English Synonyms and Antonyms Part 24

AWKWARD.

Synonyms:

boorish, clumsy, rough, unhandy, bungling, gawky, uncouth, unskilful.

clownish, maladroit, ungainly,

_Awkward_, from _awk_ (kindred with _off_, from the Norwegian), is _off-ward_, turned the wrong way; it was anciently used of a back-handed or left-handed blow in battle, of squinting eyes, etc. _Clumsy_, on the other hand (from _clumse_, also through the Norwegian), signifies benumbed, stiffened with cold; this is the original meaning of _clumsy_ fingers, _clumsy_ limbs. Thus, _awkward_ primarily refers to action, _clumsy_ to condition. A tool, a vehicle, or the human frame may be _clumsy_ in shape or build, _awkward_ in motion. The _clumsy_ man is almost of necessity _awkward_, but the _awkward_ man may not be naturally _clumsy_. The finest untrained colt is _awkward_ in harness; a horse that is _clumsy_ in build can never be trained out of awkwardness.

An _awkward_ statement has an uncomfortable, and perhaps recoiling force; a statement that contains ill-a.s.sorted and incongruous material in ill-chosen language is _clumsy_. We speak of an _awkward_ predicament, an _awkward_ sc.r.a.pe. An _awkward_ excuse commonly reflects on the one who offers it. We say the admitted facts have an _awkward_ appearance. In none of these cases could _clumsy_ be used. _Clumsy_ is, however, applied to movements that seem as unsuitable as those of benumbed and stiffened limbs. A dancing bear is both _clumsy_ and _awkward_.

Antonyms:

adroit, clever, dexterous, handy, skilful.

Prepositions:

The raw recruit is awkward _in_ action; _at_ the business.

AXIOM.

Synonym:

truism.

Both the _axiom_ and the _truism_ are instantly seen to be true, and need no proof; but in an _axiom_ there is progress of thought, while the _truism_ simply says the same thing over again, or says what is too manifest to need saying. The _axiom_ that "things which are equal to the same thing are equal to one another" unfolds in the latter part of the sentence the truth implied in the first part, which might have been overlooked if not stated. In the _truism_ that "a man can do all he is capable of," the former and the latter part of the sentence are simply identical, and the mind is left just where it started. Hence the _axiom_ is valuable and useful, while the _truism_ is weak and flat, unless the form of statement makes it striking or racy, as "all fools are out of their wits." Compare PROVERB.

Antonyms:

absurdity, contradiction, demonstration, nonsense, paradox, sophism.

BABBLE.

Synonyms:

blab, cackle, gabble, murmur, prattle, blurt, chat, gossip, palaver, tattle, blurt out, chatter, jabber, prate, twaddle.

Most of these words are onomatopoetic. The _cackle_ of a hen, the _gabble_ of a goose, the _chatter_ of a magpie, the _babble_ of a running stream, as applied to human speech, indicate a rapid succession of what are to the listener meaningless sounds. _Blab_ and _blurt_ (commonly _blurt out_) refer to the letting out of what the lips can no longer keep in; _blab_, of a secret; _blurt out_, of pa.s.sionate feeling.

To _chat_ is to talk in an easy, pleasant way, not without sense, but without special purpose. _Chatting_ is the practise of adults, _prattling_ that of children. To _prate_ is to talk idly, presumptuously, or foolishly, but not necessarily incoherently. To _jabber_ is to utter a rapid succession of unintelligible sounds, generally more noisy than _chattering_. To _gossip_ is to talk of petty personal matters, as for pastime or mischief. To _twaddle_ is to talk feeble nonsense. To _murmur_ is to utter suppressed or even inarticulate sounds, suggesting the notes of a dove, or the sound of a running stream, and is used figuratively of the half suppressed utterances of affection or pity, or of complaint, resentment, etc. Compare SPEAK.

Prepositions:

Babies babble _for_ the moon; the crowd babbles _of_ a hero; the sick man babbles _of_ home.

BANISH.

Synonyms:

ban, dismiss, evict, expatriate, ostracize, discharge, drive out, exile, expel, oust.

dislodge, eject,

_Banish_, primarily to put under _ban_, to compel by authority to leave a place or country, perhaps with restriction to some other place or country. From a country, a person may be _banished_, _exiled_, or _expatriated_; _banished_ from any country where he may happen to be, but _expatriated_ or _exiled_ only from his own. One may _expatriate_ or _exile_ himself; he is _banished_ by others. _Banish_ is a word of wide import; one may _banish_ disturbing thoughts; care may _banish_ sleep.

To _expel_ is to _drive out_ with violence or rudeness, and so often with disgrace.

Prepositions:

Cataline was banished _from_ Rome; John the Apostle was banished _to_ Patmos.

BANK.

Synonyms:

beach, bound, brink, edge, margin, sh.o.r.e, border, brim, coast, marge, rim, strand.

_Bank_ is a general term for the land along the edge of a water course; it may also denote a raised portion of the bed of a river, lake, or ocean; as, the _Banks_ of Newfoundland. A _beach_ is a strip or expanse of incoherent wave-worn sand, which is often pebbly or full of boulders; we speak of the _beach_ of a lake or ocean; a _beach_ is sometimes found in the bend of a river. _Strand_ is a more poetic term for a wave-washed sh.o.r.e, especially as a place for landing or embarking; as, the keel grates on the _strand_. The whole line of a country or continent that borders the sea is a _coast_. _Sh.o.r.e_ is any land, whether cliff, or sand, or marsh, bordering water. We do not speak of the _coast_ of a river, nor of the _banks_ of the ocean, tho there may be _banks_ by or under the sea. _Edge_ is the line where land and water meet; as, the water's _edge_. _Brink_ is the place from which one may fall; as, the river's _brink_; the _brink_ of a precipice; the _brink_ of ruin.

BANTER.

Synonyms:

badinage, derision, jeering, raillery, sarcasm, chaff, irony, mockery, ridicule, satire.

_Banter_ is the touching upon some fault, weakness, or fancied secret of another in a way half to pique and half to please; _badinage_ is delicate, refined _banter_. _Raillery_ has more sharpness, but is usually good-humored and well meant. _Irony_, the saying one thing that the reverse may be understood, may be either mild or bitter. All the other words have a hostile intent. _Ridicule_ makes a person or thing the subject of contemptuous merriment; _derision_ seeks to make the object derided seem utterly despicable--to laugh it to scorn. _Chaff_ is the coa.r.s.e witticism of the streets, perhaps merry, oftener malicious; _jeering_ is loud, rude _ridicule_, as of a hostile crowd or mob.

_Mockery_ is more studied, and may include mimicry and personal violence, as well as scornful speech. A _satire_ is a formal composition; a _sarcasm_ may be an impromptu sentence. The _satire_ shows up follies to keep people from them; the _sarcasm_ hits them because they are foolish, without inquiring whether it will do good or harm; the _satire_ is plainly uttered; the _sarcasm_ is covert.

BARBAROUS.