolve_ from sins is formally to remit their condemnation and penalty, regarded as a bond upon the soul.

"Almighty God ...

_pardoneth_ and _absolveth_ all those who truly repent, and unfeignedly believe his holy Gospel."

_Book of Common Prayer, Declar.

of Absol.

_ To _acquit_ of sin or crime is to _free_ from the accusation of it, pronouncing one guiltless; the innocent are rightfully _acquitted_; the guilty may be mercifully _absolved_.

Compare PARDON.

Antonyms: accuse, charge, condemn, impeach, obligate, bind, compel, convict, inculpate, oblige.

Preposition: One is absolved _from_ (rarely _of_) a promise, a sin, etc. * * * * * ABSORB.

Synonyms: consume, engross, suck up, take in, drink in, exhaust, swallow, take up.

drink up, imbibe, swallow up, A fluid that is _absorbed_ is _taken up_ into the mass of the _absorbing_ body, with which it may or may not permanently combine.

Wood expands when it _absorbs_ moisture, iron when it _absorbs_ heat, the substance remaining perhaps otherwise substantially unchanged;

quicklime, when it _absorbs_ water, becomes a new substance with different qualities, hydrated or slaked lime.

A substance is _consumed_ which is destructively appropriated by some other substance, being, or agency, so that it ceases to exist or to be recognized as existing in its original condition; fuel is _consumed_ in the fire, food in the body; _consume_ is also applied to whatever is removed from the market for individual use; as, silk and woolen goods are _consumed_.

A great talker _engrosses_ the conversation.

A credulous person _swallows_ the most preposterous statement.

A busy student _imbibes_ or _drinks in_ knowledge; he is _absorbed_ in a subject that takes his whole attention.

"I only postponed it because I happened to get _absorbed_ in a book."

KANE _Grinnell Exped.

_ ch. 43, page 403. [H.

'54. ] Antonyms: cast out, dissipate, emit, put forth, shoot forth, disgorge, distract, exude, radiate, throw off, disperse, eject, give up, send out, vomit.

Prepositions: Plants absorb moisture _from_ the air; the student is absorbed _in_ thought; nutriment may be absorbed _into_ the system _through_ the skin.

* * * * * ABSTINENCE.

Synonyms: abstemiousness, frugality, self-denial, sobriety, continence, moderation, self-restraint, temperance.

fasting, self-control, _Abstinence_ from food commonly signifies going without;

_abstemiousness_, partaking moderately; _abstinence_ may be for a single occasion, _abstemiousness_ is habitual _moderation_.

_Self-denial_ is giving up what one wishes; _abstinence_ may be refraining from what one does not desire.

_Fasting_ is _abstinence_ from food for a limited time, and generally for religious reasons.

_Sobriety_ and _temperance_ signify maintaining a quiet, even temper by moderate indulgence in some things, complete _abstinence_ from others.

We speak of _temperance_ in eating, but of _abstinence_ from vice.

_Total abstinence_ has come to signify the entire abstaining from intoxicating liquors.

Antonyms: drunkenness, greed, reveling, sensuality, excess, intemperance, revelry, wantonness.

gluttony, intoxication, self-indulgence, Preposition: The negative side of virtue is abstinence _from_ vice.

* * * * * ABSTRACT, _v.

_ Synonyms: appropriate, distract, purloin, steal, detach, divert, remove, take away, discriminate, eliminate, separate, withdraw.

distinguish, The central idea of _withdrawing_ makes _abstract_ in common speech a euphemism for _appropriate_ (unlawfully), _purloin_, _steal_.

In mental processes we _discriminate_ between objects by _distinguishing_ their differences; we _separate_ some one element from all that does not necessarily belong to it, _abstract_ it, and view it alone.

We may _separate_ two ideas, and hold both in mind in comparison or contrast;

but when we _abstract_ one of them, we drop the other out of thought.

The mind is _abstracted_ when it is _withdrawn_ from all other subjects and concentrated upon one, _diverted_ when it is drawn away from what it would or should attend to by some other interest, _distracted_ when the attention is divided among different subjects, so that it can not be given properly to any.

The trouble with the _distracted_ person is that he is not _abstracted_.

Compare DISCERN.

Antonyms: add, complete, fill up, restore, unite.

combine, conjoin, increase, strengthen, Prepositions: The purse may be abstracted _from_ the pocket; the substance _from_ the accidents; a book _into_ a compend.

* * * * * ABSTRACTED.

Synonyms: absent, heedless, listless, preoccupied, absent-minded, inattentive, negligent, thoughtless.

absorbed, indifferent, oblivious, As regards mental action, _absorbed_, _abstracted_, and _preoccupied_ refer to the cause, _absent_ or _absent-minded_ to the effect.

The man _absorbed_ in one thing will appear _absent_ in others.

A _preoccupied_ person may seem _listless_ and _thoughtless_, but the really _listless_ and _thoughtless_ have not mental energy to be _preoccupied_.

The _absent-minded_ man is _oblivious_ of ordinary matters, because his thoughts are elsewhere.

One who is _preoccupied_ is intensely busy in thought; one may be _absent-minded_ either through intense concentration or simply through inattention, with fitful and aimless wandering of thought.

Compare ABSTRACT.

Antonyms: alert, on hand, ready, wide-awake.

attentive, prompt, thoughtful, * * * * * ABSURD.

Synonyms: anomalous, ill-considered, ludicrous, ridiculous, chimerical, ill-judged, mistaken, senseless, erroneous, inconclusive, monstrous, stupid, false, incorrect, nonsensical, unreasonable, foolish, infatuated, paradoxical, wild.

ill-advised, irrational, preposterous, That is _absurd_ which is contrary to the first principles of reasoning;

as, that a part should be greater than the whole is _absurd_.

A

_paradoxical_ statement appears at first thought contradictory or _absurd_, while it may be really true.

Anything is _irrational_ when clearly contrary to sound reason, _foolish_ when contrary to practical good sense, _silly_ when petty and contemptible in its folly, _erroneous_ when containing error that vitiates the result, _unreasonable_ when there seems a perverse bias or an intent to go wrong.

_Monstrous_ and _preposterous_ refer to what is overwhelmingly _absurd_; as, "_O monstrous!

_ eleven buckram men grown out of two," SHAKESPEARE _1 King Henry IV_, act ii, sc.

4. The _ridiculous_ or the _nonsensical_ is worthy only to be laughed at.

The lunatic's claim to be a king is _ridiculous_; the Mother Goose rimes are _nonsensical_.

Compare INCONGRUOUS.

Antonyms: certain, incontrovertible, rational, substantial, consistent, indisputable, reasonable, true, demonstrable, indubitable, sagacious, undeniable, demonstrated, infallible, sensible, unquestionable, established, logical, sound, wise.

incontestable, * * * * * ABUSE.

Synonyms: aggrieve, impose on _or_ oppress, ruin, damage, upon, persecute, slander, defame, injure, pervert, victimize, defile, malign, prostitute, vilify, disparage, maltreat, rail at, violate, harm, misemploy, ravish, vituperate, ill-treat, misuse, reproach, wrong.

ill-use, molest, revile, _Abuse_ covers all unreasonable or improper use or treatment by word or act.

A tenant does not _abuse_ rented property by "reasonable wear," though that may _damage_ the property and _injure_ its sale; he may _abuse_ it by needless defacement or neglect.

It is possible to _abuse_ a man without _harming_ him, as when the criminal _vituperates_ the judge; or to _harm_ a man without _abusing_ him, as when the witness tells the truth about the criminal.

_Defame_, _malign_, _rail at_, _revile_, _slander_, _vilify_, and _vituperate_ are used always in a bad sense.

One may be justly _reproached_.

To _impose on_ or to _victimize_ one is to _injure_ him by _abusing_ his confidence.

To _persecute_ one is to _ill-treat_ him for opinion's sake, commonly for religious belief;

to _oppress_ is generally for political or pecuniary motives.

"Thou shalt not _oppress_ an hired servant that is poor and needy," _Deut.

_ xxiv, 14. _Misemploy_, _misuse_, and _pervert_ are commonly applied to objects rather than to persons.

A dissolute youth _misemploys_ his time, _misuses_ his money and opportunities, _harms_ his associates, _perverts_ his talents, _wrongs_ his parents, _ruins_ himself, _abuses_ every good gift of God.

Antonyms: applaud, conserve, favor, protect, sustain, benefit, consider, laud, regard, tend, care for, eulogize, panegyrize, respect, uphold, cherish, extol, praise, shield, vindicate.

* * * * * ACCESSORY.

Synonyms: abetter _or_ abettor, associate, companion, henchman, accomplice, attendant, confederate, participator, ally, coadjutor, follower, partner, assistant, colleague, helper, retainer.

_Colleague_ is used always in a good sense, _associate_ and _coadjutor_ generally so; _ally_, _assistant_, _associate_, _attendant_, _companion_, _helper_, either in a good or a bad sense; _abetter_, _accessory_, _accomplice_, _confederate_, almost always in a bad sense.

_Ally_ is oftenest used of national and military matters, or of some other connection regarded as great and important; as, _allies_ of despotism.

_Colleague_ is applied to civil and ecclesiastical connections; members of Congress from the same State are _colleagues_, even though they may be bitter opponents politically and personally.

An _Associate_ Justice of the Supreme Court is near in _rank_ to the Chief Justice.

A surgeon's _assistant_ is a physician or medical student who shares in the treatment and care of patients; a surgeon's _attendant_ is one who rolls bandages and the like.

_Follower_, _henchman_, _retainer_ are persons especially devoted to a chief, and generally bound to him by necessity, fee, or reward.

_Partner_ has come to denote almost exclusively a business connection.

In law, an _abettor_ (the general legal spelling) is always present, either actively or constructively, at the commission of the crime; an _accessory_ never.

An _accomplice_ is usually a principal; an _accessory_ never.

If present, though only to stand outside and keep watch against surprise, one is an _abettor_, and not an _accessory_.

At common law, an _accessory_ implies a principal, and can not be convicted until after the conviction of the principal;

the _accomplice_ or _abettor_ can be convicted as a principal.

_Accomplice_ and _abettor_ have nearly the same meaning, but the former is the popular, the latter more distinctively the legal term.

Compare APPENDAGE; AUXILIARY.

Antonyms: adversary, chief, foe, leader, principal, antagonist, commander, hinderer, opponent, rival.

betrayer, enemy, instigator, opposer, Prepositions: An accessory _to_ the crime; _before_ or _after_ the fact; the accessories _of_ a figure _in_ a painting.

* * * * * ACCIDENT.

Synonyms: