English Synonyms and Antonyms Part 5

Prepositions:

An accessory _to_ the crime; _before_ or _after_ the fact; the accessories _of_ a figure _in_ a painting.

ACCIDENT.

Synonyms:

adventure, contingency, happening, misfortune, calamity, disaster, hazard, mishap, casualty, fortuity, incident, possibility.

chance, hap, misadventure,

An _accident_ is that which happens without any one's direct intention; a _chance_ that which happens without any known cause. If the direct cause of a railroad _accident_ is known, we can not call it a _chance_.

To the theist there is, in strictness, no _chance_, all things being by divine causation and control; but _chance_ is spoken of where no special cause is manifest: "By _chance_ there came down a certain priest that way," _Luke_ x, 31. We can speak of a game of _chance_, but not of a game of _accident_. An _incident_ is viewed as occurring in the regular course of things, but subordinate to the main purpose, or aside from the main design. _Fortune_ is the result of inscrutable controlling forces.

_Fortune_ and _chance_ are nearly equivalent, but _chance_ can be used of human effort and endeavor as _fortune_ can not be; we say "he has a _chance_ of success," or "there is one _chance_ in a thousand," where we could not subst.i.tute _fortune_; as personified, _Fortune_ is regarded as having a fitful purpose, _Chance_ as purposeless; we speak of fickle _Fortune_, blind _Chance_; "_Fortune_ favors the brave." The slaughter of men is an _incident_ of battle; unexpected defeat, the _fortune_ of war. Since the unintended is often the undesirable, _accident_ tends to signify some _calamity_ or _disaster_, unless the contrary is expressed, as when we say a fortunate or happy _accident_. An _adventure_ is that which may turn out ill, a _misadventure_ that which does turn out ill. A slight disturbing _accident_ is a _mishap_. Compare EVENT; HAZARD.

Antonyms:

appointment, decree, intention, ordainment, preparation, calculation, fate, law, ordinance, provision, certainty, foreordination, necessity, plan, purpose.

Prepositions:

The accident _of_ birth; an accident _to_ the machinery.

ACQUAINTANCE.

Synonyms:

a.s.sociation, experience, fellowship, intimacy, companionship, familiarity, friendship, knowledge.

_Acquaintance_ between persons supposes that each knows the other; we may know a public man by his writings or speeches, and by sight, but can not claim _acquaintance_ unless he personally knows us. There may be pleasant _acquaintance_ with little _companionship_; and conversely, much _companionship_ with little _acquaintance_, as between busy clerks at adjoining desks. So there may be _a.s.sociation_ in business without _intimacy_ or _friendship_. _Acquaintance_ admits of many degrees, from a slight or pa.s.sing to a familiar or intimate _acquaintance_; but _acquaintance_ unmodified commonly signifies less than _familiarity_ or _intimacy_. As regards persons, _familiarity_ is becoming restricted to the undesirable sense, as in the proverb, "_Familiarity_ breeds contempt;" hence, in personal relations, the word _intimacy_, which refers to mutual knowledge of thought and feeling, is now uniformly preferred. _Friendship_ includes _acquaintance_ with some degree of _intimacy_, and ordinarily _companionship_, though in a wider sense _friendship_ may exist between those who have never met, but know each other only by word and deed. _Acquaintance_ does not involve _friendship_, for one may be well acquainted with an enemy. _Fellowship_ involves not merely _acquaintance_ and _companionship_, but sympathy as well. There may be much _friendship_ without much _fellowship_, as between those whose homes or pursuits are far apart. There may be pleasant _fellowship_ which does not reach the fulness of _friendship_.

Compare ATTACHMENT; FRIENDSHIP; LOVE. As regards studies, pursuits, etc., _acquaintance_ is less than _familiarity_, which supposes minute _knowledge_ of particulars, arising often from long _experience_ or _a.s.sociation_.

Antonyms:

ignorance, ignoring, inexperience, unfamiliarity.

Prepositions:

Acquaintance _with_ a subject; _of_ one person _with_ another; _between_ persons.

ACRIMONY.

Synonyms:

acerbity, harshness, severity, tartness, asperity, malignity, sharpness, unkindness, bitterness, moroseness, sourness, virulence.

causticity,

_Acerbity_ is a _sharpness_, with a touch of _bitterness_, which may arise from momentary annoyance or habitual impatience; _asperity_ is keener and more p.r.o.nounced, denoting distinct irritation or vexation; in speech _asperity_ is often manifested by the tone of voice rather than by the words that are spoken. _Acrimony_ in speech or temper is like a corrosive acid; it springs from settled character or deeply rooted feeling of aversion or unkindness. One might speak with momentary _asperity_ to his child, but not with _acrimony_, unless estrangement had begun. _Malignity_ is the extreme of settled ill intent; _virulence_ is an envenomed hostility. _Virulence_ of speech is a quality in language that makes the language seem as if exuding poison. _Virulence_ is outspoken; _malignity_ may be covered with smooth and courteous phrase. We say intense _virulence_, deep _malignity_. _Severity_ is always painful, and may be terrible, but carries ordinarily the implication, true or false, of justice. Compare ANGER; BITTER; ENMITY.

Antonyms:

amiability, gentleness, kindness, smoothness, courtesy, good nature, mildness, sweetness.

ACT, _n._

Synonyms:

accomplishment, execution, movement, achievement, exercise, operation, action, exertion, performance, consummation, exploit, proceeding, deed, feat, transaction, doing, motion, work.

effect,

An _act_ is strictly and originally something accomplished by an exercise of power, in which sense it is synonymous with _deed_ or _effect_. _Action_ is a _doing_. _Act_ is therefore single, individual, momentary; _action_ a complex of _acts_, or a process, state, or habit of exerting power. We say a virtuous _act_, but rather a virtuous course of _action_. We speak of the _action_ of an acid upon a metal, not of its _act_. _Act_ is used, also, for the simple _exertion_ of power; as, an _act_ of will. In this sense an _act_ does not necessarily imply an external _effect_, while an _action_ does. Morally, the _act_ of murder is in the determination to kill; legally, the _act_ is not complete without the striking of the fatal blow. _Act_ and _deed_ are both used for the thing done, but _act_ refers to the power put forth, _deed_ to the result accomplished; as, a voluntary _act_, a bad _deed_. In connection with other words _act_ is more usually qualified by the use of another noun, _action_ by an adjective preceding; we may say a kind _act_, though oftener an _act_ of kindness, but only a kind _action_, not an _action_ of kindness. As between _act_ and _deed_, _deed_ is commonly used of great, notable, and impressive _acts_, as are _achievement_, _exploit_, and _feat_.

_Festus_: We live in _deeds_, not years; in thoughts, not breaths.

BAILEY _Festus, A Country Town_, sc. 7.

A _feat_ exhibits strength, skill, personal power, whether mental or physical, especially the latter; as, a _feat_ of arms, a _feat_ of memory. An _exploit_ is a conspicuous or glorious _deed_, involving valor or heroism, usually combined with strength, skill, loftiness of thought, and readiness of resource; an _achievement_ is the doing of something great and noteworthy; an _exploit_ is brilliant, but its effect may be transient; an _achievement_ is solid, and its effect enduring. _Act_ and _action_ are both in contrast to all that is merely pa.s.sive and receptive. The intensest _action_ is easier than pa.s.sive endurance.

Antonyms:

cessation, immobility, inertia, quiet, suffering, deliberation, inaction, pa.s.sion,[A] repose, suspension.

endurance, inactivity, quiescence, rest,

[A] In philosophic sense.

ACTIVE.

Synonyms: