English Synonyms and Antonyms Part 11

ALIVE.

Synonyms:

active, breathing, live, quick, alert, brisk, lively, subsisting, animate, existent, living, vivacious.

animated, existing,

_Alive_ applies to all degrees of life, from that which shows one to be barely _existing_ or _existent_ as a living thing, as when we say he is just _alive_, to that which implies the very utmost of vitality and power, as in the words "he is all _alive_," "thoroughly _alive_." So the word _quick_, which began by signifying "having life," is now mostly applied to energy of life as shown in swiftness of action. _Breathing_ is capable of like contrast. We say of a dying man, he is still _breathing_; or we speak of a _breathing_ statue, or "_breathing_ and sounding, beauteous battle," TENNYSON _Princess_ can. v, l. 155, where it means having, or seeming to have, full and vigorous breath, abundant life. Compare ACTIVE; ALERT; NIMBLE.

Antonyms:

dead, defunct, dull, lifeless, deceased, dispirited, inanimate, spiritless.

Prepositions:

Alive _in_ every nerve; alive _to_ every n.o.ble impulse; alive _with_ fervor, hope, resolve; alive _through_ all his being.

ALLAY.

Synonyms:

alleviate, compose, quiet, still, appease, mollify, soothe, tranquilize.

calm, pacify,

_Allay_ and _alleviate_ are closely kindred in signification, and have been often interchanged in usage. But, in strictness, to _allay_ is to lay to rest, _quiet_ or _soothe_ that which is excited; to _alleviate_, on the other hand, is to lighten a burden. We _allay_ suffering by using means to _soothe_ and _tranquilize_ the sufferer; we _alleviate_ suffering by doing something toward removal of the cause, so that there is less to suffer; where the trouble is wholly or chiefly in the excitement, to _allay_ the excitement is virtually to remove the trouble; as, to _allay_ rage or panic; we _alleviate_ poverty, but do not _allay_ it. _Pacify_, directly from the Latin, and _appease_, from the Latin through the French, signify to bring to peace; to _mollify_ is to soften; to _calm_, _quiet_, or _tranquilize_ is to make still; _compose_, to place together, unite, adjust to a calm and settled condition; to _soothe_ (originally to a.s.sent to, humor) is to bring to pleased quietude. We _allay_ excitement, _appease_ a tumult, _calm_ agitation, _compose_ our feelings or countenance, _pacify_ the quarrelsome, _quiet_ the boisterous or clamorous, _soothe_ grief or distress. Compare ALLEVIATE.

Antonyms:

agitate, excite, kindle, rouse, stir up.

arouse, fan, provoke, stir,

ALLEGE.

Synonyms:

adduce, a.s.severate, claim, maintain, produce, advance, a.s.sign, declare, offer, say, affirm, aver, introduce, plead, state.

a.s.sert, cite,

To _allege_ is formally to state as true or capable of proof, but without proving. To _adduce_, literally to lead to, is to bring the evidence up to what has been _alleged_. _Adduce_ is a secondary word; nothing can be _adduced_ in evidence till something has been _stated_ or _alleged_, which the evidence is to sustain. An _alleged_ fact stands open to question or doubt. To speak of an _alleged_ doc.u.ment, an _alleged_ will, an _alleged_ crime, is either to question, or at least very carefully to refrain from admitting, that the doc.u.ment exists, that the will is genuine, or that the crime has been committed. _Alleged_ is, however, respectful; to speak of the "so-called" will or deed, etc., would be to cast discredit upon the doc.u.ment, and imply that the speaker was ready to brand it as unquestionably spurious; _alleged_ simply concedes nothing and leaves the question open. To _produce_ is to bring forward, as, for instance, papers or persons. _Adduce_ is not used of persons; of them we say _introduce_ or _produce_. When an _alleged_ criminal is brought to trial, the counsel on either side are accustomed to _advance_ a theory, and _adduce_ the strongest possible evidence in its support; they will _produce_ doc.u.ments and witnesses, _cite_ precedents, _a.s.sign_ reasons, _introduce_ suggestions, _offer_ pleas.

The accused will usually _a.s.sert_ his innocence. Compare STATE.

ALLEGIANCE.

Synonyms:

devotion, fealty, loyalty, obedience, subjection.

faithfulness, homage,

_Allegiance_ is the obligation of fidelity and obedience that an individual owes to his government or sovereign, in return for the protection he receives. The feudal uses of these words have mostly pa.s.sed away with the state of society that gave them birth; but their origin still colors their present meaning. A patriotic American feels an enthusiastic _loyalty_ to the republic; he takes, on occasion, an oath of _allegiance_ to the government, but his _loyalty_ will lead him to do more than mere _allegiance_ could demand; he pays _homage_ to G.o.d alone, as the only king and lord, or to those principles of right that are spiritually supreme; he acknowledges the duty of _obedience_ to all rightful authority; he resents the idea of _subjection_. _Fealty_ is becoming somewhat rare, except in elevated or poetic style. We prefer to speak of the _faithfulness_ rather than the _fealty_ of citizen, wife, or friend.

Antonyms:

disaffection, disloyalty, rebellion, sedition, treason.

Prepositions:

We honor the allegiance _of_ the citizen _to_ the government; the government has a right to allegiance _from_ the citizen.

ALLEGORY.

Synonyms:

fable, fiction, ill.u.s.tration, metaphor, parable, simile.

In modern usage we may say that an _allegory_ is an extended _simile_, while a _metaphor_ is an abbreviated _simile_ contained often in a phrase, perhaps in a word. The _simile_ carries its comparison on the surface, in the words _as_, _like_, or similar expressions; the _metaphor_ is given directly without any note of comparison. The _allegory_, _parable_, or _fable_ tells its story as if true, leaving the reader or hearer to discover its fict.i.tious character and learn its lesson. All these are, in strict definition, _fictions_; but the word _fiction_ is now applied almost exclusively to novels or romances. An _allegory_ is a moral or religious tale, of which the moral lesson is the substance, and all descriptions and incidents but accessories, as in "The Pilgrim's Progress." A _fable_ is generally briefer, representing animals as the speakers and actors, and commonly conveying some lesson of practical wisdom or shrewdness, as "The _Fables_ of aesop." A _parable_ is exclusively moral or religious, briefer and less adorned than an _allegory_, with its lesson more immediately discernible, given, as it were, at a stroke. Any comparison, a.n.a.logy, instance, example, tale, anecdote, or the like which serves to let in light upon a subject may be called an _ill.u.s.tration_, this word in its widest use including all the rest. Compare FICTION; STORY.

Antonyms:

chronicle, fact, history, narrative, record.

ALLEVIATE.

Synonyms:

abate, lighten, reduce, remove, a.s.suage, mitigate, relieve, soften.

lessen, moderate,

Etymologically, to _alleviate_ is to lift a burden toward oneself, and so _lighten_ it for the bearer; to _relieve_ is to lift it back from the bearer, nearly or quite away; to _remove_ is to take it away altogether.