English Synonyms and Antonyms Part 13

Preposition:

The pa.s.sage evidently alludes _to_ the Jewish Pa.s.sover.

ALLURE.

Synonyms:

attract, captivate, decoy, entice, lure, tempt, cajole, coax, draw, inveigle, seduce, win.

To _allure_ is to _draw_ as with a lure by some charm or some prospect of pleasure or advantage. We may _attract_ others to a certain thing without intent; as, the good unconsciously _attract_ others to virtue.

We may _allure_ either to that which is evil or to that which is good and n.o.ble, by purpose and endeavor, as in the familiar line, "_Allured_ to brighter worlds, and led the way," GOLDSMITH _Deserted Village_, l.

170. _Lure_ is rather more akin to the physical nature. It is the word we would use of drawing on an animal. _Coax_ expresses the attraction of the person, not of the thing. A man may be _coaxed_ to that which is by no means _alluring_. _Cajole_ and _decoy_ carry the idea of deceiving and ensnaring. To _inveigle_ is to lead one blindly in. To _tempt_ is to endeavor to lead one wrong; to _seduce_ is to succeed in _winning_ one from good to ill. _Win_ may be used in either a bad or a good sense, in which latter it surpa.s.ses the highest sense of _allure_, because it succeeds in that which _allure_ attempts; as, "He that _winneth_ souls is wise," _Prov._ xi, 30.

Antonyms:

chill, damp, deter, dissuade, drive away, repel, warn.

Prepositions:

Allure _to_ a course; allure _by_ hopes; allure _from_ evil _to_ good.

ALSO.

Synonyms:

as well, in addition, likewise, too, as well as, in like manner, similarly, withal.

besides,

While some distinctions between these words and phrases will appear to the careful student, yet in practise the choice between them is largely to secure euphony and avoid repet.i.tion. The words fall into two groups; _as well as_, _besides_, _in addition_, _too_, _withal_, simply add a fact or thought; _also_ (all so), _in like manner_, _likewise_, _similarly_, affirm that what is added is like that to which it is added. _As well_ follows the word or phrase to which it is joined. We can say the singers _as well as_ the players, or the players, and the singers _as well_.

Antonyms:

but, nevertheless, on the contrary, yet.

in spite of, notwithstanding, on the other hand,

ALTERNATIVE.

Synonyms:

choice, election, option, pick, preference, resource.

A _choice_ may be among many things; an _alternative_ is in the strictest sense a _choice_ between two things; oftener it is one of two things between which a _choice_ is to be made, and either of which is the _alternative_ of the other; as, the _alternative_ of surrender is death; or the two things between which there is a _choice_ may be called the _alternatives_; both Mill and Gladstone are quoted as extending the meaning of _alternative_ to include several particulars, Gladstone even speaking of "the fourth and last of these _alternatives_." _Option_ is the right or privilege of choosing; _choice_ may be either the right to choose, the act of choosing, or the thing chosen. A person of ability and readiness will commonly have many _resources_. _Pick_, from the Saxon, and _election_, from the Latin, picture the objects before one, with freedom and power to choose which he will; as, there were twelve horses, among which I could take my _pick_. A _choice_, _pick_, _election_, or _preference_ is that which suits one best; an _alternative_ is that to which one is restricted; a _resource_, that to which one is glad to betake oneself.

Antonyms:

compulsion, necessity.

AMa.s.s.

Synonyms:

acc.u.mulate, collect, heap up, h.o.a.rd up, store up.

aggregate, gather, h.o.a.rd, pile up,

To _ama.s.s_ is to bring together materials that make a ma.s.s, a great bulk or quant.i.ty. With some occasional exceptions, _acc.u.mulate_ is applied to the more gradual, _ama.s.s_ to the more rapid gathering of money or materials, _ama.s.s_ referring to the general result or bulk, _acc.u.mulate_ to the particular process or rate of gain. We say interest is _acc.u.mulated_ (or _acc.u.mulates_) rather than is _ama.s.sed_; he _acc.u.mulated_ a fortune in the course of years; he rapidly _ama.s.sed_ a fortune by shrewd speculations. Goods or money for immediate distribution are said to be _collected_ rather than _ama.s.sed_. They may be _stored up_ for a longer or shorter time; but to _h.o.a.rd_ is always with a view of permanent retention, generally selfish. _Aggregate_ is now most commonly used of numbers and amounts; as, the expenses will _aggregate_ a round million.

Antonyms:

disperse, divide, portion, spend, waste.

dissipate, parcel, scatter, squander,

Prepositions:

Ama.s.s _for_ oneself; _for_ a purpose; _from_ a distance; _with_ great labor; _by_ industry.

AMATEUR.

Synonyms:

connoisseur, critic, dilettante, novice, tyro.

Etymologically, the _amateur_ is one who loves, the _connoisseur_ one who knows. In usage, the term _amateur_ is applied to one who pursues any study or art simply from the love of it; the word carries a natural implication of superficialness, tho marked excellence is at times attained by _amateurs_. A _connoisseur_ is supposed to be so thoroughly informed regarding any art or work as to be able to criticize or select intelligently and authoritatively; there are many incompetent _critics_, but there can not, in the true sense, be an incompetent _connoisseur_.

The _amateur_ practises to some extent that in regard to which he may not be well informed; the _connoisseur_ is well informed in regard to that which he may not practise at all. A _novice_ or _tyro_ may be a _professional_; an _amateur_ never is; the _amateur_ may be skilled and experienced as the _novice_ or _tyro_ never is. _Dilettante_, which had originally the sense of _amateur_, has to some extent come to denote one who is superficial, pretentious, and affected, whether in theory or practise.

Preposition: