English Synonyms and Antonyms - James Champlin Fernald

Скачать книгу

though oftener an act of kindness,[17] 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 passive and receptive. The intensest action is easier than passive endurance.

      Antonyms:

cessation, immobility, inertia, quiet, suffering,
deliberation, inaction, passion,[A] repose, suspension.
endurance, inactivity, quiescence, rest,

       Table of Contents

      Synonyms:

agile, energetic, officious, sprightly,
alert, expeditious, prompt, spry,
brisk, industrious, quick, supple,
bustling, lively, ready, vigorous,
busy, mobile, restless, wide awake.
diligent, nimble,

      Active refers to both quickness and constancy of action; in the former sense it is allied with agile, alert, brisk, etc.; in the latter, with busy, diligent, industrious. The active love employment, the busy are actually employed, the diligent and the industrious are habitually busy. The restless are active from inability to keep quiet; their activity may be without purpose, or out of all proportion to the purpose contemplated. The officious are undesirably active in the affairs of others. Compare ALERT; ALIVE; MEDDLESOME.

      Antonyms:

dull, inactive, lazy, slow,
heavy, indolent, quiescent, sluggish,
idle, inert, quiet, stupid.

      Prepositions:

      Active in work, in a cause; for an object, as for justice; with persons or instrumentalities; about something, as about other people's business.

       [18]

       Table of Contents

      Synonyms:

acuteness, insight, perspicacity, sharpness,
cleverness, keenness, sagacity, shrewdness.
discernment, penetration,

      Sharpness, acuteness, and insight, however keen, and penetration, however deep, fall short of the meaning of acumen, which implies also ability to use these qualities to advantage. There are persons of keen insight and great penetration to whom these powers are practically useless. Acumen is sharpness to some purpose, and belongs to a mind that is comprehensive as well as keen. Cleverness is a practical aptitude for study or learning. Insight and discernment are applied oftenest to the judgment of character; penetration and perspicacity to other subjects of knowledge. Sagacity is an uncultured skill in using quick perceptions for a desired end, generally in practical affairs; acumen may increase with study, and applies to the most erudite matters. Shrewdness is keenness or sagacity, often with a somewhat evil bias, as ready to take advantage of duller intellects. Perspicacity is the power to see clearly through that which is difficult or involved. We speak of the acuteness of an observer or a reasoner, the insight and discernment of a student, a clergyman, or a merchant, the sagacity of a hound, the keenness of a debater, the shrewdness of a usurer, the penetration, perspicacity, and acumen of a philosopher.

      Antonyms:

bluntness, dulness, obtuseness, stupidity.

       Table of Contents

      Synonyms:

adjoin,

Скачать книгу