English Synonyms and Antonyms — Food to Frugality

aliment, feed, nourishment, pabulum, sustenance, diet, fodder, nutriment, provender, viands, fare, forage, nutrition, regimen, victuals.

_Food_ is, in the popular sense, whatever one eats in contradistinction to what one drinks.

Thus, we speak of _food_ and drink, of wholesome, unwholesome, or indigestible _food_; but in a more scientific sense whatever, when taken into the digestive organs, serves to build up structure or supply waste may be termed _food_; the word is extended to plants to signify whatever taken in any way into the organism serves similar purposes; thus, we speak of liquid _food_, plant _food_, etc. ;

in this wider sense _food_ is closely synonymous with _nutriment_, _nourishment_, and _sustenance_.

_Diet_ refers to the quantity and quality of _food_ habitually taken, with reference to preservation of health.

_Victuals_ is a plain, homely word for whatever may be eaten; we speak of choice _viands_, cold _victuals_.

_Nourishment_ and _sustenance_ apply to whatever can be introduced into the system as a means of sustaining life; we say of a convalescent, he is taking _nourishment_.

_Nutriment_ and _nutrition_ have more of scientific reference to the vitalizing principles of various _foods_; thus, wheat is said to contain a great amount of _nutriment_.

_Regimen_ considers _food_ as taken by strict rule, but applies more widely to the whole ordering of life.

_Fare_ is a general word for all table supplies, good or bad; as, sumptuous _fare_; wretched _fare_.

_Feed_, _fodder_, and _provender_ are used only of the food of the lower animals, _feed_ denoting anything consumed, but more commonly grain, _fodder_ denoting hay, cornstalks, or the like, sometimes called "long _feed_;"

_provender_ is dry _feed_, whether grain or hay, straw, etc. _Forage_ denotes any kind of _food_ suitable for horses and cattle, primarily as obtained by a military force in scouring the country, especially an enemy's country.

* * * * * FORMIDABLE.

Synonyms: dangerous, redoubted, terrible, tremendous.

That which is _formidable_ is worthy of fear if encountered or opposed;

as, a _formidable_ array of troops, or of evidence.

_Formidable_ is a word of more dignity than _dangerous_, and suggests more calm and collected power than _terrible_; _formidable_ is less overwhelming than _tremendous_.

A loaded gun is _dangerous_; a park of artillery is _formidable_; a charge of cavalry is _terrible_; the full shock of great armies is _tremendous_.

A _dangerous_ man is likely to do mischief, and needs watching; a _formidable_ man may not be _dangerous_ if not attacked; an enraged maniac is _terrible_; the force of ocean waves in a storm, and the silent pressure in the ocean depths, are _tremendous_.

Antonyms: contemptible, feeble, harmless, helpless, powerless, weak.

despicable, Prepositions: Formidable _by_ or _in_ numbers; _in_ strength; formidable _to_ the enemy.

* * * * * FORTIFICATION.

Synonyms: castle, citadel, fastness, fort, fortress, stronghold.

_Fortification_ is the general word for any artificial defensive work; a _fortress_ is a _fortification_ of especial size and strength; a _fortress_ is regarded as permanent, and is ordinarily an independent work; a _fort_ or _fortification_ may be temporary; a _fortification_ may be but part of a defensive system; we speak of the _fortifications_ of a city.

A _citadel_ is a _fortification_ within a city, or the fortified inner part of a city or _fortress_, within which a garrison may be placed to overawe the citizens, or to which the defenders may retire if the outer works are captured; the medieval _castle_ was the fortified residence of a king or baron.

_Fort_ is the common military term for a detached fortified building or enclosure of moderate size occupied or designed to be occupied by troops.

The _fortifications_ of a modern city usually consist of a chain of _forts_.

Any defensible place, whether made so by nature or by art, is a _fastness_ or _stronghold_.

* * * * * FORTITUDE.

Synonyms: courage, endurance, heroism, resolution.

_Fortitude_ (L. _fortis_, strong) is the strength or firmness of mind or soul to endure pain or adversity patiently and determinedly.

_Fortitude_ has been defined as "passive _courage_," which is a good definition, but not complete.

_Fortitude_ might be termed "still _courage_," or "enduring _courage_;" it is that quality which is able not merely to endure pain or trial, but steadily to confront dangers that can not be actively opposed, or against which one has no adequate defense; it takes _courage_ to charge a battery, _fortitude_ to stand still under an enemy's fire.

_Resolution_ is of the mind; _endurance_ is partly physical; it requires _resolution_ to resist temptation, _endurance_ to resist hunger and cold.

Compare BRAVE; PATIENCE.

* * * * * FORTUNATE.

Synonyms: favored, lucky, prospered, prosperous, successful.

happy, A man is _successful_ in any case if he achieves or gains what he seeks;

he is known as a _successful_ man if he has achieved or gained worthy objects of endeavor; he is _fortunate_ or _lucky_ if advantages have come to him without or beyond his direct planning or achieving.

_Lucky_ is the more common and colloquial, _fortunate_ the more elegant word;

_fortunate_ is more naturally applied to the graver matters, as we speak of the _fortunate_, rather than the _lucky_, issue of a great battle;

_lucky_ more strongly emphasizes the element of chance, as when we speak of a _lucky_ hit, a _lucky_ guess, or of one as "born under a _lucky_ star."

_Favored_ is used in a religious sense, implying that one is the object of divine favor.

_Happy_, in this connection, signifies possessed of the means of happiness.

One is said to be _happy_ or _prosperous_ whether his prosperity be the result of fortune or of achievement;

_prospered_ rather denotes the action of a superintending Providence.

Antonyms: broken, fallen, miserable, unhappy, woful, crushed, ill-starred, unfortunate, unlucky, wretched.

* * * * * FRAUD.

Synonyms: artifice, deceit, duplicity, swindle, treason, cheat, deception, imposition, swindling, trick.

cheating, dishonesty, imposture, treachery, A _fraud_ is an act of deliberate _deception_ with the design of securing something by taking unfair advantage of another.

A _deceit_ or _deception_ may be designed merely to gain some end of one's own, with no intent of harming another; an _imposition_, to take some small advantage of another, or simply to make another ridiculous.

An _imposture_ is designed to obtain money, credit, or position to which one is not entitled, and may be practised by a street beggar or by the pretender to a throne.

All action that is not honest is _dishonesty_, but the term _dishonesty_ is generally applied in business, politics, etc. , to deceitful practises which are not directly criminal.

_Fraud_ includes _deceit_, but _deceit_ may not reach the gravity of _fraud_; a _cheat_ is of the nature of _fraud_, but of a petty sort; a _swindle_ is more serious than a _cheat_, involving larger values and more flagrant _dishonesty_.

_Fraud_ is commonly actionable at law; _cheating_ and _swindling_ are for the most part out of the reach of legal proceedings.

_Treachery_ is chiefly used of _dishonesty_ in matters of friendship, social relations, government, or war; _treachery_ may be more harmful than _fraud_, but is not so gross, and is not ordinarily open to legal redress.

_Treason_ is a specific form of _treachery_ of a subject to the government to which he owes allegiance, and is definable and punishable at law.

Compare ARTIFICE; DECEPTION.

Antonyms: fairness, good faith, honesty, integrity, truth, uprightness.

* * * * * FRIENDLY.

Synonyms: accessible, companionable, genial, neighborly, affable, complaisant, hearty, sociable, affectionate, cordial, kind, social, amicable, favorable, kindly, tender, brotherly, fond, loving, well-disposed.

_Friendly_, as said of persons, signifies having the disposition of a friend; as said of acts, it signifies befitting or worthy of a friend.

The adjective _friendly_ does not reach the full significance of the nouns "friend" and "friendship;" one may be _friendly_ to those who are not his friends, and to be in _friendly_ relations often signifies little more than not to be hostile.

In its application to persons, _accessible_ is used of public and eminent persons, who might, if disposed, hold themselves at a distance from others.

_Companionable_ and _sociable_ refer to manner and behavior, _cordial_ and _genial_ express genuine kindliness of heart.

We speak of a _cordial_ greeting, a _favorable_ reception, a _neighborly_ call, a _sociable_ visitor, an _amicable_ settlement, a _kind_ interest, a _friendly_ regard, a _hearty_ welcome.

The Saxon _friendly_ is stronger than the Latin _amicable_; the _amicable_ may be merely formal; the _friendly_ is from the heart.

_Fond_ is commonly applied to an affection that becomes, or at least appears, excessive.

_Affectionate_, _devoted_, and _tender_ are almost always used in a high and good sense; as, an _affectionate_ son;

a _devoted_ friend; "the _tender_ mercy of our God," _Luke_ i, 78. Compare FRIENDSHIP.

Antonyms: adverse, belligerent, distant, ill-disposed, unfriendly, alienated, cold, estranged, indifferent, unkind, antagonistic, contentious, frigid, inimical, warlike.

bellicose, disaffected, hostile, * * * * * FRIENDSHIP.

Synonyms: affection, comity, esteem, good will, amity, consideration, favor, love, attachment, devotion, friendliness, regard.

_Friendship_ is a deep, quiet, enduring _affection_, founded upon mutual respect and _esteem_.

_Friendship_ is always mutual; there may be unreciprocated _affection_ or _attachment_, unrequited _love_, or even unrecognized and unappreciated _devotion_, but never unreciprocated or unrequited _friendship_; one may have friendly feelings toward an enemy, but while there is hostility or coldness on one side there can not be _friendship_ between the two.

_Friendliness_ is a quality of friendly feeling, without the deep and settled _attachment_ implied in the state of _friendship_.

_Comity_ is mutual kindly courtesy, with care of each other's right, and _amity_ a friendly feeling and relation, not necessarily implying special _friendliness_; as, the _comity_ of nations, or _amity_ between neighboring countries.

_Affection_ may be purely natural; _friendship_ is a growth.

_Friendship_ is more intellectual and less emotional than _love_; it is easier to give reasons for _friendship_ than for _love_; _friendship_ is more calm and quiet, _love_ more fervent; _love_ often rises to intensest passion; we can not speak of the passion of _friendship_.

_Friendship_ implies some degree of equality, while _love_ does not; we can speak of man's _love_ toward God, not of his _friendship_ for God.

(There is more latitude in the use of the concrete noun _friend_; Abraham was called "the friend of God;" Christ was called "the friend of sinners."

) Compare ACQUAINTANCE;

LOVE.

Antonyms: See synonyms for BATTLE; ENMITY; FEUD; HATRED.

Prepositions: The friendship _of_ one person _for_ or _toward_ another, or the friendship _between_ them.

* * * * * FRIGHTEN.

Synonyms: affright, appal, cow, dismay, scare, alarm, browbeat, daunt, intimidate, terrify.

One is _frightened_ by a cause of fear addressed directly and suddenly to the senses; he is _intimidated_ by an apprehension of contingent consequences dependent on some act of his own to be done or forborne;

the means of intimidation may act through the senses, or may appeal only to the intellect or the sensibilities.

The sudden rush of an armed madman may _frighten_; the quiet leveling of a highwayman's pistol _intimidates_.

A savage beast is _intimidated_ by the keeper's whip.

Employers may _intimidate_ their employees from voting contrary to their will by threat of discharge; a mother may be _intimidated_ through fear for her child.

To _browbeat_ or _cow_ is to bring into a state of submissive fear; to _daunt_ is to give pause or check to a violent, threatening, or even a brave spirit.

To _scare_ is to cause sudden, unnerving fear; to _terrify_ is to awaken fear that is overwhelming.

Compare ALARM.

* * * * * FRUGALITY.

Synonyms: economy, parsimony, saving, sparing, miserliness, providence, scrimping, thrift.

parsimoniousness, prudence, _Economy_ is a wise and careful administration of the means at one's disposal; _frugality_ is a withholding of expenditure, or _sparing_ of supplies or provision, to a noticeable and often to a painful degree;

_parsimony_ is excessive and unreasonable _saving_ for the sake of _saving_.

_Frugality_ exalted into a virtue to be practised for its own sake, instead of as a means to an end, becomes the vice of _parsimony_.

_Miserliness_ is the denying oneself and others the ordinary comforts or even necessaries of life, for the mere sake of hoarding money.

_Prudence_ and _providence_ look far ahead, and sacrifice the present to the future, saving as much as may be necessary for that end.

(See PRUDENCE.

) _Thrift_ seeks not merely to save, but to earn.

_Economy_ manages, _frugality_ saves, _providence_ plans, _thrift_ at once earns and saves, with a view to wholesome and profitable expenditure at a fitting time.

See ABSTINENCE.

Antonyms: abundance, bounty, liberality, opulence, waste, affluence, extravagance, luxury, riches, wealth.

* * * * * GARRULOUS.

Synonyms: