English Synonyms and Antonyms Part 25

Synonyms:

atrocious, brutal, merciless, uncivilized, barbarian, cruel, rude, uncouth, barbaric, inhuman, savage, untamed.

Whatever is not civilized is _barbarian_; _barbaric_ indicates rude magnificence, uncultured richness; as, _barbaric_ splendor, a _barbaric_ melody. _Barbarous_ refers to the worst side of _barbarian_ life, and to revolting acts, especially of cruelty, such as a civilized man would not be expected to do; as, a _barbarous_ deed. We may, however, say _barbarous_ nations, _barbarous_ tribes, without implying anything more than want of civilization and culture. _Savage_ is more distinctly bloodthirsty than _barbarous_. In this sense we speak of a _savage_ beast and of _barbarous_ usage.

Antonyms:

civilized, cultured, elegant, humane, polite, tender, courtly, delicate, graceful, nice, refined, urbane.

BARRIER.

Synonyms:

bar, bulwark, obstruction, rampart, barricade, hindrance, parapet, restraint, breastwork, obstacle, prohibition, restriction.

A _bar_ is something that is or may be firmly fixed, ordinarily with intent to prevent entrance or egress; as, the _bars_ of a prison cell; the _bars_ of a wood-lot. A _barrier_ obstructs, but is not necessarily impa.s.sable. _Barrier_ is used of objects more extensive than those to which _bar_ is ordinarily applied. A mountain range may be a _barrier_ to exploration; but a ma.s.s of sand across the entrance to a harbor is called a _bar_. Discovered falsehood is a _bar_ to confidence.

_Barricade_ has become practically a technical name for an improvised street fortification, and, unless in some way modified, is usually so understood. A _parapet_ is a low or breast-high wall, as about the edge of a roof, terrace, etc., especially, in military use, such a wall for the protection of troops; a _rampart_ is the embankment surrounding a fort, on which the _parapet_ is raised; the word _rampart_ is often used as including the _parapet_. _Bulwark_ is a general word for any defensive wall or _rampart_; its only technical use at present is in nautical language, where it signifies the raised side of a ship above the upper deck, topped by the rail. Compare BOUNDARY; IMPEDIMENT.

Antonyms:

admittance, opening, road, transit, entrance, pa.s.sage, thoroughfare, way.

Prepositions:

A barrier _to_ progress, _against_ invasion; a barrier _between_ nations.

BATTLE.

Synonyms:

action, combat, encounter, pa.s.sage of arms, affair, conflict, engagement, skirmish, bout, contest, fight, strife.

_Conflict_ is a general word which describes opponents, whether individuals or hosts, as dashed together. One continuous _conflict_ between entire armies is a _battle_. Another _battle_ may be fought upon the same field after a considerable interval; or a new _battle_ may follow immediately, the armies meeting upon a new field. An _action_ is brief and partial; a _battle_ may last for days. _Engagement_ is a somewhat formal expression for _battle_; as, it was the commander's purpose to avoid a general _engagement_. A protracted war, including many _battles_, may be a stubborn _contest_. _Combat_, originally a hostile _encounter_ between individuals, is now used also for extensive _engagements_. A _skirmish_ is between small detachments or scattered troops. An _encounter_ may be either purposed or accidental, between individuals or armed forces. _Fight_ is a word of less dignity than _battle_; we should not ordinarily speak of Waterloo as a _fight_, unless where the word is used in the sense of fighting; as, I was in the thick of the _fight_.

Antonyms:

armistice, concord, peace, suspension of hostilities, truce.

Prepositions:

A battle _of_ giants; battle _between_ armies; a battle _for_ life, _against_ invaders; a battle _to_ the death; the battle _of_ (more rarely _at_) Marathon.

BEAT.

Synonyms:

bastinado, chastise, overcome, spank, thrash, batter, conquer, pommel, strike, vanquish, belabor, cudgel, pound, surpa.s.s, whip, bruise, defeat, scourge, switch, worst.

castigate, flog, smite,

_Strike_ is the word for a single blow; to _beat_ is to _strike_ repeatedly, as a bird _beats_ the air with its wings. Others of the above words describe the manner of _beating_, as _bastinado_, to _beat_ on the soles of the feet; _belabor_, to inflict a comprehensive and exhaustive _beating_; _cudgel_, to _beat_ with a stick; _thrash_, as wheat was _beaten_ out with the old hand-flail; to _pound_ (akin to L.

_pondus_, a weight) is to _beat_ with a heavy, and _pommel_ with a blunt, instrument. To _batter_ and to _bruise_ refer to the results of _beating_; that is _battered_ which is broken or defaced by repeated blows on the surface (compare synonyms for SHATTER); that is _bruised_ which has suffered even one severe contusion. The metaphorical sense of _beat_, however, so far preponderates that one may be very badly _bruised_ and _battered_, and yet not be said to be _beaten_, unless he has got the worst of the _beating_. To _beat_ a combatant is to disable or dishearten him for further fighting. Hence _beat_ becomes the synonym for every word which implies getting the advantage of another.

Compare CONQUER.

Antonyms:

fail, fall, get the worst of, go down, go under, surrender.

Almost all antonyms in this cla.s.s are pa.s.sive, and can be formed indefinitely from the conquering words by the use of the auxiliary _be_; as, be beaten, be defeated, be conquered, etc.

Prepositions:

Beat _with_ a stick _over_ the head; beat _by_ a trick; _out of_ town; beat _to_ the ground; _into_ submission.

BEAUTIFUL.

Synonyms:

attractive, charming, exquisite, handsome, beauteous, comely, fair, lovely, bewitching, delightful, fine, picturesque, bonny, elegant, graceful, pretty.

The definition of beauty, "perfection of form," is a good key to the meaning of _beautiful_, if we understand "form" in its widest sense.

There must also be harmony and unity, and in human beings spiritual loveliness, to const.i.tute an object or a person really _beautiful_.

Thus, we speak of a _beautiful_ landscape, a _beautiful_ poem. But _beautiful_ implies also, in concrete objects, softness of outline and delicacy of mold; it is opposed to all that is hard and rugged, hence we say a _beautiful_ woman, but not a _beautiful_ man. _Beautiful_ has the further limit of not transcending our powers of appreciation. _Pretty_ expresses in a far less degree that which is pleasing to a refined taste in objects comparatively small, slight, and dainty; as, a _pretty_ bonnet; a _pretty_ girl. That is _handsome_ which is not only superficially pleasing, but well and harmoniously proportioned, with usually the added idea that it is made so by art, breeding, or training; as, a _handsome_ horse; a _handsome_ house. _Handsome_ is a term far inferior to _beautiful_; we may even say a _handsome_ villain. _Fair_ denotes what is bright, smooth, clear, and without blemish; as, a _fair_ face. The word applies wholly to what is superficial; we can say "_fair_, yet false." In a specific sense, _fair_ has the sense of blond, as opposed to dark or brunette. One who possesses vivacity, wit, good nature, or other pleasing qualities may be _attractive_ without beauty.

_Comely_ denotes an aspect that is smooth, genial, and wholesome, with a certain fulness of contour and pleasing symmetry, tho falling short of the _beautiful_; as, a _comely_ matron. That is _picturesque_ which would make a striking picture.

Antonyms:

awkward, frightful, grotesque, repulsive, uncouth, clumsy, ghastly, hideous, shocking, ungainly, deformed, grim, horrid, ugly, unlovely, disgusting, grisly, odious, unattractive, unpleasant.