English Synonyms and Antonyms — Garrolous to Grief

chattering, loquacious, talkative, verbose.

_Garrulous_ signifies given to constant trivial talking.

_Chattering_ signifies uttering rapid, noisy, and unintelligible, or scarcely intelligible, sounds, whether articulate words or such as resemble them;

_chattering_ is often used of vocal sounds that may be intelligible by themselves but are ill understood owing to confusion of many voices or other cause.

The _talkative_ person has a strong disposition to talk, with or without an abundance of words, or many ideas; the _loquacious_ person has an abundant flow of language and much to say on any subject suggested; either may be lively and for a time entertaining; the _garrulous_ person is tedious, repetitious, petty, and self-absorbed.

_Verbose_ is applied to utterances more formal than conversation, as to writings or public addresses.

We speak of a _chattering_ monkey or a _chattering_ idiot, a _talkative_ child, a _talkative_ or _loquacious_ woman, a _garrulous_ old man, a _verbose_ writer.

Compare CIRCUMLOCUTION.

Antonyms: laconic, reserved, reticent, silent, speechless, taciturn.

* * * * * GENDER.

Synonym: sex.

_Sex_ is a distinction among living beings; it is also the characteristic by which most living beings are distinguished from inanimate things, which are of no _sex_; _gender_ is a distinction in language partially corresponding to this distinction in nature; while there are but two _sexes_, there are in some languages, as in English and German, three _genders_.

The French language has but two _genders_ and makes the names of all inanimate objects either masculine or feminine; some languages are without the distinction of _gender_, and those that maintain it are often quite arbitrary in its application.

We speak of the masculine or feminine _gender_, the male or female _sex_.

* * * * * GENERAL.

Synonyms: common, familiar, ordinary, universal, commonplace, frequent, popular, usual.

customary, habitual, prevalent, everyday, normal, public, _Common_ signifies frequently occurring, not out of the regular course, not exceptional; hence, not above the average, not excellent or distinguished, inferior, or even low; _common_ also signifies pertaining to or participated in by two or more persons or things; as, sorrow is _common_ to the race.

_General_ may signify pertaining equally to all of a class, race, etc. , but very commonly signifies pertaining to the greater number, but not necessarily to all.

_Universal_ applies to all without exception; _general_ applies to all with possible or comparatively slight exceptions; _common_ applies to very many without deciding whether they are even a majority.

A _common_ remark is one we often hear; a _general_ experience is one that comes to the majority of people; a _universal_ experience is one from which no human being is exempt.

It is dangerous for a debater to affirm a _universal_ proposition, since that can be negatived by a single exception, while a _general_ statement is not invalidated even by adducing many exceptions.

We say a _common_ opinion, _common_ experience, a _general_ rule, _general_ truth, a _universal_ law.

Compare synonyms for NORMAL; USUAL.

Antonyms: exceptional, infrequent, rare, singular, uncommon, unknown, unusual.

* * * * * GENEROUS.

Synonyms: bountiful, free, liberal, noble, chivalrous, free-handed, magnanimous, open-handed, disinterested, free-hearted, munificent, open-hearted.

_Generous_ (L. _genus_, a race) primarily signifies having the qualities worthy of noble or honorable birth; hence, free and abundant in giving, giving freely, heartily, and self-sacrificingly.

As regards giving, _generous_ refers rather to the self-sacrificing heartiness of the giver, _liberal_ to the amount of the gift; a child may show himself _generous_ in the gift of an apple, a millionaire makes a _liberal_ donation; a _generous_ gift, however, is commonly thought of as both ample and hearty.

A _munificent_ gift is vast in amount, whatever the motive of its bestowal.

One may be _free_ with another's money; he can be _generous_ only with his own.

_Disinterested_ suggests rather the thought of one's own self-denial; _generous_, of one's hearty interest in another's welfare or happiness.

One is _magnanimous_ by a greatness of soul (L. _magnus_, great, and _animus_, soul) that rises above all that is poor, mean, or weak, especially above every petty or ignoble motive or feeling pertaining to one's self, and thus above resentment of injury or insult; one is _generous_ by a kindness of heart that would rejoice in the welfare rather than in the punishment of the offender.

Antonyms: avaricious, greedy, mean, niggardly, penurious, rapacious, close, ignoble, miserly, parsimonious, petty, stingy.

covetous, illiberal, * * * * * GENIUS.

Synonyms: talent, talents.

_Genius_ is exalted intellectual power capable of operating independently of tuition and training, and marked by an extraordinary faculty for original creation, invention, discovery, expression, etc. _Talent_ is marked mental ability, and in a special sense, a particular and uncommon aptitude for some special mental work or attainment.

_Genius_ is higher than _talent_, more spontaneous, less dependent upon instruction, less amenable to training; _talent_ is largely the capacity to learn, acquire, appropriate, adapt oneself to demand.

Yet the _genius_ that has won the largest and most enduring success has been joined with tireless industry and painstaking.

Compare synonyms for MIND; POWER.

Antonyms: dulness, folly, imbecility, obtuseness, senselessness, stupidity.

* * * * * GET.

Synonyms: achieve, attain, gain, procure, secure, acquire, earn, obtain, receive, win.

_Get_ is a most comprehensive word.

A person _gets_ whatever he comes to possess or experience, whether with or without endeavor, expectation, or desire; he _gets_ a bargain, a blow, a fall, a fever; he _gains_ what he comes to by effort or striving; the swimmer _gains_ the shore; a man _acquires_ by continuous and ordinarily by slow process; as, one _acquires_ a foreign language.

A person is sometimes said to _gain_ and often to _acquire_ what has not been an object of direct endeavor; in the pursuits of trade, he incidentally _gains_ some knowledge of foreign countries; he _acquires_ by association with others a correct or incorrect accent; he _acquires_ a bronzed complexion by exposure to a tropical sun; in such use, what he _gains_ is viewed as desirable, what he _acquires_ as slowly and gradually resulting.

A person _earns_ what he gives an equivalent of labor for, tho he may not _get_ it.

On the other hand, he may _get_ what he has not _earned_; the temptation to all dishonesty is the desire to _get_ a living or a fortune without _earning_ it.

When one _gets_ the object of his desire, he is said to _obtain_ it, whether he has _gained_ or _earned_ it or not.

_Win_ denotes contest, with a suggestion of chance or hazard; in popular language, a person is often said to _win_ a lawsuit, or to _win_ in a suit at law, but in legal phrase he is said to _gain_ his suit, case, or cause.

In _receiving_, one is strictly passive; he may _get_ an estate by his own exertions or by inheritance; in the latter case he is said to _receive_ it.

One _obtains_ a thing commonly by some direct effort of his own; he _procures_ it commonly by the intervention of some one else;

he _procures_ a dinner or an interview; he _secures_ what has seemed uncertain or elusive, when he _gets_ it firmly into his possession or under his control.

Compare synonyms for ATTAIN; MAKE; REACH.

Antonyms: See synonyms for ABANDON.

* * * * * GIFT.

Synonyms: benefaction, boon, bribe, grant, largess, bequest, bounty, donation, gratuity, present.

A _gift_ is in the popular, and also in the legal sense that which is voluntarily bestowed without expectation of return or compensation.

_Gift_ is now almost always used in the good sense, _bribe_ always in the evil sense to signify payment for a dishonorable service under the semblance of a _gift_.

In Scriptural language _gift_ is often used for _bribe_.

"The king by judgment establisheth the land; but he that receiveth _gifts_ overthroweth it."

_Prov.

_ xxix, 4. A _benefaction_ is a charitable _gift_, generally of large amount, and viewed as of enduring value, as an endowment for a college.

A _donation_ is something, perhaps of great, never of trivial value, given usually on some public ground, as to a cause or to a person representing a cause, but not necessarily of value beyond the immediate present; as, a _donation_ to a pastor.

A _gratuity_ is usually something of moderate value and is always given as to an inferior, and as of favor, not of right; as, a _gratuity_ to a waiter.

_Largess_ is archaic for a bountiful _gratuity_, usually to be distributed among many, as among the heralds at ancient tournaments.

A _present_ is a _gift_ of friendship, or conciliation, and given as to an equal or a superior; no one's pride is hurt by accepting what is viewed as strictly a _present_.

A _boon_ is a _gift_ that has been desired or craved or perhaps asked, or something freely given that meets some great desire.

A _grant_ is commonly considerable in amount and given by public authority; as, a _grant_ of public lands for a college.

Antonyms: compensation, earnings, guerdon, penalty, remuneration, wages.

* * * * * GIVE.

Synonyms: bestow, communicate, deliver, grant, supply.

cede, confer, furnish, impart, To _give_ is primarily to transfer to another's possession or ownership without compensation; in its secondary sense in popular use, it is to put into another's possession by any means and on any terms whatever; a buyer may say "_Give_ me the goods, and I will _give_ you the money;" we speak of _giving_ answers, information, etc. , and often of _giving_ what is not agreeable to the recipient, as blows, medicine, reproof; but when there is nothing in the context to indicate the contrary, _give_ is always understood in its primary sense; as, this book was _given_ me.

_Give_ thus becomes, like _get_, a term of such general import as to be a synonym for a wide variety of words.

To _grant_ is to put into one's possession in some formal way, or by authoritative act; as, Congress _grants_ lands to a railroad corporation.

To speak of _granting_ a favor carries a claim or concession of superiority on the part of the one by whom the _grant_ may be made; to _confer_ has a similar sense; as, to _confer_ a degree or an honor; we _grant_ a request or petition, but do not _confer_ it.

To _impart_ is to _give_ of that which one still, to a greater or less degree, retains; the teacher _imparts_ instruction.

To _bestow_ is to _give_ that of which the receiver stands in especial need; we _bestow_ alms.

Prepositions: We give money _to_ a person _for_ a thing, _for_ a purpose, etc. (or without proposition, _give_ a person a sum of money); we give a thing _to_ or _into_ one's care or keeping; the weary fugitive gave himself up _to_ his pursuers.

* * * * * GOVERN.

Synonyms: command, curb, influence, mold, reign over, rule, control, direct, manage, reign, restrain, sway.

_Govern_ carries the idea of authoritative administration or some exercise of authority that is at once effective and continuous;

_control_ is effective, but may be momentary or occasional.

One _controls_ what he holds or can hold at will absolutely in check; as, a skilful horseman _controls_ a spirited horse; a person _controls_ his temper; we say to one who is excited, "_control_ yourself."

A person _commands_ another when he has, or claims, the right to make that other do his will, with power of inflicting penalty if not obeyed; he _controls_ another whom he can effectually prevent from doing anything contrary to his will; he _governs_ one whom he actually does cause, regularly or constantly, to obey his will; a parent may _command_ a child whom he can not _govern_ or _control_.

The best teachers are not greatly prone to _command_, but _govern_ or _control_ their pupils largely by other means.

_Command_ is, however, often used in the sense of securing, as well as requiring, submission or obedience, as when we speak of a _commanding_ influence; a man _commands_ the situation when he can shape events as he pleases; a fortress _commands_ the region when no enemy can pass against its resistance.

_Govern_ implies the exercise of knowledge and judgment as well as power.

To _rule_ is more absolute and autocratic than to _govern_; to _sway_ is to move by quiet but effectual influence; to _mold_ is not only to influence feeling and action, but to shape character; to _manage_ is to secure by skilful contrivance the doing of one's will by those whom one can not directly _control_; a wise mother, by gentle means, _sways_ the feelings and _molds_ the lives of her children; to be able to _manage_ servants is an important element of good housekeeping.

The word _reign_, once so absolute, now simply denotes that one holds the official station of sovereign in a monarchy, with or without effective power; the Queen of England _reigns_; the Czar of Russia both _reigns_ and _rules_.

Antonyms: be in subjection, be subject, comply, obey, submit, yield.

* * * * * GRACEFUL.

Synonym: beautiful.

That which is _graceful_ is marked by elegance and harmony, with ease of action, attitude, or posture, or delicacy of form.

_Graceful_ commonly suggests motion or the possibility of motion; _beautiful_ may apply to absolute fixity; a landscape or a blue sky is _beautiful_, but neither is _graceful_.

_Graceful_ commonly applies to beauty as addressed to the eye, tho we often speak of a _graceful_ poem or a _graceful_ compliment.

_Graceful_ applies to the perfection of motion, especially of the lighter motions, which convey no suggestion of stress or strain, and are in harmonious curves.

Apart from the thought of motion, _graceful_ denotes a pleasing harmony of outline, proportion, etc. , with a certain degree of delicacy; a Hercules is massive, an Apollo is _graceful_.

We speak of a _graceful_ attitude, _graceful_ drapery.

Compare BEAUTIFUL; BECOMING.

Antonyms: See synonyms for AWKWARD.

* * * * * GRIEF.

Synonyms: affliction, melancholy, regret, sorrow, trouble, distress, mourning, sadness, tribulation, wo.

_Grief_ is acute mental pain resulting from loss, misfortune, or deep disappointment.

_Grief_ is more acute and less enduring than _sorrow_.

_Sorrow_ and _grief_ are for definite cause; _sadness_ and _melancholy_ may arise from a vague sense of want or loss, from a low state of health, or other ill-defined cause; _sadness_ may be momentary;

_melancholy_ is more enduring, and may become chronic.

_Affliction_ expresses a deep heart-sorrow and is applied also to the misfortune producing such _sorrow_; _mourning_ most frequently denotes sorrow publicly expressed, or the public expression of such _sorrow_ as may reasonably be expected; as, it is common to observe thirty days of _mourning_ on the death of an officer of state.

Antonyms: See synonyms for HAPPINESS.

Prepositions: Grief _at_ a loss; _for_ a friend.

* * * * * HABIT.

Synonyms: