Book: Roget\'s Thesaurus

A >> Author: >> Roget\'s Thesaurus





#462. Answer. -- N. answer, response, reply, replication, riposte,
rejoinder, surrejoinder, rebutter, surrebutter, retort, repartee; rescript,
rescription; antiphon, antiphony; acknowledgment; password; echo; counter
statement.
discovery &c. 480a; solution &c. (explanation) 522; rationale &c.
(cause) 153; clue &c. (indication) 550.
Oedipus; oracle &c. 513; return &c. (record) 551.
V. answer, respond, reply, rebut, retort, rejoin; give for answer,
return for answer; acknowledge, echo.
explain &c. (interpret) 522; solve &c. (unriddle) 522; discover &c.
480a; fathom, hunt out &c. (inquire) 461; satisfy, set at rest, determine.
Adj. answering &c. v.; responsive, respondent; conclusive.
Adv. because &c. (cause) 153; on the scent, on the right scent.
Int. eureka!

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#463. Experiment. -- N. experiment; essay &c. (attempt) 675; analysis
&c. (investigation) 461; trial, tentative method, ttonnement.
verification, probation, experimentum crucis, proof, criterion,
diagnostic, test, crucial test.
crucible, reagent, check, touchstone, pix; assay, ordeal; ring;
curcuma paper, turmeric paper.
empiricism, rule of thumb.
feeler; pilot balloon, messenger balloon; pilot engine; scout; straw
to show the wind.
speculation, random shot, leap in the dark.
analyzer, analyst; adventurer; experimenter, experimentist,
experimentalist.
V. experiment; essay &c. (endeavor) 675; try, assay; make an
experiment, make a trial of; give a trial to; put on trial, subject to
trial; experiment upon; rehearse; put to the test, bring to the test,
submit to the test, submit to the proof; prove, verify, test, touch,
practice upon, try one's strength.
grope; feel one's way, grope for one's way; fumble, ttonner, aller 
ttons, put out a feeler, throw out a feeler; send up a pilot balloon; see
how the land lies, see how the wind blows; consult the barometer; feel the
pulse; fish for, bob for; cast for, beat about for; angle, trawl, cast
one's net, beat the bushes.
try one's fortune &c. (adventure) 675; explore &c. (inquire) 461.
Adj. experimental, empirical.
probative, probatory, probationary, provisional; analytic, docimastic;
tentative.
Adv. under probation, on one's trial.

#464. Comparison. -- N. comparison, collation, contrast;
identification; comparative estimate, relative estimate.
simile, simililitude, analogy (similarity) 17; allegory &c. (metaphor)
521.
V. compare to, compare with; collate, confront; place side by side &c.
(near) 197; set against one another, pit against one another; contrast,
balance.
identify, draw a parallel, parallel.
compare notes; institute a comparison; parva componere magnis[Lat]..
Adj. comparative; metaphorical &c. 521.
compared with &c. v.; comparable; judged by comparison.
Adv. relatively &c. (relation) 9; as compared with &c. v.
Phr. comparisons are odious; " comparisons are odorous " [Much Ado
about Nothing].

#465. [results of comparison. 1] Discrimination. -- N. discrimination,
distinction, differentiation, diagnosis, diorism; nice perception;
perception of difference, appreciation of difference; estimation &c. 466;
nicety, refinement; taste &c. 850; critique, judgment; tact; discernment
&c. (intelligence) 498; acuteness, penetration; nuances.
dope*, past performances.
V. discriminate, distinguish, severalize; separate; draw the line,
sift; separate the chaff from the wheat, winnow the chaff from the wheat;
split hairs.
estimate &c. (measure) 466; know which is which, know what is what,
know " a hawk from a handsaw [Hamlet].
take into account, take into consideration; give due weight to, allow
due weight to; weigh carefully.
Adj. discriminating &c. v.; dioristic, discriminative, distinctive;
nice.
Phr. il y a fagots et fagots; rem acu tetigisti; la critique est aise
et l'art est difficile.

#465a. [results of comparison. 2] Indiscrimination. -- N.
indiscrimination; indistinctness, indistinction; uncertainty &c. (doubt)
475.
V. not discriminate &c. 465; overlook &c. (neglect) 460 a distinction:
confound, confuse.
Adj. indiscriminate; undistinguished, undistinguishable; unmeasured;
promiscuous, undiscriminating.
Phr. valeat quantum valere potest[Lat.].

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#466. Measurement. -- N. measurement, admeasurement, mensuration,
survey, valuation, appraisement, assessment, assize; estimate, estimation;
dead reckoning, reckoning &c. (numeration) 85; gauging &c. v.; horse power.
metrology, weights and measures, compound arithmetic.
measure, yard measure, standard, rule, foot rule, compass, calipers;
gage, gauge; meter, line, rod, check; dividers; velo.
flood mark, high water mark; index &c. 550.
scale; graduation, graduated scale; nonius; vernier &c. (minuteness)
193 bathometer, galvanometer, heliometer, interferometer, odometer,
ombrometer, pantometer, pluviometer, pneumatometer, pneumometer,
radiometer, refractometer, respiro, rheometer, spirometer, telemeter,
udometer, vacuometer, variometer, viameter, thermometer (heat &c. 382),
barometer (air &c. 338), anemometer (wind 349), dynamometer, goniometer
(angle 244) meter; landmark &c. (limit) 233; balance, scale &c. (weight)
319; marigraph, pneumatograph, stethograph; rain gauge, rain gage.
coordinates, ordinate and abscissa, polar coordinates, latitude and
longitude, declination and right ascension, altitude and azimuth.
geometry, stereometry, hypsometry; metage; surveying, land surveying;
geodesy, geodetics, geodesia; orthometry, altimetry; cadastre.
astrolabe, armillary sphere.
land surveyor; geometer.
V. measure, mete; value, assess, rate, appraise, estimate, form an
estimate, set a value on; appreciate; standardize.
span, pace step; apply the compass &c. n.; gauge, plumb, probe, sound,
fathom; heave the log, heave the lead; survey.
take an average &c. 29; graduate.
Adj. measuring &c. v.; metric , metrical;
measurable, geodetical.


Section Ill. MATERIALS FOR REASONING


#467. Evidence [On one side.] -- N. evidence; facts, premises, data,
praecognita, grounds.
indication &c. 550; criterion &c. (test) 463.
testimony, testification; attestation; deposition &c. (affirmation)
535; examination.
admission &c. (assent) 488; authority, warrant, credential, diploma,
voucher, certificate, doquet, docket; testamur; record &c. 551; document;
pi
ce justificative; deed, warranty &c. (security) 771; signature, seal &c.
(identification) 550; exhibit.
witness, indicator; eyewitness, earwitness; deponent; sponsor;
cojuror.
oral evidence, documentary evidence, hearsay evidence, external
evidence, extrinsic evidence, internal evidence, intrinsic evidence,
circumstantial evidence, cumulative evidence, ex parte evidence,
presumptive evidence, collateral evidence, constructive evidence; proof &c.
(demonstration) 478; evidence in chief.
secondary evidence; confirmation, corroboration, support; ratification
&c. (assent) 488; authentication; compurgation, wager of law,
comprobation|.
citation, reference.

V. be evidence &c. n.; evince, show, betoken, tell of; indicate &c.
(denote) 550; imply, involve, argue, bespeak, breathe.
have weight, carry weight; tell, speak volumes; speak for itself &c.
(manifest) 525.
rest upon, depend upon; repose on.
bear witness &c. n.; give evidence &c. n.; testify, depose, witness,
vouch for; sign, seal, undersign, set one's hand and seal, sign and seal,
deliver as one's act and deed, certify, attest; acknowledge &c. (assent)
488.
[provide conclusive evidence] make absolute, confirm, prove
(demonstrate) 478.
[add further evidence] indorse, countersign, corroborate, support,
ratify, bear out, uphold, warrant.
adduce, attest, cite, quote; refer to, appeal to; call, call to
witness; bring forward, bring into court; allege, plead; produce witnesses,
confront witnesses; collect evidence, bring together evidence, rake up
evidence.
have a case, make out a case; establish, authenticate, substantiate,
verify, make good, quote chapter and verse; bring home to, bring to book.
Adj. showing &c. v.; indicative, indicatory; deducible &c. 478;
grounded on, founded on, based on; corroborative, confirmatory.
Adv. by inference; according to, witness, a fortiori; still more,
still less; raison de plus; in corroboration &c. n. of; valeat quantum;
under seal, under one's hand and seal.
Phr. dictum de dicto; mise en evidence[Fr.].

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#468. [Evidence on the other side, on the other hand.] Counter
Evidence. - N. counter evidence; evidence on the other side, evidence on
the other hand; conflicting evidence; disproof, refutation &c. 479;
negation &c. 536.
plea &c. 617; vindication &c. 937 counter protest; "tu quoque"
argument; other side of the shield, other side of the coin, reverse of the
shield.
V. countervail, oppose; rebut &c. (refute) 479; subvert &c. (destroy)
162; cheek, weaken; contravene; contradict &c. (deny) 536; tell another
story, turn the scale, alter the case; turn the tables; cut both ways;
prove a negative.
audire alteram partem.
Adj. countervailing &c. v.; contradictory.
unattested, unauthenticated, unsupported by evidence; supposititious.
Adv. on the contrary, per contra.

#469. Qualification. -- N. qualification, limitation, modification,
coloring.
allowance, grains of allowance, consideration, extenuating
circumstances; mitigation.
condition, proviso, exception; exemption; salvo, saving clause;
discount &c. 813; restriction.
V. qualify, limit, modify, leaven, give a color to, introduce new
conditions, narrow, temper.
allow for, make allowance for; admit exceptions, take into account;
modulate.
take exception.
Adj. qualifying &c. v.; conditional; exceptional &c. (unconformable)
83.
hypothetical &c. (supposed) 514; contingent &c. (uncertain) 475.
Adv. provided, provided always; if, unless, but, yet; according as;
conditionally, admitting, supposing; on the supposition of &c.
(theoretically) 514; with the understanding, even, although, though, for
all that, after all, at all events.
with grains of allowance, cum grano salis; exceptis excipiendis; wind
and weather permitting; if possible &c. 470.
subject to; with this proviso &c. n.
Phr. "if the good lord is willing and the creeks don't rise".

Degrees of Evidence

#470. Possibility. -- N. possibility, potentiality; what may be, what
is possible &c. adj.; compatibility &c. (agreement) 23.
practicability, feasibility; practicableness &c. adj.
contingency, chance &c. 156.
V. be possible &c. adj.; stand a chance; admit of, bear.
render possible &c. adj.; put in the way of.
Adj. possible; in the cards, on the dice; in posse, within the bounds
of possibility, conceivable, credible; compatible &c. 23; likely.
practicable, feasible, performable, achievable; within reach, within
measurable distance; accessible, superable, surmountable; attainable,
obtainable; contingent &c. (doubtful) 475, (effect) 154.
Adv. possibly, by possibility; perhaps, perchance, peradventure;
maybe, may be, haply, mayhap.
if possible, wind and weather permitting, God willing, Deo volente, D.
V. ; as luck may have it.
Phr. misericordia Domini inter pontem et fontent; " the glories of the
Possible are ours " [B. Taylor].

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#471. Impossibility. -- N. impossibility &c. adj.; what cannot, what
can never be; sour grapes; hopelessness &c. 859.
V. be impossible &c. adj.; have no chance whatever.
attempt impossibilities; square the circle, wash a blackamoor white;
skin a flint; make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, make bricks without
straw; have nothing to go upon; weave a rope of sand, build castles in the
air, prendre la lune avec les dents, extract sunbeams from cucumbers, set
the Thames on fire, milk a he-goat into a sieve, catch a weasel asleep,
rompre l'anguille au genou, be in two places at once.
Adj. impossible; not possible &c. 470; absurd, contrary to reason;
unlikely; unreasonable &c. 477; incredible &c. 485; beyond the bounds of
reason, beyond the bounds of possibility, beyond the realm of possibility;
from which reason recoils; visionary; inconceivable &c. (improbable) 473;
prodigious &c. (wonderful) 870; unimaginable, inimaginable; unthinkable.
impracticable unachievable; unfeasible, infeasible; insuperable;
unsurmountable, insurmountable; unattainable, unobtainable; out of reach,
out of the question; not to be had, not to be thought of; beyond control;
desperate &c. (hopeless) 859; incompatible &c. 24; inaccessible,
uncomeatable, impassable, impervious, innavigable, inextricable; self-
contradictory.
out of one's power, beyond one's power, beyond one's depth, beyond
one's reach, beyond one's grasp; too much for; ultra crepidam.
Phr. the grapes are sour; non possumus; non nostrum tantas componere
lites [Vergil]; look for a needle in a haystack, chercher une aiguille dans
une botte de foin [Fr.]; il a le mer  boire.

#472. Probability. -- N. probability, likelihood; credibleness;
likeliness &c. adj.;
vraitsemblance, verisimilitude, plausibility; color, semblance, show
of; presumption; presumptive evidence, circumstantial evidence;
credibility.
reasonable chance, fair chance, good chance, favorable chance,
reasonable prospect, fair prospect, good prospect, favorable prospect;
prospect, wellgrounded hope; chance &c. 156.
V. be probable &c. adj.; give color to, lend color to; point to; imply
&c. (evidence) 467; bid fair &c. (promise) 511; stand fair for; stand a
good chance, run a good chance.
think likely, dare say, flatter oneself; expect &c. 507; count upon
&c. (believe) 484.
Adj. probable, likely, hopeful, to be expected, in a fair way.
plausible, specious, ostensible, colorable, ben trovato, well-founded,
reasonable, credible, easy of belief, presumable, presumptive, apparent.
Adv. probably &c. adj.; belike; in all probability, in all likelihood;
very likely, most likely; like enough; ten &c. to one; apparently,
seemingly, according to every reasonable expectation; prim facie; to all
appearance &c. (to the eye) 448.
Phr. the chances, the odds are; appearances are in favor of, chances
are in favor of; there is reason to believe, there is reason to think,
there is reason to expect; I dare say; all Lombard Street to a China
orange.


#473. Improbability. -- N. improbability, unlikelihood; unfavorable
chance, bad chance, ghost of a chance, little chance, small chance, poor
chance, scarcely any chance, no chance; bare possibility; long odds;
incredibility &c. 485.
V. be improbable &c. adj.; have a small chance &c. n.
Adj. improbable, unlikely, contrary to all reasonable expectation.
rare &c. (infrequent) 137; unheard of, inconceivable; unimaginable,
inimaginable; incredible &c. 485; more than doubtful.
Phr. the chances are against; aquila non capit muscas; pedir peras pal
olmo.


#474. Certainty. -- N. certainty; necessity &c. 601; certitude,
surety, assurance; dead certainty, moral certainty; infallibleness &c.
adj.; infallibility, reliability; indubitableness, inevitableness,
unquestionableness.
gospel, scripture, church, pope, court of final appeal; res judicata,
ultimatum positiveness; dogmatism, dogmatist, dogmatizer; doctrinaire,
bigot, opinionist, Sir Oracle; ipse dixit.
fact; positive fact, matter of fact; fait accompli.
V. be certain &c. adj.; stand to reason.
render certain &c. adj.; insure, ensure, assure; clinch, make sure;
determine, decide, set at rest, " make assurance double sure " [Macbeth];
know &c. (believe) 484.
dogmatize, lay down the law.
Adj. certain, sure, assured &c. v.; solid, well-founded.
unqualified, absolute, positive, determinate, definite, clear,
unequivocal, categorical, unmistakable, decisive, decided, ascertained.
inevitable, unavoidable, avoidless; ineluctable.
unerring, infallible; unchangeable &c. 150; to be depended on,
trustworthy, reliable, bound.
unimpeachable, undeniable, unquestionable; indisputable,
incontestable, incontrovertible, indubitable; irrefutable &c. (proven) 478;
conclusive, without power of appeal.
indubious; without doubt, beyond a doubt, without a shade or shadow of
doubt, without question, beyond question; past dispute; clear as day;
beyond all question, beyond all dispute; undoubted, uncontested,
unquestioned, undisputed; questionless, doubtless.
authoritative, authentic, official.
sure as fate, sure as death and taxes, sure as a gun.
evident, self-evident, axiomatic; clear, clear as day, clear as the
sun at noonday.
bAdv. certainly &c. adj.; for certain, certes, sure, no doubt,
doubtless, and no mistake, flagrante delicto, sure enough, to be sure, of
course, as a matter of course , a coup sur, to a certainty; in truth &c.
(truly) 494; at any rate, at all events; without fail; coute que coute,
coute qu'il coute; whatever may happen, if the worst come to the worst;
come what may, happen what may, come what will; sink or swim; rain or
shine.
Phr. cela va sans dire; there is -no question, - not a shadow of
doubt; the die is cast &c. (necessity) 601; " facts are stubborn things
[Smollett].

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#475. Uncertainty. -- N. uncertainty, incertitude, doubt; doubtfulness
&c. adj.; dubiety, dubitation, dubitancy|, dubitousness.
hesitation, suspense; perplexity, embarrassment, dilemma,
bewilderment; timidity &c. (fear) 860; vacillation &c. 605; diaporesis,
indetermination.
vagueness &c. adj.; haze, fog; obscurity &c. (darkness) 421; ambiguity
&c. (double meaning) 520; contingency, double contingency, possibility upon
a possibility; open question &c. (question) 461; onus probandi; blind
bargain, pig in a poke, leap in the dark, something or other; needle in a
haystack, needle in a bottle of hay; roving commission.
precariousness &c. adj.; fallibility.
V. be uncertain &c. adj.; wonder whether.
lose the clue, lose the clew, scent; miss one's way.
not know what to make of &c. (unintelligibility) 519, not know which
way to turn, not know whether one stands on one s head or one's heels;
float in a sea of doubt,hesitate, flounder; lose oneself, lose one's head;
muddle one's brains.
render uncertain &c. adj.; put out, pose, puzzle, perplex, embarrass;
confuse, confound; bewilder, bother, molder, addle the wits, throw off the
scent, ambiguas in vulgus spargere voces; keep in suspense.
doubt &c. (disbelieve) 485; hang in the balance, tremble in the
balance; depend.
Adj. uncertain; casual; random &c. (aimless) 621; changeable &c. 149.
doubtful, dubious; indecisive; unsettled, undecided, undetermined; in
suspense, open to discussion; controvertible; in question &c. (inquiry)
461.
vague; indeterminate, indefinite; ambiguous, equivocal; undefined,
undefinable; confused &c. (indistinct) 447; mystic, oracular; dazed.
perplexing &c. v.; enigmatic, paradoxical, apocryphal, problematical,
hypothetical; experimental &c. 463.
fallible, questionable, precarious, slippery, ticklish, debatable,
disputable; unreliable, untrustworthy.
contingent, contingent on, dependent on; subject to; dependent on
circumstanees; occasional; provisional.
unauthentic, unauthenticated, unauthoritative; unascertained,
unconfirmed; undemonstrated; untold, uncounted.
in a state of uncertainty, in a cloud, in a maze; bushed, off the
track; ignorant.&c. 491; afraid to say; out of one's reckoning, astray,
adrift; at sea, at fault, at a loss, at one's wit's end, at a nonplus;
puzzled &c. v.; lost, abroad, dsorient; distracted, distraught.
Adv. pendente lite; sub spe rati.
Phr. Heaven knows; who can tell? who shall decide when doctors
disagree? ambiguas in vulgum spargere voces.

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Section IV. REASONING PROCESSES


#476. Reasoning, -- N. {ant. 477} reasoning ratiocination rationalism;
dialectics, induction, generalization.
discussion, comment; ventilation; inquiry &c. 461.
argumentation, controversy, debate; polemics, wrangling; contention
&c. 720 logomachy; disputation, disceptation; paper war.
art of reasoning, logic.
process of reasoning, train of reasoning, chain of reasoning;
deduction, induction; synthesis, analysis.
argument; case, plaidoyer, opening; lemma, proposition, terms,
premises, postulate, data, starting point, principle; inference &c.
(judgment) 480.
prosyllogism, syllogism; enthymeme, sorites, dilemma, perilepsis, a
priori reasoning, reductio ad absurdum, horns of a dilemma, argumentum ad
hominem[Lat.], comprehensive argument; empirema, epagoge.
reasoner, logician, dialectician; disputant; controversialist,
controvertist; wrangler, arguer, debater polemic, casuist, rationalist;
scientist; eristic.
logical sequence; good case; correct just reasoning, sound reasoning,
valid reasoning, cogent reasoning, logical reasoning, forcible reasoning,
persuasive reasoning, persuasory reasoning, consectary reasoning|,
conclusive &c. 478 ; subtle reasoning; force of argument, strong point,
strong argument.
arguments, reasons, pros and cons.
V. reason, argue, discuss, debate, dispute, wrangle- argufy, bandy
words, bandy arguments; chop logic; hold an argument, carry on an argument;
controvert &c. (deny) 536; canvass; comment upon, moralize upon;
spiritualize; consider &c. (examine) 461.
open a discussion, open a case; try conclusions; join issue, be at
issue; moot; come to the point; stir a question, agitate a question,
ventilate a question, torture a question; take up a side, take up a case.
contend, take one's stand upon, insist, lay stress on; infer &c. 480.
follow from &c. (demonstration) 478.
Adj. reasoning &c. v.; rationalistic; argumentative, controversial,
dialectic, polemical; discursory, discursive; disputatious; Aristotelian,
eristic, eristical.
debatable, controvertible.
logical; relevant &c. 23.
Adv. for, because, hence, whence, seeing that, since, sith, then
thence so; for that reason, for this reason, for which reason; for as,
inasmuch as; whereas, ex concesso, considering, in consideration of;
therefore, wherefore; consequently, ergo, thus, accordingly; a fortiori.
in conclusion, in fine; finally, after all, au bout du compt, on the
whole, taking one thing with another.
Phr. ab actu ad posse valet consecutio; per troppo dibatter la verita
si perde; troppo disputare la verita fa errare.



#477. [The absence of reasoning.] Intuition. [.False or vicious
reasoning; show of reason.] Sophistry. -- N. {ant. 476} intuition,
instinct, association; presentiment; rule of thumb.
sophistry, paralogy, perversion, casuistry, jesuitry, equivocation,
evasion; chicane, chicanery; quiddet, quiddity; mystification; special
pleading; speciousness &c. adj.; nonsense &c. 497; word-fence, tongue-
fence.
false reasoning, vicious reasoning; petitio principii, ignoratio
elenchi; post hoc ergo propter hoc; non sequitur, ignotum per ignotius.
misjudgment &c. 481; false teaching &c. 538.
sophism, solecism, paralogism; quibble, quirk, elenchus, elench,
fallacy, quod-libet, subterfuge, subtlety, quillet; inconsistency,
antilogy; " a delusion, a mockery, and a snare " [Denman]; claptrap, mere
words; " lame and impotent conclusion " [Othello].
meshes of sophistry, cobwebs of sophistry; flaw in an argument; weak
point, bad case.
overrefinement; hairsplitting &c. v.
V. judge intuitively, judge by intuition; hazard a proposition,
hazard a guess, talk at random.
reason ill, reason falsely &c. adj.; misjudge &c. 481; paralogize.
pervert, quibble; equivocate, mystify, evade, elude; gloss over,
varnish; misteach &c. 538; mislead & . (error) 495; cavil, refine,
subtilie, split airs; misrepresent &c. (lie) 544.
beg the question, reason in a circle, cut blocks with a razor, beat
about the bush, play fast and loose, blow hot and cold, prove that black is
white and white black, travel out of the record, parler d tort et a
travers, put oneself out of court, not have a leg to stand on.
Adj. intuitive, instinctive, impulsive; independent of reason,
anterior to reason; gratuitous, hazarded; unconnected.
unreasonable, illogical, false, unsound, invalid; unwarranted, not
following; inconsequent, inconsequential; inconsistent; absonous|,
absonant; unscientific; untenable, inconclusive, incorrect; fallacious,
fallible; groundless, unproved.
deceptive, sophistical jesuitical; illusive, illusory; specious,
hollow, plausible, ad captandum., evasive; irrelevant &c. 10.
weak, feeble, poor, flimsy, loose, vague, irrational; nonsensical &c.
(absurd) 497; foolish &c. (imbecile) 499; frivolous, pettifogging,
quibbling; finespun, overrefined.
at the end of one's tether, au bout de son latin.
Adv. intuitively &c. adj.; by intuition; illogically &c. adj.
Phr. non constat; that goes for nothing.

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