English Synonyms and Antonyms Part 15

augment, dilate, expand, extend, unfold, develop, enlarge, expatiate, increase, widen.

_Amplify_ is now rarely used in the sense of _increase_, to add material substance, bulk, volume, or the like; it is now almost wholly applied to discourse or writing, signifying to make fuller in statement, whether with or without adding matter of importance, as by stating fully what was before only implied, or by adding ill.u.s.trations to make the meaning more readily apprehended, etc. The chief difficulty of very young writers is to _amplify_, to get beyond the bare curt statement by _developing_, _expanding_, _unfolding_ the thought. The chief difficulty of those who have more material and experience is to condense sufficiently. So, in the early days of our literature _amplify_ was used in the favorable sense; but at present this word and most kindred words are coming to share the derogatory meaning that has long attached to _expatiate_. We may _develop_ a thought, _expand_ an ill.u.s.tration, _extend_ a discussion, _expatiate_ on a hobby, _dilate_ on something joyous or sad, _enlarge_ a volume, _unfold_ a scheme, _widen_ the range of treatment.

Antonyms:

abbreviate, amputate, condense, cut down, reduce, summarize, abridge, "boil down," curtail, epitomize, retrench, sum up.

Prepositions:

To amplify _on_ or _upon_ the subject is needless. Amplify this matter _by_ ill.u.s.trations.

a.n.a.lOGY.

Synonyms:

affinity, likeness, relation, similarity, coincidence, parity, resemblance, simile, comparison, proportion, semblance, similitude.

_a.n.a.logy_ is specifically a _resemblance_ of relations; a _resemblance_ that may be reasoned from, so that from the _likeness_ in certain respects we may infer that other and perhaps deeper relations exist.

_Affinity_ is a mutual attraction with or without seeming likeness; as, the _affinity_ of iron for oxygen. _Coincidence_ is complete agreement in some one or more respects; there may be a _coincidence_ in time of most dissimilar events. _Parity_ of reasoning is said of an argument equally conclusive on subjects not strictly a.n.a.logous. _Similitude_ is a rhetorical comparison of one thing to another with which it has some points in common. _Resemblance_ and _similarity_ are external or superficial, and may involve no deeper relation; as, the _resemblance_ of a cloud to a distant mountain. Compare ALLEGORY.

Antonyms:

disagreement, disproportion, dissimilarity, incongruity, unlikeness.

Prepositions:

The a.n.a.logy _between_ (or _of_) nature and revelation; the a.n.a.logy _of_ sound _to_ light; a family has some a.n.a.logy _with_ (or _to_) a state.

ANGER.

Synonyms:

animosity, fury, offense, rage, choler, impatience, pa.s.sion, resentment, displeasure, indignation, peevishness, temper, exasperation, ire, pettishness, vexation, fretfulness, irritation, petulance, wrath.

_Displeasure_ is the mildest and most general word. _Choler_ and _ire_, now rare except in poetic or highly rhetorical language, denote a still, and the latter a persistent, _anger_. _Temper_ used alone in the sense of _anger_ is colloquial, tho we may correctly say a hot _temper_, a fiery _temper_, etc. _Pa.s.sion_, tho a word of far wider application, may, in the singular, be employed to denote _anger_; "did put me in a towering _pa.s.sion_," SHAKESPEARE _Hamlet_ act v, sc. 2. _Anger_ is violent and vindictive emotion, which is sharp, sudden, and, like all violent pa.s.sions, necessarily brief. _Resentment_ (a feeling back or feeling over again) is persistent, the bitter brooding over injuries.

_Exasperation_, a roughening, is a hot, superficial intensity of _anger_, demanding instant expression. _Rage_ drives one beyond the bounds of prudence or discretion; _fury_ is stronger yet, and sweeps one away into uncontrollable violence. _Anger_ is personal and usually selfish, aroused by real or supposed wrong to oneself, and directed specifically and intensely against the person who is viewed as blameworthy. _Indignation_ is impersonal and unselfish _displeasure_ at unworthy acts (L. _indigna_), _i. e._, at wrong as wrong. Pure _indignation_ is not followed by regret, and needs no repentance; it is also more self-controlled than _anger_. _Anger_ is commonly a sin; _indignation_ is often a duty. _Wrath_ is deep and perhaps vengeful _displeasure_, as when the people of Nazareth were "filled with _wrath_"

at the plain words of Jesus (_Luke_ iv, 28); it may, however, simply express the culmination of righteous _indignation_ without malice in a pure being; as, the _wrath_ of G.o.d. _Impatience_, _fretfulness_, _irritation_, _peevishness_, _pettishness_, _petulance_, and _vexation_ express the slighter forms of anger. _Irritation_, _petulance_, and _vexation_ are temporary and for immediate cause. _Fretfulness_, _pettishness_, and _peevishness_ are chronic states finding in any petty matter an occasion for their exercise. Compare ACRIMONY; ENMITY; HATRED.

Antonyms:

amiability, leniency, mildness, peacefulness, charity, lenity, patience, self-control, forbearance, long-suffering, peace, self-restraint.

gentleness, love, peaceableness,

Prepositions:

Anger _at_ the insult prompted the reply. Anger _toward_ the offender exaggerates the offense.

ANIMAL.

Synonyms:

beast, fauna, living organism, sentient being.

brute, living creature,

An _animal_ is a _sentient being_, distinct from inanimate matter and from vegetable life on the one side and from mental and spiritual existence on the other. Thus man is properly cla.s.sified as an _animal_.

But because the animal life is the lowest and rudest part of his being and that which he shares with inferior _creatures_, to call any individual man an _animal_ is to imply that the animal nature has undue supremacy, and so is deep condemnation or utter insult. The _brute_ is the _animal_ viewed as dull to all finer feeling; the _beast_ is looked upon as a being of appet.i.tes. To call a man a _brute_ is to imply that he is unfeeling and cruel; to call him a _beast_ is to indicate that he is vilely sensual. We speak of the cruel father as a _brute_ to his children; of the drunkard as making a _beast_ of himself. So firmly are these figurative senses established that we now incline to avoid applying _brute_ or _beast_ to any creature, as a horse or dog, for which we have any affection; we prefer in such cases the word _animal_.

_Creature_ is a word of wide signification, including all the things that G.o.d has created, whether inanimate objects, plants, animals, angels, or men. The _animals_ of a region are collectively called its _fauna_.

Antonyms:

angel, man, mind, soul, substance (material), inanimate object, matter, mineral, spirit, vegetable.

ANNOUNCE.

Synonyms:

advertise, give notice (of), proclaim, reveal, circulate, give out, promulgate, say, communicate, herald, propound, spread abroad, declare, make known, publish, state, enunciate, notify, report, tell.

To _announce_ is to give intelligence of in some formal or public way.

We may _announce_ that which has occurred or that which is to occur, tho the word is chiefly used in the antic.i.p.ative sense; we _announce_ a book when it is in press, a guest when he arrives. We _advertise_ our business, _communicate_ our intentions, _enunciate_ our views; we _notify_ an individual, _give notice_ to the public. _Declare_ has often an authoritative force; to _declare_ war is to cause war to be, where before there may have been only hostilities; we say _declare_ war, _proclaim_ peace. We _propound_ a question or an argument, _promulgate_ the views of a sect or party, or the decision of a court, etc. We _report_ an interview, _reveal_ a secret, _herald_ the coming of some distinguished person or great event. _Publish_, in popular usage, is becoming closely restricted to the sense of issuing through the press; we _announce_ a book that is to be _published_.

Antonyms:

bury, cover (up), hush, keep secret, suppress, conceal, hide, keep back, secrete, withhold.

Prepositions:

The event was announced _to_ the family _by_ telegraph.