English Synonyms and Antonyms Part 33

contemn, dishonor, forget, neglect, profane, despise, disregard, ignore, overlook, violate.

Prepositions:

We celebrate the day _with_ appropriate ceremonies; the victory was celebrated _by_ the people, _with_ rejoicing.

CENTER.

Synonyms:

middle, midst.

We speak of the _center_ of a circle, the _middle_ of a room, the _middle_ of the street, the _midst_ of a forest. The _center_ is equally distant from every point of the circ.u.mference of a circle, or from the opposite boundaries on each axis of a parallelogram, etc.; the _middle_ is more general and less definite. The _center_ is a point; the _middle_ may be a line or a s.p.a.ce. We say _at_ the _center_; _in_ the _middle_.

_Midst_ commonly implies a group or mult.i.tude of surrounding objects.

Compare synonyms for AMID.

Antonyms:

bound, boundary, circ.u.mference, perimeter, rim.

CHAGRIN.

Synonyms:

confusion, discomposure, humiliation, shame, disappointment, dismay, mortification, vexation.

_Chagrin_ unites _disappointment_ with some degree of _humiliation_. A rainy day may bring _disappointment_; needless failure in some enterprise brings _chagrin_. _Shame_ involves the consciousness of fault, guilt, or impropriety; _chagrin_ of failure of judgment, or harm to reputation. A consciousness that one has displayed his own ignorance will cause him _mortification_, however worthy his intent; if there was a design to deceive, the exposure will cover him with _shame_.

Antonyms:

delight, exultation, glory, rejoicing, triumph.

Prepositions:

He felt deep chagrin _at_ (_because of_, _on account of_) failure.

CHANGE, _v._

Synonyms:

alter, exchange, shift, trans.m.u.te, commute, metamorphose, subst.i.tute, turn, convert, modify, transfigure, vary, diversify, qualify, transform, veer.

To _change_ is distinctively to make a thing other than it has been, in some respect at least; to _exchange_ to put or take something else in its place; to _alter_ is ordinarily to _change_ partially, to make different in one or more particulars. To _exchange_ is often to transfer ownership; as, to _exchange_ city for country property. _Change_ is often used in the sense of _exchange_; as, to _change_ horses. To _trans.m.u.te_ is to _change_ the qualities while the substance remains the same; as, to _trans.m.u.te_ the baser metals into gold. To _transform_ is to _change_ form or appearance, with or without deeper and more essential change; it is less absolute than _trans.m.u.te_, tho sometimes used for that word, and is often used in a spiritual sense as _trans.m.u.te_ could not be; "Be ye _transformed_ by the renewing of your mind," _Rom._ xii, 2. _Transfigure_ is, as in its Scriptural use, to change in an exalted and glorious spiritual way; "Jesus ... was _transfigured_ before them, and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light," _Matt._ xvii, 1, 2. To _metamorphose_ is to make some remarkable change, ordinarily in external qualities, but often in structure, use, or chemical const.i.tution, as of a caterpillar into a b.u.t.terfly, of the stamens of a plant into petals, or of the crystalline structure of rocks, hence called "metamorphic rocks," as when a limestone is _metamorphosed_ into a marble. To _vary_ is to _change_ from time to time, often capriciously. To _commute_ is to put something easier, lighter, milder, or in some way more favorable in place of that which is _commuted_; as, to _commute_ capital punishment to imprisonment for life; to _commute_ daily fares on a railway to a monthly payment. To _convert_ (L. _con_, with, and _verto_, turn) is to primarily _turn_ about, and signifies to _change_ in form, character, use, etc., through a wide range of relations; iron is _converted_ into steel, joy into grief, a sinner into a saint. To _turn_ is a popular word for _change_ in any sense short of the meaning of _exchange_, being often equivalent to _alter_, _convert_, _transform_, _trans.m.u.te_, etc.

We _modify_ or _qualify_ a statement which might seem too strong; we _modify_ it by some limitation, _qualify_ it by some addition.

Antonyms:

abide, continue, hold, persist, retain, bide, endure, keep, remain, stay.

Prepositions:

To change a home toilet _for_ a street dress; to change _from_ a caterpillar _to_ or _into_ a b.u.t.terfly; to change clothes _with_ a beggar.

CHANGE, _n._

Synonyms:

alteration, mutation, renewing, trans.m.u.tation, conversion, novelty, revolution, variation, diversity, regeneration, transformation, variety, innovation, renewal, transition, vicissitude.

A _change_ is a pa.s.sing from one state or form to another, any act or process by which a thing becomes unlike what it was before, or the unlikeness so produced; we say a _change_ was taking place, or the _change_ that had taken place was manifest. _Mutation_ is a more formal word for _change_, often suggesting repeated or continual _change_; as, the _mutations_ of fortune. _Novelty_ is a _change_ to what is new, or the newness of that to which a change is made; as, he was perpetually desirous of _novelty_. _Revolution_ is specifically and most commonly a _change_ of government. _Variation_ is a partial _change_ in form, qualities, etc., but especially in position or action; as, the _variation_ of the magnetic needle or of the pulse. _Variety_ is a succession of _changes_ or an intermixture of different things, and is always thought of as agreeable. _Vicissitude_ is sharp, sudden, or violent _change_, always thought of as surprising and often as disturbing or distressing; as, the _vicissitudes_ of politics.

_Transition_ is _change_ by pa.s.sing from one place or state to another, especially in a natural, regular, or orderly way; as, the _transition_ from spring to summer, or from youth to manhood. An _innovation_ is a _change_ that breaks in upon an established order or custom; as, an _innovation_ in religion or politics. For the distinctions between the other words compare the synonyms for CHANGE, _v._ In the religious sense _regeneration_ is the vital _renewing_ of the soul by the power of the divine Spirit; _conversion_ is the conscious and manifest _change_ from evil to good, or from a lower to a higher spiritual state; as, in _Luke_ xxii, 32, "when thou art _converted_, strengthen thy brethren." In popular use _conversion_ is the most common word to express the idea of _regeneration_.

Antonyms:

constancy, fixedness, invariability, steadiness, continuance, fixity, permanence, unchangeableness, firmness, ident.i.ty, persistence, uniformity.

Prepositions:

We have made a change _for_ the better; the change _from_ winter to spring; the change _of_ a liquid _to_ or _into_ a gas; a change _in_ quality; a change _by_ absorption or oxidation.

CHARACTER.

Synonyms:

const.i.tution, genius, personality, reputation, temper, disposition, nature, record, spirit, temperament.

_Character_ is what one is; _reputation_, what he is thought to be; his _record_ is the total of his known action or inaction. As a rule, a man's _record_ will substantially express his _character_; his _reputation_ may be higher or lower than his _character_ or _record_ will justify. _Repute_ is a somewhat formal word, with the same general sense as _reputation_. One's _nature_ includes all his original endowments or propensities; _character_ includes both natural and acquired traits. We speak of one's physical _const.i.tution_ as strong or weak, etc., and figuratively, always with the adjective, of his mental or moral _const.i.tution_. Compare CHARACTERISTIC.