English Synonyms and Antonyms Part 38

_Felicitate_ is cold and formal. We say one _felicitates_ himself; tho to _congratulate_ oneself, which is less natural, is becoming prevalent.

Antonyms:

condole with, console.

Prepositions:

Congratulate one _on_ or _upon_ his success.

CONQUER.

Synonyms:

beat, humble, overthrow, subject, checkmate, master, prevail over, subjugate, crush, overcome, put down, surmount, defeat, overmaster, reduce, vanquish, discomfit, overmatch, rout, win, down, overpower, subdue, worst.

To _defeat_ an enemy is to gain an advantage for the time; to _vanquish_ is to win a signal victory; to _conquer_ is to _overcome_ so effectually that the victory is regarded as final. _Conquer_, in many cases, carries the idea of possession; as, to _conquer_ respect, affection, peace, etc.

A country is _conquered_ when its armies are defeated and its territory is occupied by the enemy; it may be _subjected_ to indemnity or to various disabilities; it is _subjugated_ when it is held helplessly and continuously under military control; it is _subdued_ when all resistance has died out. An army is _defeated_ when forcibly driven back; it is _routed_ when it is converted into a mob of fugitives. Compare BEAT.

Antonyms:

capitulate, fail, fly, lose, retire, submit, surrender, cede, fall, forfeit, resign, retreat, succ.u.mb, yield.

CONSCIOUS.

Synonyms:

advised, a.s.sured, certain, cognizant, sensible, apprised, aware, certified, informed, sure.

One is _aware_ of that which exists without him; he is _conscious_ of the inner workings of his own mind. _Sensible_ may be used in the exact sense of _conscious_, or it may partake of both the senses mentioned above. One may be _sensible_ of his own or another's error; he is _conscious_ only of his own. A person may feel _a.s.sured_ or _sure_ of something false or non-existent; what he is _aware_ of, still more what he is _conscious_ of, must be fact. _Sensible_ has often a reference to the emotions where _conscious_ might apply only to the intellect; to say a culprit is _sensible_ of his degradation is more forcible than to say he is _conscious_ of it.

Antonyms:

cold, dead, deaf, ignorant, insensible, unaware, unconscious.

Preposition:

On the stormy sea, man is conscious _of_ the limitation of human power.

CONSEQUENCE.

Synonyms:

consequent, end, issue, outgrowth, sequel, effect, event, outcome, result, upshot.

_Effect_ is the strongest of these words; it is that which is directly produced by the action of an efficient cause; we say, "Every _effect_ must have an adequate cause" (compare CAUSE). In regard to human actions, _effect_ commonly relates to intention; as, the shot took _effect_, _i. e._, the _effect_ intended. A _consequence_ is that which follows an act naturally, but less directly than the _effect_. The motion of the piston is the _effect_, and the agitation of the water under the paddle-wheels a _consequence_ of the expansion of steam in the cylinder. The _result_ is, literally, the rebound of an act, depending on many elements; the _issue_ is that which flows forth directly; we say the _issue_ of a battle, the _result_ of a campaign. A _consequent_ commonly is that which follows simply in order of time, or by logical inference. The _end_ is the actual _outcome_ without determination of its relation to what has gone before; it is ordinarily viewed as either the necessary, natural, or logical _outcome_, any _effect_, _consequence_, or _result_ being termed an _end_; as, the _end_ of such a course must be ruin. The _event_ (L. _e_, out, and _venio_, come) is primarily exactly the same in meaning as _outcome_; but in use it is more nearly equivalent to _upshot_ signifying the sum and substance of all _effects_, _consequences_, and _results_ of a course of action.

Compare ACCIDENT; CAUSE; CIRc.u.mSTANCE; END; EVENT.

CONSOLE.

Synonyms:

comfort, condole with, encourage, sympathize with.

One _condoles with_ another by the expression of kindly sympathy in his trouble; he _consoles_ him by considerations adapted to soothe and sustain the spirit, as by the a.s.surances and promises of the gospel; he _encourages_ him by the hope of some relief or deliverance; he _comforts_ him by whatever act or word tends to bring mind or body to a state of rest and cheer. We _sympathize with_ others, not only in sorrow, but in joy. Compare ALLEVIATE; PITY.

Antonyms:

annoy, distress, disturb, grieve, hurt, sadden, trouble, wound.

CONTAGION.

Synonym:

infection.

_Infection_ is frequently confused with _contagion_, even by medical men. The best usage now limits _contagion_ to diseases that are transmitted by contact with the diseased person, either directly by touch or indirectly by use of the same articles, by breath, effluvia, etc. _Infection_ is applied to diseases produced by no known or definable influence of one person upon another, but where common climatic, malarious, or other wide-spread conditions are believed to be chiefly instrumental.

CONTINUAL.

Synonyms:

ceaseless, incessant, regular, uninterrupted, constant, invariable, unbroken, unremitting, continuous, perpetual, unceasing, unvarying.

_Continuous_ describes that which is absolutely without pause or break; _continual_, that which often intermits, but as regularly begins again.

A _continuous_ beach is exposed to the _continual_ beating of the waves.