English Synonyms and Antonyms — Delightful to Difference

Synonyms: acceptable, delicious, pleasant, refreshing, agreeable, grateful, pleasing, satisfying, congenial, gratifying, pleasurable, welcome.

_Agreeable_ refers to whatever gives a mild degree of pleasure; as, an _agreeable_ perfume.

_Acceptable_ indicates a thing to be worthy of acceptance; as, an _acceptable_ offering.

_Grateful_ is stronger than _agreeable_ or _gratifying_, indicating whatever awakens a feeling akin to gratitude.

A _pleasant_ face and _pleasing_ manners arouse _pleasurable_ sensations, and make the possessor an _agreeable_ companion; if possessed of intelligence, vivacity, and goodness, such a person's society will be _delightful_.

Criminals may find each other's company _congenial_, but scarcely _delightful_.

_Satisfying_ denotes anything that is received with calm acquiescence, as substantial food, or established truth.

That is _welcome_ which is received with joyful heartiness; as, _welcome_ tidings.

Compare BEAUTIFUL; CHARMING;

DELICIOUS.

Antonyms: depressing, hateful, miserable, painful, woful, disappointing, horrible, mournful, saddening, wretched.

distressing, melancholy, * * * * * DELUSION.

Synonyms: error, fallacy, hallucination, illusion, phantasm.

A _delusion_ is a mistaken conviction, an _illusion_ a mistaken perception or inference.

An _illusion_ may be wholly of the senses; a _delusion_ always involves some mental error.

In an optical _illusion_ the observer sees either what does not exist, or what exists otherwise than as he sees it, as when in a mirage distant springs and trees appear close at hand.

We speak of the _illusions_ of fancy or of hope, but of the _delusions_ of the insane.

A _hallucination_ is a false image or belief which has nothing, outside of the disordered mind, to suggest it;

as, the _hallucinations_ of delirium tremens.

Compare DECEPTION;

INSANITY.

Antonyms: actuality, certainty, fact, reality, truth, verity.

* * * * * DEMOLISH.

Synonyms: destroy, overthrow, overturn, raze, ruin.

A building, monument, or other structure is _demolished_ when reduced to a shapeless mass; it is _razed_ when leveled with the ground; it is _destroyed_ when its structural unity is gone, whether or not its component parts remain.

An edifice is _destroyed_ by fire or earthquake;

it is _demolished_ by bombardment; it is _ruined_ when, by violence or neglect, it has become unfit for human habitation.

Compare ABOLISH;

BREAK.

Antonyms: build, construct, create, make, repair, restore.

* * * * * DEMONSTRATION.

Synonyms: certainty, consequence, evidence, inference, conclusion, deduction, induction, proof.

_Demonstration_, in the strict and proper sense, is the highest form of _proof_, and gives the most absolute _certainty_, but can not be applied outside of pure mathematics or other strictly deductive reasoning; there can be _proof_ and _certainty_, however, in matters that do not admit of _demonstration_.

A _conclusion_ is the absolute and necessary result of the admission of certain premises; an _inference_ is a probable _conclusion_ toward which known facts, statements, or admissions point, but which they do not absolutely establish; sound premises, together with their necessary _conclusion_, constitute a _demonstration_.

_Evidence_ is that which tends to show a thing to be true; in the widest sense, as including self-_evidence_ or consciousness, it is the basis of all knowledge.

_Proof_ in the strict sense is complete, irresistible _evidence_; as, there was much _evidence_ against the accused, but not amounting to _proof_ of guilt.

Moral _certainty_ is a conviction resting on such _evidence_ as puts a matter beyond reasonable doubt, while not so irresistible as _demonstration_.

Compare HYPOTHESIS;

INDUCTION.

* * * * * DESIGN.

Synonyms: aim, final cause, object, proposal, device, intent, plan, purpose, end, intention, project, scheme.

_Design_ refers to the adaptation of means to an _end_, the correspondence and coordination of parts, or of separate acts, to produce a result; _intent_ and _purpose_ overleap all particulars, and fasten on the _end_ itself.

_Intention_ is simply the more familiar form of the legal and philosophical _intent_.

_Plan_ relates to details of form, structure, and action, in themselves; _design_ considers these same details all as a means to an _end_.

The _plan_ of a campaign may be for a series of sharp attacks, with the _design_ of thus surprising and overpowering the enemy.

A man comes to a fixed _intention_ to kill his enemy; he forms a _plan_ to entrap him into his power, with the _design_ of then compassing his death; as the law can not read the heart, it can only infer the _intent_ from the evidences of _design_.

_Intent_ denotes a straining, stretching forth toward an _object_; _purpose_ simply the placing it before oneself; hence, we speak of the _purpose_ rather than the _intent_ or _intention_ of God.

We hold that the marks of _design_ in nature prove it the work of a great Designer.

_Intention_ contemplates the possibility of failure; _purpose_ looks to assured success; _intent_ or _intention_ refers especially to the state of mind of the actor; _purpose_ to the result of the action.

Compare AIM; CAUSE;

IDEA; MODEL.

Prepositions: The design _of_ defrauding; the design _of_ a building; a design _for_ a statue.

* * * * * DESIRE.

Synonyms: appetency, concupiscence, hankering, proclivity, appetite, coveting, inclination, propensity, aspiration, craving, longing, wish.

_Inclination_ is the mildest of these terms; it is a quiet, or even a vague or unconscious, tendency.

Even when we speak of a strong or decided _inclination_ we do not express the intensity of _desire_.

_Desire_ has a wide range, from the highest objects to the lowest;

_desire_ is for an object near at hand, or near in thought, and viewed as attainable; a _wish_ may be for what is remote or uncertain, or even for what is recognized as impossible.

_Craving_ is stronger than _hankering_; _hankering_ may be the result of a fitful and capricious _appetite_; _craving_ may be the imperious and reasonable demand of the whole nature.

_Longing_ is a reaching out with deep and persistent demand for that which is viewed as now distant but at some time attainable; as, the captive's _longing_ for release.

_Coveting_ ordinarily denotes wrong _desire_ for that which is another's. Compare APPETITE.

Antonyms: See synonyms for ANTIPATHY.

Prepositions: The desire _of_ fame; a desire _for_ excellence.

* * * * * DESPAIR.

Synonyms: desperation, despondency, discouragement, hopelessness.

_Discouragement_ is the result of so much repulse or failure as wears out courage.

_Discouragements_ too frequent and long continued may produce a settled _hopelessness_.

_Hopelessness_ is negative, and may result from simple apathy; _despondency_ and _despair_ are more emphatic and decided.

_Despondency_ is an incapacity for the present exercise of hope; _despair_ is the utter abandonment of hope.

_Despondency_ relaxes energy and effort and is always attended with sadness or distress;

_despair_ may produce a stony calmness, or it may lead to _desperation_.

_Desperation_ is energized _despair_, vigorous in action, reckless of consequences.

Antonyms: anticipation, confidence, encouragement, expectation, hopefulness, assurance, courage, expectancy, hope, trust.

cheer, elation, * * * * * DEXTERITY.

Synonyms: adroitness, aptitude, cleverness, expertness, readiness, skill.

_Adroitness_ (F. _à_, to, and _droit_, right) and _dexterity_ (L. _dexter_, right, right-hand) might each be rendered "right-handedness;"

but _adroitness_ carries more of the idea of eluding, parrying, or checking some hostile movement, or taking advantage of another in controversy; _dexterity_ conveys the idea of doing, accomplishing something readily and well, without reference to any action of others.

We speak of _adroitness_ in fencing, boxing, or debate; of _dexterity_ in horsemanship, in the use of tools, weapons, etc. _Aptitude_ (L. _aptus_, fit, fitted) is a natural _readiness_, which by practise may be developed into _dexterity_.

_Skill_ is more exact to line, rule, and method than _dexterity_.

_Dexterity_ can not be communicated, and, oftentimes can not even be explained by its possessor; _skill_ to a very great extent can be imparted; "_skilled_ workmen" in various trades are numbered by thousands.

Compare ADDRESS; CLEVER; POWER; SKILFUL.

Prepositions: Dexterity _of_ hand, _of_ movement, _of_ management; _with_ the pen;

_in_ action, _in_ manipulating men; _at_ cards.

* * * * * DICTION.

Synonyms: expression, phrase, style, vocabulary, language, phraseology, verbiage, wording.

An author's _diction_ is strictly his choice and use of words, with no special reference to thought; _expression_ regards the words simply as the vehicle of the thought.

_Phrase_ and _phraseology_ apply to words or combinations of words which are somewhat technical; as, in legal _phraseology_; in military _phrase_.

_Diction_ is general; _wording_ is limited; we speak of the _diction_ of an author or of a work, the _wording_ of a proposition, of a resolution, etc. _Verbiage_ never bears this sense (see CIRCUMLOCUTION.

) The _language_ of a writer or speaker may be the national speech he employs; as, the English or French _language_; or the word may denote his use of that _language_; as, the author's _language_ is well (or ill) chosen.

_Style_ includes _diction_, _expression_, rhetorical figures such as metaphor and simile, the effect of an author's prevailing tone of thought, of his personal traits--in short, all that makes up the clothing of thought in words; thus, we speak of a figurative _style_, a frigid or an argumentative _style_, etc. , or of the _style_ of Macaulay, Prescott, or others.

An author's _vocabulary_ is the range of words which he brings into his use.

Compare LANGUAGE.

* * * * * DIE.

Synonyms: cease, decline, expire, perish, decease, depart, fade, wither.

_Die_, to go out of life, become destitute of vital power and action, is figuratively applied to anything which has the appearance of life.

Where the _dying_ night-lamp flickers.

TENNYSON _Locksley Hall_ st. 40. An echo, a strain of music, a tempest, a topic, an issue, _dies_.

_Expire_ (literally, to breathe out) is a softer word for _die_; it is used figuratively of things that _cease_ to exist by reaching a natural limit; as, a lease _expires_; the time has _expired_.

To _perish_ (literally, in Latin, to go through, as in English we say, "the fire goes out") is oftenest used of death by privation or exposure; as, "I _perish_ with hunger," _Luke_ xv, 17; sometimes, of death by violence.

Knowledge and fame, art and empires, may be said to _perish_; the word denotes utter destruction and decay.

Antonyms: be born, come into being, flourish, rise again, begin, come to life, grow, rise from the dead, be immortal, exist, live, survive.

Prepositions: To die _of_ fever; _by_ violence; rarely, _with_ the sword, famine, etc. (_Ezek.

_ vii, 15); to die _for_ one's country; to die _at_ sea; _in_ one's bed; _in_ agony; die _to_ the world.

* * * * * DIFFERENCE.

Synonyms: contrariety, discrimination, distinction, inequality, contrast, disparity, divergence, unlikeness, disagreement, dissimilarity, diversity, variation, discrepancy, dissimilitude, inconsistency, variety.

_Difference_ is the state or quality of being unlike or the amount of such unlikeness.

A _difference_ is in the things compared; a _discrimination_ is in our judgment of them; a _distinction_ is in our definition or description or mental image of them.

Careful _discrimination_ of real _differences_ results in clear _distinctions_.

_Disparity_ is stronger than _inequality_, implying that one thing falls far below another; as, the _disparity_ of our achievements when compared with our ideals.

_Dissimilarity_ is between things sharply contrasted;

there may be a _difference_ between those almost alike.

There is a _discrepancy_ in accounts that fail to balance.

_Variety_ involves more than two objects; so, in general, does _diversity_; _variation_ is a _difference_ in the condition or action of the same object at different times.

_Disagreement_ is not merely the lack, but the opposite, of agreement; it is a mild word for opposition and conflict; _difference_ is sometimes used in the same sense.

Antonyms: agreement, harmony, likeness, sameness, uniformity, consonance, identity, resemblance, similarity, unity.

Prepositions: Difference _between_ the old and the new; differences _among_ men; a difference _in_ character; _of_ action; _of_ style; (less frequently) a difference (controversy) _with_ a person; a difference _of_ one thing _from_ (incorrectly _to_) another.

* * * * * DIFFICULT.

Synonyms: