English Synonyms and Antonyms — Difficult to Dogmatic

arduous, hard, onerous, toilsome, exhausting, laborious, severe, trying.

_Arduous_ (L. _arduus_, steep) signifies primarily so steep and lofty as to be difficult of ascent, and hence applies to that which involves great and sustained exertion and ordinarily for a lofty aim; great learning can only be won by _arduous_ toil.

_Hard_ applies to anything that resists our endeavors as a scarcely penetrable mass resists our physical force.

Anything is _hard_ that involves tax and strain whether of the physical or mental powers.

_Difficult_ is not used of that which merely taxes physical force; a dead lift is called _hard_ rather than _difficult_; breaking stone on the road would be called _hard_ rather than _difficult_ work; that is _difficult_ which involves skill, sagacity, or address, with or without a considerable expenditure of physical force; a geometrical problem may be _difficult_ to solve, a tangled skein to unravel; a mountain _difficult_ to ascend.

_Hard_ may be active or passive; a thing may be _hard_ to do or _hard_ to bear.

_Arduous_ is always active.

That which is _laborious_ or _toilsome_ simply requires the steady application of labor or toil till accomplished; _toilsome_ is the stronger word.

That which is _onerous_ (L.

_onus_, a burden) is mentally burdensome or oppressive.

Responsibility may be _onerous_ even when it involves no special exertion.

Antonyms: easy, facile, light, pleasant, slight, trifling, trivial.

* * * * * DIRECTION.

Synonyms: aim, bearing, course, inclination, tendency, way.

The _direction_ of an object is the line of motion or of vision toward it, or the line in which the object is moving, considered from our own actual or mental standpoint.

_Way_, literally the road or path, comes naturally to mean the _direction_ of the road or path; conversationally, _way_ is almost a perfect synonym of _direction_; as, which _way_ did he go?

or, in which _direction_?

_Bearing_ is the _direction_ in which an object is seen with reference to another, and especially with reference to the points of the compass.

_Course_ is the _direction_ of a moving object; _inclination_, that toward which a stationary object leans;

_tendency_, the _direction_ toward which anything stretches or reaches out; _tendency_ is stronger and more active than _inclination_.

Compare AIM; CARE; ORDER; OVERSIGHT.

* * * * * DISCERN.

Synonyms: behold, discriminate, observe, recognize, descry, distinguish, perceive, see.

What we _discern_ we _see_ apart from all other objects; what we _discriminate_ we judge apart; what we _distinguish_ we mark apart, or recognize by some special mark or manifest difference.

We _discriminate_ by real differences; we _distinguish_ by outward signs; an officer is readily _distinguished_ from a common soldier by his uniform.

Objects may be dimly _discerned_ at twilight, when yet we can not clearly _distinguish_ one from another.

We _descry_ (originally _espy_) what is difficult to discover.

Compare DISCOVER; LOOK.

* * * * * DISCOVER.

Synonyms: ascertain, detect, disclose, ferret out, find out, descry, discern, expose, find, invent.

Of human actions or character, _detect_ is used, almost without exception, in a bad sense; _discover_ may be used in either the good or the bad sense, oftener in the good; he was _detected_ in a fraud; real merit is sure to be _discovered_.

In scientific language, _detect_ is used of delicate indications that appear in course of careful watching;

as, a slight fluttering of the pulse could be _detected_.

We _discover_ what has existed but has not been known to us; we _invent_ combinations or arrangements not before in use; Columbus _discovered_ America; Morse _invented_ the electric telegraph.

_Find_ is the most general word for every means of coming to know what was not before certainly known.

A man _finds_ in the road some stranger's purse, or _finds_ his own which he is searching for.

The expert _discovers_ or _detects_ an error in an account; the auditor _finds_ the account to be correct.

Compare DISCERN.

Antonyms: See synonyms for HIDE.

* * * * * DISEASE.

Synonyms: affection, disorder, indisposition, sickness, ailment, distemper, infirmity, unhealthiness, complaint, illness, malady, unsoundness.

_Disease_ is the general term for any deviation from health; in a more limited sense it denotes some definite morbid condition; _disorder_ and _affection_ are rather partial and limited; as, a nervous _affection_; a _disorder_ of the digestive system.

_Sickness_ was generally used in English speech and literature, till the close of the eighteenth century at least, for every form of physical _disorder_, as abundantly appears in the English Bible: "Jesus went about ...

healing all manner of _sickness_ and all manner of _disease_ among the people," _Matt.

_ iv, 23; "Elisha was fallen _sick_ of his _sickness_ whereof he died," _2 Kings_ xiii, 14. There is now, in England, a tendency to restrict the words _sick_ and _sickness_ to nausea, or "_sickness_ at the stomach," and to hold _ill_ and _illness_ as the only proper words to use in a general sense.

This distinction has received but a very limited acceptance in the United States, where _sick_ and _sickness_ have the earlier and wider usage.

We speak of trifling _ailments_, a slight _indisposition_, a serious or a deadly _disease_; a slight or severe _illness_; a painful _sickness_.

_Complaint_ is a popular term, which may be applied to any degree of ill health, slight or severe.

_Infirmity_ denotes a chronic or lingering weakness or disability, as blindness or lameness.

Antonyms: health, robustness, soundness, strength, sturdiness, vigor.

* * * * * DISPARAGE.

Synonyms: belittle, depreciate, discredit, underestimate, carp at, derogate from, dishonor, underrate, decry, detract from, lower, undervalue.

To _decry_ is to cry down, in some noisy, public, or conspicuous manner.

A witness or a statement is _discredited_; the currency is _depreciated_; a good name is _dishonored_ by unworthy conduct; we _underestimate_ in our own minds; we may _underrate_ or _undervalue_ in statement to others.

These words are used, with few exceptions, of things such as qualities, merits, attainments, etc. To _disparage_ is to _belittle_ by damaging comparison or suggestion; it is used only of things.

A man's achievements are _disparaged_, his motives _depreciated_, his professions _discredited_; he himself is calumniated, slandered, etc. Compare SLANDER.

Antonyms: See synonyms for PRAISE.

* * * * * DISPLACE.

Synonyms: confuse, derange, disturb, mislay, remove, crowd out, disarrange, jumble, misplace, unsettle.

Objects are _displaced_ when moved out of the place they have occupied;

they are _misplaced_ when put into a place where they should not be.

One may know where to find what he has _misplaced_; what he has _mislaid_ he can not locate.

Antonyms: adjust, assort, dispose, order, put in order, set in order, array, classify, group, place, put in place, sort.

* * * * * DO.

Synonyms: accomplish, carry out, discharge, perform, achieve, carry through, effect, perpetrate, actualize, commit, execute, realize, bring about, complete, finish, transact, bring to pass, consummate, fulfil, work out.

_Do_ is the one comprehensive word which includes this whole class.

We may say of the least item of daily work, "It is _done_," and of the grandest human achievement, "Well _done_!"

_Finish_ and _complete_ signify to bring to an end what was previously begun; there is frequently the difference in usage that _finish_ is applied to the fine details and is superficial, while _complete_ is comprehensive, being applied to the whole ideal, plan, and execution; as, to _finish_ a statue; to _complete_ a scheme of philosophy.

To _discharge_ is to _do_ what is given in charge, expected, or required; as, to _discharge_ the duties of the office.

To _fulfil_ is to _do_ or to be what has been promised, expected, hoped, or desired; as, a son _fulfils_ a father's hopes.

_Realize_, _effect_, _execute_, and _consummate_ all signify to embody in fact what was before in thought.

One may _realize_ that which he has done nothing to _bring about_; he may _realize_ the dreams of youth by inheriting a fortune; but he can not _effect_ his early designs except by _doing_ the utmost that is necessary to make them fact.

_Effect_ includes all that is _done_ to _accomplish_ the intent;

_execute_ refers rather to the final steps; _consummate_ is limited quite sharply to the concluding act.

An officer _executes_ the law when he proceeds against its violators; a purchase is _consummated_ when the money is paid and the property delivered.

_Execute_ refers more commonly to the commands of another, _effect_ and _consummate_ to one's own designs; as, the commander _effected_ the capture of the fort, because his officers and men promptly _executed_ his commands.

_Achieve_--to _do_ something worthy of a chief--signifies always to _perform_ some great and generally some worthy exploit.

_Perform_ and _accomplish_ both imply working toward the end; but _perform_ always allows a possibility of not attaining, while _accomplish_ carries the thought of full completion.

In Longfellow's lines, "Patience; _accomplish_ thy labor," etc. , _perform_ could not be substituted without great loss.

As between _complete_ and _accomplish_, _complete_ considers rather the thing as _done_; _accomplish_, the whole process of doing it.

_Commit_, as applied to actions, is used only of those that are bad, whether grave or trivial; _perpetrate_ is used chiefly of aggravated crimes or, somewhat humorously, of blunders.

A man may _commit_ a sin, a trespass, or a murder; _perpetrate_ an outrage or a felony.

We _finish_ a garment or a letter, _complete_ an edifice or a life-work, _consummate_ a bargain or a crime, _discharge_ a duty, _effect_ a purpose, _execute_ a command, _fulfil_ a promise, _perform_ our daily tasks, _realize_ an ideal, _accomplish_ a design, _achieve_ a victory.

Compare TRANSACT;

TRANSACTION.

Antonyms: baffle, defeat, fail, mar, miss, ruin, come short, destroy, frustrate, miscarry, neglect, spoil.

* * * * * DOCILE.

Synonyms: amenable, manageable, pliant, teachable, compliant, obedient, submissive, tractable, gentle, pliable, tame, yielding.

One who is _docile_ is easily taught; one who is _tractable_ is easily led; one who is _pliant_ is easily bent in any direction; _compliant_ represents one as inclined or persuaded to agreement with another's will.

Compare DUTY.

Antonyms: determined, inflexible, opinionated, self-willed, wilful, dogged, intractable, resolute, stubborn, unyielding.

firm, obstinate, * * * * * DOCTRINE.

Synonyms: article of belief, belief, precept, teaching, article of faith, dogma, principle, tenet.

_Doctrine_ primarily signifies that which is taught; _principle_, the fundamental basis on which the _teaching_ rests.

A _doctrine_ is reasoned out, and may be defended by reasoning; a _dogma_ rests on authority, as of direct revelation, the decision of the church, etc. A

_doctrine_ or _dogma_ is a statement of some one item of _belief_; a _creed_ is a summary of _doctrines_ or _dogmas_.

_Dogma_ has commonly, at the present day, an offensive signification, as of a _belief_ arrogantly asserted.

_Tenet_ is simply that which is held, and is applied to a single item of _belief_; it is a neutral word, neither approving nor condemning; we speak of the _doctrines_ of our own church;

of the _tenets_ of others.

A _precept_ relates not to _belief_, but to conduct.

Compare FAITH; LAW.

* * * * * DOGMATIC.

Synonyms: arrogant, doctrinal, magisterial, positive, authoritative, domineering, opinionated, self-opinionated, dictatorial, imperious, overbearing, systematic.

_Dogmatic_ is technically applied in a good sense to that which is formally enunciated by adequate authority; _doctrinal_ to that which is stated in the form of doctrine to be taught or defended.

_Dogmatic_ theology, called also "dogmatics," gives definite propositions, which it holds to be delivered by authority; _systematic_ theology considers the same propositions in their logical connection and order as parts of a system; a _doctrinal_ statement is less absolute in its claims than a _dogmatic_ treatise, and may be more partial than the term _systematic_ would imply.

Outside of theology, _dogmatic_ has generally an offensive sense; a _dogmatic_ statement is one for which the author does not trouble himself to give a reason, either because of the strength of his convictions, or because of his contempt for those whom he addresses;

thus _dogmatic_ is, in common use, allied with _arrogant_ and kindred words.

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