The following exercises have been prepared expressly and solely to accompany the preceding text in which the distinctions of synonyms have been carefully pointed out. It is not expected, intended, or desired that the questions should be answered or the blanks in the examples supplied off-hand. In such study nothing can be worse than guess-work. Hence, leading questions have been avoided, and the order of synonyms given in Part I. has frequently been departed from or reversed in Part II.

To secure the study of Part I. before coming into class, pupils should not be allowed to open it during recitation, unless on rare occasions to settle doubtful or disputed points. The very best method will be found 10 be to have the examples included in the lesson, with any others that may be added, copied on the blackboard before recitation, and no books brough: into class.

The teacher should make a thorough study of the subject, not only mastering what is given in Part I. but going beyond the necessarily brief statements there given, and consulting the ultimate authorities-the best dictionaries and the works of the best speakers and writers. For the latter purpose a good cyclopedia of quotations, like the Hoyt, will be found very helpful. The teacher should so study out the subject as to be distinctly in advance of the class and able to speak authoritatively. Such independent study will be found intensely interesting, and can be made delightful and even fascinating to any intelligent class.

In answer to questions calling for definitive statement, the teacher should insist upon the very words of the text, unless the pupil can give in his own words what is manifestly as good. This will often be found not easy to do. Definition by synonym should be absolutely forbidden.

Reasonable questions should be encouraged, but the class should not be allowed to become a debating society. The meaning of English words is not a matter of conjecture, and all disputed points should be promptly referred to the dictionary-usually to be looked up after the recitation, and considered, if need be, at the next recitation. The majority of them will not need to be referred to again, as the difficulties will simply represent an inferior usage which the dictionary will brush aside. One great advantage of synonym study is to exterminate colloquialisms.

The class should be encouraged to bring quotations from first-class authors with blanks to be filled, such quotations being held authoritative, though not infallible; also quotations from the best newspapers, periodicals, speeches, etc., with words underlined for criticism, such quotations being held open to revision upon consultation of authorities. The change of usage, whereby that may be correct to-day which would not have been so at an earlier period, should be carefully noted, but always upon the an thority of an approved dictionary.

The examples have been in great part selected from the best literature, and all others carefully prepared for this work. Hence, an appropriate word to fill each blank can always be found by careful study of the corre sponding group of synonyms. In a few instances, either of two words would appropriately fill a blank and yield a good sense. In such case, either should be accepted as correct, but the resulting difference of meaning should be clearly pointed out.

PART II

QUESTIONS AND EXAMPLES

ABANDON (page 3)

QUESTIONS

1. To what objects or classes of objects does abandon apply? abdicate! ceae? quit? resign? surrender? 2. Is abandon used in the favorable or unfavorable sense? desert favorable or unfavorable? forsake? 3. What does abandon commonly denote of previous relationship? forsake?

The soldiers

EXAMPLES

his standard in such numbers that the commander found it necessary to ——— the enterprise.

France was compelled to

Alsace and Lorraine to Germany.

the throne.

In the height of his power Charles V.
Finding resistance vin, the defenders agreed to
To the surprise of his friends, Senator Conkling suddenly

the fortress.

his

office.

At the stroke of the bell, the men instantly

work.

ABASE (page 4)

QUESTIONS

1. How does abase differ from debase? humble from humiliate? degrade from disgrace?

EXAMPLES

To provide funds, the king resolved to

the coinage.

He came from the scene of his disgrace, haughty and defiant, Dit not

abolish

ABASH (page 5)

QUESTIONS

1. What has the effect to make one abashed? 2. How does confuse differ from abash? 3. What do we mean when we say that a person is mortified! 4. Give an instance of the use of mortified where abashed could not be substituted. Why could not the words be interchanged? 5. Can one be daunted who is not abashed? 6. Is embarrass or mortify the stronger word?

The peasant stood

The numerous questions

The speaker was

EXAMPLES

Give instances.

in the royal presence.

the witness.

for a moment, but quickly recovered himself.

At the revelation of such depravity, I was utterly
When sensible of his error, the visitor was deeply

ABBREVIATION (page 6)

QUESTIONS

1. Is an abbreviation always a contraction? 2. Is a contraction always an abbreviation? Give instances. 3. Can we have an abbreviation of a book, paragraph, or sentence? What can be abbreviated? and what abridged?

EXAMPLES

The treatise was already so brief that it did not admit of

Dr. is used both for Doctor and Debtor.

The

F. R. S. is an

of the title "Fellow of the Royal Society."

ABET (page 6)

QUESTIONS

1. Abet, incite, instigate; which of these words are used in a good and which in a bad sense? 2. How does abet differ from incite and instigate as to the time of the action? 3. Which of the three words apply to persons and which to actions? Give instances of the use of abet; instigate; incite.

EXAMPLES

To further his own schemes, he

king.

To

the viceroy to rebel against the

a crime may be worse than to originate it, as arguing less

excitement and more calculation and cowardice.

The prosecution was evidently malicious,

by envy and revenge.

And you that do
him in this kind
Cherish rebellion, and are rebels all.

abolish

ABHOR (page 8)

QUESTIONS

1. Which is the stronger word, abhor or despise? 2. What does abhor denote ? 3. How does Archbishop Trench illustrate the difference between abhor and shun? 4. What does detest express? 5. What

men.

does loathe imply? Is it physical or moral in its application? Give illustrations of the appropriate uses of the above words.

EXAMPLES .

He had sunk to such degradation as to be utterly

Such weakness can only be

Talebearers and backbiters are everywhere

that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

ABIDE (page 9)

QUESTIONS

6.

by all good

1. What limit of time is expressed by abide? by lodge? by live, dwell, reside? 2. What is the meaning of sojourn? 3. Should we say one is stopping or staying at a hotel? and why? 4. Give examples of the extended, and of the limited use of abide.

EXAMPLES

One generation passeth away and another generation cometh, but the earth

forever.

And there were in the same country shepherds

keeping watch over their flock by night.

in the field,

So great was the crowd of visitors that many were compelled to

in the neighboring villages.

He is

He has

at the Albemarle.

By faith he

for forty years in the same house.

in the land of promise, as in a strange country.

ABOLISH (page 11)

QUESTIONS

1. Is abolish used of persons or material objects? 2. Of what is it used? Give examples. 3. What does annihilate signify? Is it stronger or weaker than abolish? 4. What terms do we use for doing away with laws, and how do those terms differ among themselves? 5. What are the differences between overthrow, suppress, and subvert? especially between the last two of those words? 6. How does prohibit differ from abolish? 7. What word do we especially use of putting an end to a nuisance? 8. What other words of this class are especially referred to? 9. Give some antonyms of abolish.

EXAMPLES

The one great endeavor of Buddhism is to

sorrow.

Modern science seems to show conclusively that matter is never

-, or it may re

Even in a republic, sedition should be promptly sult in the of free institutions.

From the original settlement of Vineland, New Jersey, the sale of intoxicating liquor has been

ABOMINATION (page 12)

QUESTIONS

1. To what was abomination originally applied? 2. Does it refer to a state of mind or to some act or other object of thought? 3. How does abomination differ from aversion or disgust? How does an abomina tion differ from an offense? from crime in general?

EXAMPLES

After the ship began to pitch and roll, we could not look upon food without

Capital punishment was formerly inflicted in England for trivial In spite of their high attainments in learning and art, the foulest were prevalent among the Greeks and Romans of classic antiquity.

ABRIDGMENT (page 13)

QUESTIONS

1. How does an abridgment differ from an outline or a synopsis? from an abstract or digest? 2. How does an abstract or digest differ from an outline or a synopsis? 3. Does an analysis of a treatise deal with what is expressed, or with what is implied? 4. What words may we use to express a condensed view of a subject, whether derived from a previous publication or not?

EXAMPLES

The New Testament may be regarded as an

There are several excellent

An

papers.

of religion. of English literature.

of the decision of the court was published in all the leading

The publishers determined to issue an
Such

of their dictionary.

as U. S. for United States should be rarely used, unless

in hasty writing or technical works.

ABSOLUTE (page 15)

QUESTIONS

1. What does absolute in the strict sense denote? supreme? 2. To what are these words in such sense properly applied? 8. How are they