I

DICTIONARY OF 6000 EXPRESSIONS AND GENERAL PHRASES FOR USE IN CONVERSATION, SOCIAL LETTER WRITING, AND PUBLIC SPEAKING

ACTIVE

Alive Alert

As full of fight as ever

Eager for the fray

Full of business

Teeming with life

Alive as never before

Working like mad

Full of high spirits

Up and doing

As lively as a thrush

Step lively

Quick in every part

Keenly alive to——

Ready in a trice

With a fine swinging step

With more than a languid interest

On a furious march with sealed orders

Nobody wants to be caught napping

No whit behind——

A project tinglingly alive

ADMONITION

Advice Counsel

The only wise course to follow

No intelligent man can afford to disregard the——

No pains should be spared to avert this eventuality

If this thing occurs the fat will be in the fire

There is food for abundant thinking in——

He had warning to set his house in order

He talked to him like a Dutch uncle

Keep a strong curb chain on

To some it will seem like the touch of a profane hand upon the ark of the Lord

The thought is one to sober all responsible men

Little foxes among the tender vines

It seems like going out of one’s way to face a hazard

Better alone than in bad company

This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.

Hamlet, I., 3

AFFIRMATION

Asseveration Avowal

Unreservedly, unequivocally, and absolutely right

I feel called upon to asseverate that——

I shall prove to a demonstration that——

I shall not die happy unless I——

Of one thing there can be no doubt

I assert without fear of successful contradiction that——

I am living in the irresistible conviction that——

I am told by persons considering themselves sagacious in business that——

Nothing is more certified than that——

There is no vain assumption in saying that——

I lack words to express the full extent of my conviction that——

Let me say as strongly as I can that——

It is as certain as anything in human calculation can be made certain that——

The fact is irrefutable that——

The explicit dictum upon——

It has been avouched again and again that——

I would say so in the presence of an Apostle

They were making unusual asseverations

Few events are better attested than——

From that result there will be no dissent

I am confidently persuaded that——

It leads to the inevitable conclusion that——

I am absolutely sure that——

It may be safely asserted that——

Beyond question the——

I asseverate that——

I am bold to aver that——

I need not scruple to repeat my assertion

AGREEMENT

Concurrence Assent

I am perfectly of that opinion

I quite agree with you

It fits exactly with my notions

I concur entirely with you

I am heartily of your opinion

It is agreed by the vast majority of students that——

We are all in agreement with the thought that——

My own reading sustains the same view

I give my word gladly

I thoroughly agree with you

I am most heartily in favor of——

The opinion is widely held that——

The tacit admission is made that——

Your plan is quite to my mind

AID

Help Assistance

Ready to go to all lengths

I am trying to help him compose his difficulties

I am thankful to have been the means of——

With fine helpfulness

He would go through fire and water for——

A friend in need is a friend indeed

An awkward corner is turned by——

A positive service to——

He takes a solicitous interest in——

Leaving no stone unturned

The stars in their courses fought for——

Substantial benefits

A mission of mercy

A salutary restraint

A clear instance of a gracious Providence

He would have fared badly had it not been that——

An ardent champion in——

He took his stand squarely with——

He aligns himself with——

By full and hearty coöperation

A high allegiancy

In a charmingly cordial way

A very signal interposition of——

He did his best to fan the fires of——

The best that is in me is to——

ANXIETY

Worry Apprehension

I shall be extremely distressed if——

It caused me a thousand apprehensions

A miserable victim of anxiety

I was quite apprehensive about——

It is like a nightmare for me to think of——

On the anxious seat

The paralysing fear of——

Foolishly apprehensive of the future

As frightened as a child in the dark

A cause for much anxiety

Harried by uncertainties

He betrays a most suspicious anxiety lest——

With unwarrantable concern

Robbed of tranquillity

A growing fear of consequences

It haunted me like a ghost

I am apprehensive that——

A perfect paroxysm of restlessness

I note with concern the tendency of——

APOLOGY

Excuse Defense

I should not have intruded on you at this hour

In an unguarded moment, I——

In an evil hour, I——

Owing to a foolish error, I——

In the exasperation of the moment——

It was purely a Pagan impulse

There was no intention to discriminate against——

I offer my humblest apologies

Your forgiveness for all these offences is very penitently and humbly invoked

He did not feel that he was committing an indiscretion when he——

I am hardly presentable for polite society

I am far from being as well informed as you suppose me to be——

Forgive me all my delinquencies

The horrible consciousness has just dawned upon me that——

I find my tongue is too foolhardy.

All’s Well that Ends Well, IX., 1

I did play a lamentable part.

The Two Gentlemen of Verona, IV., 4

If hearty sorrow be a sufficient ransom for offence, I tender’t here.

The Two Gentlemen of Verona, V., 4

APPRECIATIVE

Sympathetic Sensible

With a beautiful sense of the fitting

A very delicate appreciation of——

It was perfectly charming to see how——

I shall be happy to recall the fact that we——

A nice sense of appreciation

The beautiful thing about it is——

With the inevitable grace that is French

Than this there is none other

He has a mind acutely responsive to——

He has a nice regard for——

You did it in the way that will count

It is a capital piece of work

That was splendid of you

It would do him a world of good

I am keenly interested in what you say

Thoroughly imbued with respect for——

I admire your foresight

I compliment you on your good sense

I have contracted a most religious veneration for——

Let us give him a hearty word of appreciation

Sensitive to every nicety of——

With a swift apprehension of——

I have a very high regard for your——

APPROBATION

Approval Confirmation

I wish to give my hearty endorsement to——

It was a proposal which met with unanimous approbation

It is highly desirable

It is perfectly proper

It will promote instead of hinder

It is a wholesome and heartening conviction that——

It is a salutary and successful work

It was the conduct of splendid magnanimity

I felt I could leave it to your generous consideration

You have my unqualified approval

On that issue he is splendidly right

They cannot fail of producing the happiest effects

He was generous in his approbation

Unmixed approbation

This lends confirmation to——

ASTONISHING

Surprising Startling

It takes away one’s breath

A man can but rub his eyes in amazement when he sees that——

I was never so astonished

It is incredible that——

The thing fell like a thunder-clap

This is passing strange

Without having any previous inkling of——

The most amazing thing about it all is——

I was quite overcome

I was struck dumb by——

It completely surpasses my comprehension

What you tell me is simply astounding

Doubly striking

I flamed amazement.

The Tempest, I., 2

It was like a bombshell in our midst

Challenging even the stupid to consideration

AUDACIOUS

Brazen Presumptuous

In unblushing impudence

Guilty of high-handed procedure

He was never accused of exaggerated modesty

In unctuous fashion

In a tone of virtuous superiority

A piece of ridiculous conceit

Nobody takes such precious advantage of it as he

An attempt to be smart

He had the nerve to——

It was a case of sheer audacity

He made peremptory demand that——

He is full of all kinds of sure prophecies

BEAUTIFUL

Attractive Fascinating

Beautiful to look at

The land of the beautiful

A potent charm

A perfect riot of color

The cult of the beautiful

Through an Eden of beauty

As beautiful as any poem

Winsome in appearance

With a certain fascination

Singularly attractive

Exquisitely dainty

Extremely prepossessing

The charm of the beautiful

Exquisitely shaped

BLUFF

Brag Bluster

He who threatens is afraid

I cannot abide swaggerers.

II. King Henry IV., II., 4

We consider him a huge joke

He has parted company with the facts

He makes unqualified assertions

Farcical pretensions

With a great assumption of dignity

A sham so thin that it requires but one test to puncture it

By smooth words he can gloze over the fact that——

Very far adrift for explanations of——

Where there is no wind every man is a pilot

It was rather tall talk upon my part

The worst wheel always creaks most

He is camouflaging

He is certainly not making a reputation for accuracy by some of his statements

Too affected to be real

It is not an explanation, it is only an excuse

Too transparently foolish to fool anybody

Adroit excuses

The whole proceeding was theatrical

He played up the bogey of——

He is not playing the game as a sport

CALM

Unperturbed Self-controlled

I am very tranquil about it

I am not at all solicitous about it

He generally takes things with equanimity

He kept a calm exterior in emergencies

Magnificent reserve

You could scarcely observe any of the evidences of inward perturbation

With the utmost composure

With stoical calm

With remarkable equanimity

No harm can come from stating calmly the reasons that——

He wears an unruffled front

Without the flick of an eyelid

An air of quiet, unaffected assurance

CAUTIOUS

Prudent Careful

I am not going to leap in the dark

It must be handled with gloves

It is a work of eternal vigilance

Ordinary prudence would suggest that——

It is well within the bounds of conservative statement to say that——

We must keep a sharp lookout for——

That is the part of the sane caution

In spite of the most scrupulous precautions

Prudential regulations

Pull gently at a weak rope

He has infinite capacity for taking care

Haste onward with caution

Things done well, and with a care, exempt themselves from fear.

Henry VIII., I., 2

After adding the necessary salt of incredulity, it is to be concluded that——

It should receive careful consideration

It is worthy of attentive study

A conclusion not to be accepted without long deliberation

It is the part of rational protection for all concerned

We must wait for a propitious moment

On sober second thought, I——

We have to be as severe as justice

He seldom speaks without carefully considering what he is to say and the probable effects

He is prudence itself

The dictum must be taken with reserve

He took time for careful deliberation

He took every precaution to——

I have carefully inquired into——

The precaution necessary to insure safety

For prudential reasons

Without any undue haste

CLEAR

Manifest Plain

As clear as daylight

The issue was clearly drawn

It makes forever clear that——

Left with no misapprehensions

It is self-evident that——

An axiomatic truth

Give me ocular proof.

Othello, III., 3

The apparently inevitable conclusion is that——

It is a matter of the simplest demonstration that——

A lucid explanation

It is a vivid portrayal of——

The results are everywhere apparent

Plain to every eye

I have a very clear conviction that——

I am perfectly clear in my mind as to——

There is nothing ambiguous about it

As significant as raised letters to the blind

With admirable clarity of mind

Open, aboveboard, and explicit

That clears the air

I see it

That simplifies everything enormously

It needs no great play of imagination to see that——

The plain unvarnished fact is——

It can be demonstrated to a mathematical nicety that——

It requires no extraordinary perception to discern that——

It has become perfectly evident that——

A mere cursory examination will make it clear that——

It casts an informing light upon——

As simple and as matter-of-fact as a fever chart

COMMENDATION

(Shakespeare)

Second to none.

The Comedy of Errors, V., 1

There’s nothing ill can dwell in such a temple.

The Tempest, I., 2

A lovelier gentleman——the spacious world cannot again afford.

King Richard III., I., 2

He’s the rock, the oak not to be wind-shaken.

Coriolanus, V., 2

He reads much; he is a great observer, and he looks quite through the deeds of men.

Julius Cæsar, I., 2

A dish fit for the gods.

Julius Cæsar, II., 1

This comes off well and excellent.

Timon of Athens, I., 1

That stirs good thoughts in my breast.

King John, II., 1

He should have a volume of farewells.

King Richard II., I., 4

My man’s as true as steel.

Romeo and Juliet, II., 4

A kinder gentleman treads not the earth.

The Merchant of Venice, II., 8

Ay, every inch a King.

King Lear, IV., 6

I remember him well, and I remember him worthy of thy praise.

The Merchant of Venice, I., 2

He has done nobly.

Coriolanus, II., 3

Happy the parents of so fair a child.

The Taming of the Shrew, IV., 5

The kindest man, the best-condition’d and unwearied spirit in doing courtesies.

The Merchant of Venice, III., 2

Sing again: mine ear is much enamour’d of thy note.

A Midsummer-Night’s Dream, III., 1

Her voice was ever soft, gentle, and low, an excellent thing in woman.

King Lear, V., 3

Your fair discourse hath been as sugar, making the hard way sweet and delectable.

King Richard II., II., 3

You know the very road into his kindness, and cannot lose your way.

Coriolanus, V., 1

Neat, trimly dressed, fresh as a bridegroom.

I. King Henry IV., I., 3

They say, best men are moulded out of faults.

Measure for Measure, V., 1

Not meanly proud of two such boys.

The Comedy of Errors, I., 1

Your worth is very dear in my regard.

The Merchant of Venice, I., 1

A countryman of yours that has done worthy service.

All’s Well that Ends Well, III., 5

I have heard of the lady, and good words went with her name.

Measure for Measure, III., 1

We lack’d your counsel and your help.

Othello, I., 3

Thy charge exactly is performed.

The Tempest, I., 2

Thy counsel’s sound.

The Taming of the Shrew, I., 1

He was a scholar, and a ripe and good one; exceeding wise, fair-spoken, and persuading.

King Henry VIII., IV., 2

The very thought of this fair company clapp’d wings to me.

King Henry VIII., I., 4

This was the noblest Roman of them all.

Julius Cæsar, V., 5

I do applaud thy spirit.

The Two Gentlemen of Verona, V., 4

Good phrases are surely, and ever were, very commendable.

II. King Henry IV., III., 2

Gallants, lads, boys, hearts of gold, all the titles of good fellowship.

I. King Henry IV., II., 4

Here is everything advantageous to life.

The Tempest, II., 1

It hath done meritorious service.

The Merry Wives of Windsor, IV., 2

Upon such sacrifices——the gods themselves throw incense.

King Lear, V., 3

A good heart’s worth gold.

II. King Henry IV., II., 4

My father’s honours live in me.

Titus Andronicus, I., 1

Never man sigh’d truer breath.

Coriolanus, IV., 5

O, this boy lends mettle to us all.

I. King Henry IV., V., 4

One of the prettiest touches of all.

The Winter’s Tale, V., 2

COMMENDATORY

Praise Encomiums

(Of Persons)

He treated me very handsomely

When you speak to him you are sure of a civil reply

He is not swayed by any such considerations

He has a humor that keeps the vision true and the mind sweet

The whole record of his life was that of unselfish generosity

He is entirely free from all personal bitterness

He has a good word for every one

He is gifted with the power of expressing his knowledge

He has a very pleasing manner

I should have to think long if I were asked to name one who had done more valuable service

He strikes a splendid average

Everybody is proud of him

He was kindness itself

He has lovable qualities

He carries sunshine

He is free from ill-speaking

It was a pretty instance of——

The place has attractive features

High tribute has been generously paid to——

A very attractive girl

Decidedly handsome

I am wealthy in my friends.

Timon of Athens, II., 2

An exceptionally fine man

We regard him highly

A beautiful character

A genuine human being

One of the most agreeable men

A most attractive talker

A most agreeable companion

A man of high probity

A man of splendid merit

A most delightful personality

He deserves great praise

He played a worthy part

He is great fun

They all behaved very handsomely

I have great regard for him

He speaks in the highest terms of——

A feather in any man’s cap

It is to the credit of all concerned that——

It is a mark of public esteem when——

No one ever displayed a sweeter spirit

A fine example of self-forgetfulness

It comes from one whose praise is an honor

A strong as well as lovely character

One of the most amiable of men

He wins golden opinions

In the good graces of——

Very agreeable people

She is a very tender and indulgent mother

He is full of generous sympathies

He has a sunny temperament

He is quite an adroit flatterer

He seems to have an inexhaustible supply of affection

His modesty is worthy of wide imitation

He is brimming over with new ideas

He gives you a jolly shake of the hand

He has a wonderful gift of making friends

He has a circle of interesting friends

There is something very likable about him

He is truly regardful of the interests of others

He cultivates the amenities and civilities

He understands the art of making allowances

He would shun to break the bounds of courtesy

His polite best

He is above the meanness of tale-bearing

He spoke in language clear and expressive in the highest degree

He spoke with his accustomed felicity of language

It was a very neat and appropriate expression

He labored in a simple and straightforward manner to——

He possesses nerves that seem to be of iron

He is a perpetual surprise even to those who know him best

She is a charming person to set people at their ease

He is a noble character

She talked beautifully

He has a fine face full of vigor

He is very patient and very brave

We have beautiful neighbors

I never have seen you looking in better health

They form a delightful group

With him there is little seeking after effect

It is an evidence of good breeding

He possesses the rare faculty of——

She is without a shadow of affectation

He is incapable of hurting any one’s feelings

He possesses a masterly understanding of the subject

He is irresistibly funny

He is uncommonly quick

A man whose merit equals his reputation

He acquitted himself admirably

He possesses a good deal of homely dignity

He has the talent of dispensing pleasure

You have great reason to congratulate yourself on——

His name was never mentioned by us without the most tender regard

He has a character of sterling excellence

He is of consequence in the world

She is a model of propriety

There is an indefinable charm about her

He has an air of businesslike decisiveness

He is a facile talker

He is a plain frugal man

He is untinged by prejudice

He has a taste for polite conversation

He discharged his difficult task admirably

He was actuated by the most laudable motives

He never fumbles

He is always in such perfect good humor

He behaved very handsomely

He has calm good sense

He did it with good grace

He fitted his environment perfectly

You could not apply to any one better able than he

He made a most delightful impression

He is chock-full of fine sentiment

My heart warms towards him

He is a person whom I always recall with pleasure

His letters are full of heartiness

He has such a kindly and sympathetic spirit

No one ever displayed a sweeter spirit than he

He is every whit a man’s man

He has fine manners

He acted as one to the manor born

May his tribe increase

He impressed me prodigiously

He has the highest ideals of fine, clean, strong manhood

She is possessed with the most delicate intuitions

He possesses a certain suavity of manner

She is of exceptional personal beauty

He is above the average in point of conversation

He took the hugest pains to accommodate us

There is no more noble and beautiful character than she

There was something captivating in his manner

He was eloquent without being declamatory

You will go a long way before you find a better man

COMMENDATORY

Praise Encomiums

(Of Things)

It is rather a fascinating theme

A message worthy of the widest attention

There is a certain quaint charm about the——

Free from fulsome adulation

A work replete with charm

It was a palpable hit

A favorable impression

Whole-hearted praise

Giving due meed of praise to——

Good to look upon

Beyond praise

Worthy of all praise

Isn’t it fine

I have nothing but praise for it

It was magnificent

Of great charm

Of superlative excellence

Exceptionally good

It is highly desirable

Truly admirable

Remarkably fine

A very handsome appearance

A masterly effort

Deserving high approval

In a very commendable manner

It is superb

I think it is charming

Without parallel

A neat stroke

It was a grand sight

A very rare trait

Most charming manners

Well worthy of a place in our remembrance

A most desirable outcome

Fitting words of felicitation

The loveliest and most endearing memories of life

Not the least interesting part of the——

Exquisitely dainty

In a truly elegant manner

The occasion went off beautifully

In a very handsome manner

With singular appropriateness

We shall take new pride in it

One of the most beautiful things that ever happened to us

A counsel of perfection

The never ending charm of——

A matter of surpassing interest

It has been well said that——

It is a high tribute to the——

A tribute of praise

Little short of perfect

A full meed of praise

In the most handsome terms

Handsome is that handsome does

Singularly attractive

It has the notable merit of——

It is uncommonly good

It is quite in keeping with the best traditions

It is the fashion to talk with pride of——

I think there is nothing more fascinating than——

We feel a special pride in——

It would be all the more delightful if——

It has novelty and is refreshing

It is perfectly justifiable

It is a magnificent achievement

I know no pleasanter fact than——

A rare combination of——

Beyond cavil and criticism

A fine example of——

A very signal example of——

On a fine scale

Beyond all imagination

Of exquisite taste

A most entertaining presentation of——

Surpassingly fine

It could not have been improved

The occasion was very propitious for——

An exquisite picture

It is worthy of a world of praise

It is worthy of high praise

It bears the stamp of excellence

A very promising beginning

A delight to all right-minded people

A work of unique value

The finest thought the human mind can cherish

A master-stroke of policy

A task of immense interest

Big with promise

A most excellent speculation

It is the ideal method of solving the problem

An asset of incomparable value

With new and increased capacities

A very pretty problem in——

An experiment of absorbing interest

In the most fetching style

It has much to commend it to the sober judgment of thinking men

COMMENT

Opinion Note

A not unfair inference is——

The clear upshot of it all is——

It remains to be seen whether——

I feel confident that——

In any event

There is a phase of the discussion going on which says——

I candidly think that——

I notice a very widespread tendency to——

I am never carried to any great lengths of reflection by——

It is a matter of common knowledge that——

My idea of it is quite the reverse

One thing struck my unskilled eye

At first sight it seems——

It is altogether probable that——

Have you considered that possibly the——

And it is worth remembering that——

All competent evidence points to the fact that——

It is highly probable that——

I am more than convinced every day that——

This is the short and the long of it.

The Merry Wives of Windsor, II., 2

And thus the whirligig of time brings in his revenges.

Twelfth Night, V., 1

It seems reasonably certain that——

A reasonable inference is that——

I feel myself scarcely competent to judge

COMPLIMENT

Adulate Flatter

It was so charming of you to——

As handsome as a picture

I am perfectly fascinated by that idea of yours

It is so kind of you to——

Well done, accept congratulations

That is certainly ideal

A very creditable performance

I think you have summed it up perfectly

It is surpassingly fine

Whom to have known was a great pleasure

I fancy you are of a good temperament for

Here is diplomacy of the highest order

Your views are most satisfactory

Cheerful company shortens the miles

Cold hand, a warm heart

How nicely you put that

Those friends of yours are delightful people

Permit me to compliment you

He is able to extract comfort out of hard experiences

You are looking as lovely as usual

I always thought the hour struck sooner in your home than anywhere else

You have a very helpful suggestion

I greatly like what you say about——

I offer my congratulations on your taste

I am not given to making compliments, but I would like to say that——

CONCEITED

Egotistic Opinionated

The one and only man who knows what to do and how to do it

Hypnotized by his own visions

A self-satisfied, confident attitude

He has an overweening opinion of himself

He had the hardihood to assert that——

Conscious of his own worth

A complacent indifference to evidence

He who tickles himself laughs when he likes

Complacently egotistical

With pedantic exactitude

It irked him to be in second place

A touch of the will to survive on the ruin of others

He is inflexible in any resolution formed in his own interest

He takes zealous care of a fancied dignity

They also plumed themselves on the——

He has a well-developed case of self-importance

The incarnation of self-importance

Opinionated self-esteem

Overweening self-love

Of narrow-minded complacency

A certain haughty inaccessibility

With overbearing arrogance

With pride of singularity

He has a very high opinion of himself

Naturally self-contained

His vanity was delicately tickled

He is captivated by a sense of his own importance

She came in with insufferable condescension

With a sort of bravado

In a very supercilious manner

With a surly grunt of recognition

A few curt remarks

All the grist must be ground through his mill

He proceeded with the greatest gusto to——

With sulky acquiescence

Reticent and self-contained

An affected civility

CONCERN

Tenderness Solicitude

Taking a living loving interest in men

A self-restraint which refuses to make capital of the faults of others

No selfish purpose to serve

There is something beautifully touching in the——

He has the deepest veneration for the——

A mind teeming with tender concern for human happiness

It is impossible to look with insensibility of feeling upon the——

He entertains a very adequate respect for——

He has a fellow feeling for——

Frequent expressions of solicitude for——

It is not until one has entered sympathetically into——

I am not unmindful of——

With a motherly tenderness

CONDEMN

Denounce Censure

No message but the message of anathema and excommunication

One aspect of it should be assigned to oblivion

Atrociously bad

The worst of irresponsibles

Ripe for merited destruction

In utter defiance of the rights of others and common decency

A gross miscarriage of justice

A wretched state of affairs

Such methods are incapable of defense

You can make your own mental deductions

Destroyed in the fires of its own presumption

Those who report such things are equally culpable

It digs its own grave

He stultifies his own soul who——

It is but a conspiracy to thwart justice

It is hard to say just what maledictions should be pronounced upon one who——

One finds it difficult to measure his epithet when——

Stirred to unmeasured wrath

They are all tarred with the same stick

He should come in for some rather rough handling

The mere thought of it fills me with disgust

It is empty talk to speak of——

It is a shortsighted policy

The indictment might be lengthened

An attitude morally impossible

Certainly not inviting

Reduced to plain language, the——

Such conduct seems unjustifiable

A rather bold innovation

Certainly injudicious and ill-timed

It is crude stuff

Foolish and pernicious talk

Most reprehensible

Utterly futile as well as mischievous

Gross injustice

CONDONE

Excuse Overlook

We all have our little vanities

There are always two sides to a story

All this is water which long since flowed over the mill

It is time to bury the hatchet

That was not necessarily to his discredit

It is human nature to ignore the——

Not quite so radical as the description would seem to indicate

Undoubtedly there are times when——

Guilty of occasional indiscretions

We must endeavor to establish amicable relations

That is a thing of the past

There is another plausible side to it

Of course there are mitigating circumstances

Extenuating nothing of the enormity of the offence charged it may be asked what——

We are all willing to condone but not to forget

I can only plead in extenuation that——

There will be extenuating circumstances

No doubt he was in a playful mood when he spoke it

He did it all in good faith

The trouble with us poor mortals is——

It must in fairness be added that——

Very likely the explanation lies in the fact that——

That is far from being the whole truth

We must be willing to make the best of a bad affair

After all he possesses some fine qualities

No hard and fast line can be drawn between——

There is a view which palliates our case a little

And it is fair to remember that——

There is a certain truth in the criticism that——

The best of us make mistakes

Softening the asperities of life

Apparently he has done all he can to placate the ire of——

It is a great mercy that——

We attempted to smother down some very harsh asperities

I will give you absolution from——

Progressive thinkers would fain ameliorate the harsher aspects of——

Please say something nice to him

A tendency to conciliate those who oppose

Their efforts smoothed away many asperities

One of the chronic frailties of human nature

Things past redress are now with me past care.

King Richard II., II., 3

CONSECRATION

Devotion Dedication

All there is of us for God

Willing to take a lowly place anywhere to serve God

There is a constancy of spirit that beats like the pulse of God

A heart full of longing to live in a larger way

The hardships and joys of a life of toil

My heart is set to do all the will of God

A fervent and vigilant life in the service of God

Men and women who are living beautiful lives of sanctified service

A work in which every man may bear a share

The depth and fervor of our belief

To lay our tribute at the feet of one who is nobler than the noblest

Perfect abandon unto the will of God

Not much engaged in cumbering affairs

Into spheres of sublime service

In harmony with His character

The free-will offering of our lips and purses

Men who tried to stem the flood-tide of sin

In fearless pioneering

In plucky unyielding struggle with evil

In unapplauded toil among the poor

A path of whole-hearted consecration to God

CONSIDERATE

Regardful Thoughtful

Given to the niceties of deportment

He has the courtesy of the old school

In manner he was deferential

The flower of courtesy.

Romeo and Juliet, II., 5

Always time for the considerate word

Positive claims to consideration

Kindly and considerately

Every consideration should be shown to——

I very much doubt whether others will be equally considerate

CONTENTED

Satisfied Gratified

I am in a very happy state of mind

I have not had one melancholy hour

I think it is a settled temper of my soul that I——

I lived melodious days with——

He loves the sunny side of the road

An air of moderation and sweet reasonableness

Not one minute’s uneasiness

I want the satisfactions and complacencies of——

To every bird its nest seems fair

He may well be content

It pleased me greatly to find that——

It is a very great satisfaction to know that——

I am rejoiced to find that——

That was one of the pleasantest experiences of my life

It was hailed with unmixed joy

Every cat loves its own garret

I am perfectly comfortable about it

It is with the liveliest satisfaction that——

One of the few true delights of——

A very pleasing sort of experience

It is a source of inexpressible comfort to find that——

It is the panacea for all ills

It was heavenly

It was concluded in the most gratifying way

It is a matter of great gratification to me to find that——

There is no use blowing a fire that burns well

Quite in keeping with the best traditions

It will pass muster

An arrangement to our mutual advantage

We had no reason to complain of——

It must be a very confirmed pessimist who would refuse a smile of satisfaction at——

Snug as a bug in a rug

It was a great find

A perfectly proper proceeding

Elegant ease

Snugly ensconced

COURAGE

Resolution Mettle

Always unafraid

Unshakable resolution in the face of adversity

Through the ordeal unflinchingly

As bold as a hawk

A recklessness that snatches victory out of the jaws of danger

There is no such word as compromise in his vocabulary

He has the courage of his convictions

Fighting for imperishable moral treasures

Fortune aids the bold

With the splendid heroism of a man sure of life

Certain fearless minds

He had the fortitude to resist the——

Faint heart never won a fair lady

Look danger in the face

Upholding the finest traditions of——

A fighting heart

Our staying power is sure to be well tested

It takes a very daring man to——

As a test of the mettle of——

Unmoved by fear

The stuff of a hero in him

With red blood in his veins

Facing the problem squarely

With a bold disregard for danger

The daring mood

Not afraid to tackle big things

COURTESY

Civility Politeness

(Conventional——Apology)

I am afraid I am trespassing on your time

I beg your pardon for intruding

I hope my coming will not put you to any inconvenience

I offer my most sincere apology

I beg you will excuse me

I regret it more than I can express

Excuse me for having detained you so long

I warmly regret being unable to oblige you

I must apologize for my stupidity

This is quite unforgivable, I fear

I am very awkward, pray forgive me

I regret that I cannot assist you

It is with no small regret that——

I am exceedingly sorry that your request comes to me at a time when I am so pressed by my own affairs, that I cannot, with any convenience, comply with it

Pardon my indiscretion

(Conventional——Assistance)

I shall be very happy to assist you

I have had great pleasure in being useful to you

Permit me to serve you in any way I can

May I give you some assistance

If you can assist me I shall take it as an extraordinary kindness

(Conventional——At Weddings)

I wish you much joy

Let me wish you every happiness

I wish to offer you my heartiest congratulations

I congratulate you heartily on the good fortune that is yours to-day

Kindly accept my sincerest good wishes

It is impossible to wish you any greater good fortune than you have had to-day

Please accept my congratulations

Hearty congratulations

(Conventional——Condolence)

Kindly accept my sincere esteem and sympathy

I beg to offer my profound sympathy

We all share in your loss, and you have my deepest sympathy

I sympathize with you in your great affliction

I wish to assure you of my heartfelt sympathy

I could not refrain from assuring you in person of my sincerest sympathy

We can all splendidly trust God in life, no matter what its vicissitudes, if we but feel that we are drawn nearer to Him

Please accept my sincere condolences

(Conventional——Congratulatory)

I cannot refrain from expressing my admiring appreciation of——

You are to be congratulated upon the——

I wish to congratulate you, and express my appreciation of——

Will you permit me to make an acknowledgment of appreciation to you for——

Permit me to make appreciative acknowledgments of——

Please accept my congratulations upon your——

Since the news of the joy that has happened to you reached me, I have been anxious to write you a word of congratulation

I congratulate you on the very fortunate opportunity which presents itself

I had the great pleasure of hearing that——

I take this opportunity of assuring you that——

It is with great pleasure I hear of your safe arrival

(Conventional——Greeting)

It is a great pleasure to me to welcome you

I am delighted to see you here

I am delighted to make your acquaintance though indeed I seem to know a great deal about you through——

I am mightily glad to see you

I am so pleased to see you

How happy we are to see you

Welcome once more

This is a most unexpected pleasure

(Conventional——On Leaving)

This has been a delightful occasion

This has been a most enjoyable evening

I want to make my parting compliments

Many thanks for your kind hospitality

I will not forget this agreeable day

I am under the greatest obligation to you for a charming evening

I have enjoyed this little glimpse of you very much

This has been a most agreeable experience

It has been delightful to have you with us

I hope you may be persuaded to come again

I wish you were not going quite so soon

Come to see us again before you leave town

I trust you will repeat this experience at some future date

(Conventional——On Being Introduced)

I am very happy to meet you

It is a great pleasure to meet you

I am delighted to know you

I am sure the pleasure is mine also

You are most kind

It is a great pleasure

I was not clever enough to catch your name

(Conventional——Parting, On Chance Meeting)

It is a very great pleasure to have met you

I hope we may meet again

I hope to see you again soon

I must wish you good morning

I want to cultivate your acquaintance

I beg to present my compliments to all your family

I hope you will favor us with a call

I wish you a pleasant journey

Kindly convey my warmest regards to——

Be so good as to present my most respectful compliments to——

It has given me great pleasure to have this chat with you

Present my remembrances to——

Remember me very kindly to——

I hope we shall meet under happier circumstances

(Conventional——Request)

Could I interrupt you for a minute

I shall be glad if you will join me

I wish you would take it into serious consideration

Would you be good enough to give him a message for me

Please do not give yourself that trouble

Please accept this as a slight token of my gratitude

Will you not do me the favor to tell me——

I beg you to excuse me

If you don’t mind, I——

Let us have the pleasure of hearing you——

(Conventional——Request to Accompany Another and Response)

May I have the pleasure of your company

May I accompany you

I like good company, may I go with you

May I go along with you

With very great pleasure

Most assuredly

With pleasure

I shall feel highly honored

I shall be very happy of your company

(Conventional——Response to Compliment)

I am delighted to hear you say so

I am delighted to have your approbation

That is very gracious

Thank you, I appreciate your kindly thought of me

It is good of you to say so

(Conventional——Thanks)

I trust I shall have an opportunity of returning your kindness

You anticipate my wishes

Many thanks for doing me the honor to inquire

This is extremely kind of you

My best thanks are due to you for——

I cannot tell you how much I appreciate it

I thank you very cordially

You are very obliging

I am deeply indebted to you for your kindness

I beg your acceptance of my very hearty thanks for——

Permit me to thank you

(Conventional——Shakespeare)

Apology

Excuse my manners, that so neglected you.

Othello, V., 1

Pardon, my haste made me unmannerly.

King Henry VIII., IV., 2

I am heartily sorry that——

All’s Well that Ends Well, IV., 3

Congratulatory

Many years of sunshine days.

King Richard II., IV., 1

Take from my mouth the wish of happy years.

King Richard II., I., 3

Prosperous life, long and ever happy.

King Henry VIII., V., 5

I wish thee happiness.

Pericles, I., 1

Many, many, merry days.

The Merry Wives of Windsor, V., 5

Greeting

You are very welcome.

Cymbeline, I., 6

I am very glad to see you.

As You Like It, III., 3

A hundred thousand welcomes.

Coriolanus, II., 1

Our old and faithful friend, we are glad to see you.

Measure for Measure, V., 1

Your presence makes us rich.

King Richard II., II., 3

Although the last, not least.

King Lear, I., 1

Happily met.

The Taming of the Shrew, IV., 5

Good morrow to this fair assembly.

Much Ado about Nothing, V., 4

Heartily well met, and most glad of your company.

Coriolanus, IV., 3

Inquiry

Whither bound?

Cymbeline, III., 6

Why did you stir so early?

Pericles, III., 2

Are you the lady of the house?

Twelfth Night, I., 5

How goes the world?

Timon of Athens, I., 1

Parting

I thank you for your company.

As You Like It, III., 2

I am heartily glad I came.

As You Like It, I., 1

We leave you now with better company.

The Merchant of Venice, I., 1

I take leave with many thousand thanks.

III. King Henry VI., III., 2

Fair thoughts and happy hours attend on you.

The Merchant of Venice, III., 4

Bear my greetings to——

Julius Cæsar, II., 2

Let us take ceremonious leave——of our several friends.

King Richard II., I., 3

The heavens give safety to your purposes, Lead forth and bring you back in happiness.

Measure for Measure, I., 1

I desire more acquaintance of you.

The Merry Wives of Windsor, II., 2

Request

Bear me company.

The Two Gentlemen of Verona, IV., 3

Will you dine with me?

Julius Cæsar, I., 2

Let me have audience for a word or two.

As You Like It, V., 4

Commend me to him.

Timon of Athens, I., 1

Trouble yourself no further.

Othello, IV., 3

Which is the readiest way to the house of——

The Taming of the Shrew, I., 2

If along with us, we shall be joyful of thy company.

The Taming of the Shrew, IV., 5

Come home with me to supper; and I’ll lay a plot shall show us all a merry day.

King Richard II., IV., 1

Go on before——I’ll presently attend you.

The Two Gentlemen of Verona, II., 4

Will not your honours bear me company?

I. King Henry VI., II., 2

I’ll keep you company.

Coriolanus, II., 3

Response

What your pleasure is, shall satisfy me.

III. King Henry VI., III., 2

I count myself in nothing else so happy as in a soul remembering my good friends.

King Richard II., II., 3

I’ll eat nothing; I thank you as much as though I did.

The Merry Wives of Windsor, I., 1

Of much less value is my company than your good words.

King Richard II., II., 3

I enjoyed the golden dew of sleep.

King Richard III., IV., 1

Tell him this from me, I count it one of my greatest afflictions that I cannot pleasure such an honourable gentleman.

Timon of Athens, III., 2

Thanks

For your many courtesies I thank you.

Much Ado about Nothing, V., 1

I can no other answer make but thanks and thanks.

Twelfth Night, III., 3

It is an honour that I dream not of.

Romeo and Juliet, I., 3

I thank you for your wish, and am well pleased to wish it back on you.

The Merchant of Venice, III., 4

I thank thee for thy care and honest pains.

Much Ado about Nothing, V., 1

With more than common thanks I will receive it.

Timon of Athens, I., 2

I humbly thank him, and thank you all.

Titus Andronicus, V., 1

A thousand thanks.

The Taming of the Shrew, II., 1

Many and hearty thankings to you.

Measure for Measure, V., 1

Hearty thanks.

King Lear, IV., 6

I thank you, you are always my good friend.

King Henry VIII., V., 3

CRITICISM

Stricture Animadversion

We are not all of that ilk

He is not able to get the right perspective

We are quite reluctant to follow his lead

He has no ground of complaint

He is in no small degree responsible for——

He shall be condemned in no uncertain terms

He cuts a sorry figure

He has no sense of the fitness of things

His conclusions are hopelessly detached from his premises

The theory has gone into bankruptcy

He is over-quick in reproof

He richly deserves his fate

I will not use terms of endearment

He takes himself too seriously

He has the unhappy knack of saying things that are not so

He should be the last man in the world to——

He is desperately in earnest but terribly mistaken

A purely professional cheeriness of manner

A most inexcusable breach of confidence

That sort of thing not only wearies but disgusts sensible men

It is a case of mean yielding in places of responsibility

Such a course is eternally alien to us

No one with any polite breeding can possibly sympathize with——

Too clever by half

I cannot resist taking him down a peg or two

Which is more than a figure of speech

A clumsy attempt

Not beyond just criticism

Little to charm the eye

An unfortunate notion

It is a situation to be lamented

Not altogether a wise thing to do

Not the most reassuring thing in the world

It presents an ugly aspect

Pure cussedness

The revival of an old humbug

A suggestion to be taken with reserve

It is but the legitimate offspring of his policy

A theory which has sins enough of its own to answer for

A little top-heavy

DANGEROUS

Perilous Risky

Steering a wobbling course

Skating over thin ice

The risk is too plain to be blinked

Things which snuff the light out of life

The mischief is easier to do than to undo

A warning which we dare not ignore

It is to light a fuse

Most sedulously to be avoided

A shining mark for the attacks of——

A menace to true faith

Subversive of all social order

Nothing is more inimical to society than——

A standing menace to——

Risks it would be madness to take

It may easily become a bogey

It contains the muffled accents of compromise

The consequences of which it is exceedingly difficult to foresee

A concession which the future will deplore

It is a condition which destroys the morale

It is a fear which cuts the nerve

It has obvious risks

The perilous undertow of——

The blighting effects of pride

It seems a mere flying in the face of notorious facts to maintain that——

Taking all sorts of daring little liberties

The fatal folly of——

Can any one view that prospect with complacency when——

It is bad form to——

It is of doubtful propriety at best

It is a delicate and dangerous thing to do

It will sink beyond hope of salvage

A very precarious situation for obvious reasons

It is a perilous thing to do

He is a real man who should affirm that——

A bold stroke

A tendency to attribute undue importance to——

It never seems to give him pause that——

He laid himself open to attack when——

A delicate sort of performance

An awkward doctrine to preach now

A source of alarm

An evidence of sinister plot

A deadly menace to——

It will add fuel to the flame

A bit of fine-spun fallacious reasoning

A supremely critical hour

A danger of mistaking the eddy for the full current

A crisis in the affairs of——

DECEIT

Duplicity Guile

Calculated to deceive the very elect

Hoodwinked by chicanery

It lacked every mark of authenticity

To play fast and loose with

Fair words have stolen away your heart

Birds of prey do not sing

Words which mislead and deceive the unthinking

A whole web of intrigue

An illusion born of vanity

It is a gigantic hoax

A man given to sharp practice

It was a mean decoy

He made a feint of going——

A cowardly subterfuge

As slippery as an eel

DEFEAT

Frustrate Thwart

His last state is worse than his first

He is waiting for an excuse to climb down gracefully

Out of the frying-pan into the fire

It made serious inroads upon the——

His plans suffered an eclipse

From bad to worse

The plot thickens

It cost the pangs of keenest misery

They have been adversely affected by it

A sort of dehumanizing effect

An adept in getting into hot water

An omen of evil significance

We nipped it in the bud

DEFEND

Shield Protect

In my humble judgment he did right

I should defend that with real verve

He should not be consigned to execration simply because——

There is not one jot nor tittle nor scintilla of evidence to show that——

The matter should not be permitted to go by default

We must place safeguards against further occurrences of the same kind

He does not do so perversely

I am going to defend him from the animadversions of——

He is above any such intractable position

He is a jealous defender of——

Truly it is not meet and just that——

One in order to maintain his self-respect must——

In spite of all that has been said to the contrary, I——

It is all very well for——

DENY

Disavow Disclaim

I wish to disclaim any responsibility for——

Nothing could be farther from the facts than——

He is wholly mistaken

I emphatically deny it without fear of contradiction

There was never a greater mistake

Quite the contrary

I am far from saying that——

It is a contradiction of terms

It is absurd to suppose that——

Far from it

It is a pure invention of mischief-making spite

We wish to disclaim any purpose of that nature

If any such idea found lodgment it should be dismissed forthwith as contrary to——

It is without a vestige of truth in it

It will be met by a flat refusal

It is too much of an extravagance to assert that——

We are not justified in making unqualified assertions

It is deliberately false

An absurd proposition hardly worth contradiction

No more false charge was ever brought

The thing was absurd and incredible on the face of it

Relegated to the limbo of——

DEPENDABLE

Trustworthy Reliable

Something more than mere vaporings of the imagination

Unalterable principles of rectitude

It always has a strict business basis

Stable as the hills

As steady as a clock

No mere makeshift policy

Not swerving from the path of duty

Painstaking and faithful in the performance of duty

Of most rare fidelity

With unswerving fidelity to each and every trust

He does not play fast and loose

DESCRIPTIVE

(Of Persons)

A matchless eye

A winning smile

With feminine ease and grace

A very pretty manner

A finely molded chin

A great lubberly boy

A maid of winning charm

A most winsome expression

A dainty little miss

A mere slip of a girl

Nimbly moving hands

In robust health

A husky youngster

A tar of the jolly old sort

A son frightfully dissipated

An officer immensely officious

The habit of gentle speech

The habit of accurate observation

The pink of perfection

A vast amount of good sense

A superior man

An obliging person

A magnanimous soul

A pleasing countenance

A voice delightfully musical

Of graceful deportment

His person was commanding

Elegant propriety of attire

A jaunty demeanor

A good-natured fellow

A most agreeable creature

A natural sweetness of disposition

A charmingly simple person

A quiet unassuming person

A man of sound sense

A man of immovable convictions

A lawyer of marked ability

A discriminating eye

A countenance which beautifully expressed a deep interest in all things good

A well-governed mind

With the intuitive perceptions of a lover

Many charming qualities

A heart alive to all the beauties of nature

With the most fastidious punctilio

Fond of dwelling on the scenes of other days

So frankly and innocently happy

Skilled in the graces of conversation

An unsympathetic reader

A man of dignity, force, and ease of manner

A decent pride

A clear brain

A flash of intelligence

A quick sympathy

A wise tolerance

An acute observer

A splendid fellow

A very mercenary person

A trustworthy friend

A fond mother

A good listener

An excellent musician

An exceptional man

A character worth knowing

A mind of penetrating keenness

A scholar of considerable eminence

(Of Things)

A lovely landscape

A quiet nook

A crimson rosebud

A fertile region

A drowsy drone

A snug farm

A dainty flower

The blissful skies

Serene weather

The most perfect night possible

In very picturesque surroundings

A charming aspect

A rugged background

A high-crested crag

A pool of transparent clearness

The kindly fruits of the earth

The most appetizing confection

The pleasing odor of good food

A delicious condiment

A deadly contagion

A munificent gift

Snowy table-linen

The boundless beauty of springtime

A rattling good story

A savory odor

A quaint old house

Of a make quite metropolitan

A suit of faultless cut

Delicate traceries

A facile pen

The larger mood

A gala night

A marvel of detail

DESERVING

Worthy Meritorious

Nor can we be too warm in our grateful appreciation of the——

Posterity will give its proper meed of praise to——

He has done a real service

He proved himself worthy of the confidence reposed in him

It is the highest tribute to his sincerity

He commands the entire respect of the community

He is by all odds the best

He has earned the right to be regarded as——

It was a severe test and he came off victorious

They deserve the cordial thanks of——

DESIRE

Wish Crave

I have often cast a thought but now I begin to cast an eye towards——

A thirst after more from the same spring

A praiseworthy desire

With a feverish desire to——

To this end it is hoped that——

A secret fondness for——

He has a genuine hankering for——

From my very heart I desire——

’Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished.

Hamlet, III., 1

I covet for myself——

What we want is——

I have a burning desire to——

I am profoundly anxious to——

It is our earnest hope and most fervent prayer that——

It would be the culmination of my fondest hopes to——

I am ardently wishing for it

An insatiable thirst for——

Legitimate desires

An irrepressible desire for——

I am not very strong for——

DETERMINATION

Grit Resolution

Perseverance and pluck triumphed

He held stoutly to the creed that——

Quenchless zeal

A fixed and unalterable determination to——

Where there is a will there is a way

No, not if I work my fingers to the bone

With the determination of a born fighter

The vow is registered in heaven that——

Facing life with resolute purpose

With indomitable zeal

No one need ever say he cannot make good

A relentless determination to continue

Invincible in determination

Resolute in will

Well defined in purpose

Dauntless purpose

An inspiration amounting to a fixed resolve

Nothing can faze him

He delights to smite his enemies hip and thigh

Dyed-in-the-wool conservatives

Dauntless perseverance

We had already steeled our hearts for it

With an air of stolid desperation

With unflinching determination

Not to be tempted into foolhardiness

He held on with grim determination

With determined perseverance

Gently but firmly

A vigorous determination

With stoical fortitude

With all the energy of one’s soul

With redoubled energy

Consumed by the intensity of a passion for——

A quiet determination to do their part nobly

A grim endurance

Struggling with circumstances

With indomitable patience

He has a phenomenal capacity for pegging away

Not swerved from his position by a hair’s breadth

In proportion to the strength and persistency of an intelligent effort

Pretty persistently

He is disputing the crown of his profession with his neighbor

He gave us a clear and vigorous presentation of his own position

With indomitable spirit

With unremitting assiduity

Unsubdued in spirit and undepressed in mind

A grim hold upon

An obtuse human

A persistent tendency to

The resolute kind

There is no earthly likelihood of his complying

I was resolute

I would not give in

It admits of no extenuation

With splendid purpose in his eyes

DIFFICULT

Arduous Hard

It is a hard school

With drawbacks of its own

A fight against great odds

A hard nut to crack

I had a pretty stiff time

He had to face an arduous task

Hard work ahead and plenty of it

Ay, there’s the rub.

Hamlet, III., 1

Not easy of accomplishment

Hard facts against which we chafe and fret

Not an easy task

It is easy to preach to the converted

It was rather a trying ordeal

The goal is far more remote than we had supposed it to be

It is difficult enough under the most favorable circumstances

It is difficult to possess one’s soul in patience when——

The situation was very badly complicated by——

He is up against a tough proposition

The way is not wholly smooth

It may seem a hard doctrine to preach at such a moment

We live in no soft and easy days

I find the medicine worse than the malady

As tangled as a hank of yarn that runs into knots continually

Processes which defy analysis

A great inertia which must be overcome

DISCERNMENT

Insight Penetration

He has eyes that see to the very heart of things

His mind is all daylight

It lets us into the soul of things

A remarkably acute dissection of——

Distinguished by candor and insight

Discriminating insight

It testifies to his farsightedness that——

He knows the ins and the outs of it

He put his finger on the nerve

A very delicate discernment

A shrewd, acute man of the world

A fine discernment of the issue

A penetrating declaration that——

With keen discriminating insight

He fully appreciated the potentialities of——

He awoke to a vivid realization of——

With the discerning eye of faith

A complete revelation of the inner life

Face to face with the purposes for which we were created

A fire which consumes the dross

Foregleams of the mercy that would save the blackest sinner

A deep knowledge of the things of God

The delicate hand of a discerning nurse

Submitted to the arbitrament of merciless justice

DISCRIMINATING

Accurate Particular

As accurate as a time-table

With the most painstaking care

Meticulously careful

With discriminating nicety

A monument of minutia

A distinction without a difference

A vital lack of discrimination

A new orientation of——

Drawing a line of demarcation between——

Nice distinctions

Fine discriminations

It is a nice point whether——

With close scrutiny

With a constantly vigilant eye

Under strict and precise supervision

Every statement carefully weighed and checked

By careful discrimination

He took cognizance of——

A work of discriminating selection

DISGUST

Aversion Repugnance

The game is not worth the candle

Most vexatious blunders

Profoundly distasteful

This is wretched business

It makes one shiver to think of——

It is not very pleasant to contemplate

How often have I been in a passion with him

Disgustingly enough

I have a deep-seated repugnance to——

Disgusted with fatuous pretensions

I had the disagreeable task of——

For which he has the most ardent disdain

I consider the action most reprehensible

Particularly approbrious

Nearsighted expediency

They were anathema to him

DOMINATE

Control Rule

There is a certain high-handedness about the way of going at the——

Savored too much of the arbitrary

In the saddle

They will brook no trifling

Conquer everything

The will to power

Prepared to lay on the mailed fist

The policy of a harsh aggressive paternalism

It must adapt itself to conditions not of its own making

Stop-watch methods

A yoke upon the necks of others

An effort to dragoon the——

Bound in the straitest bonds

Under the sense of stern compulsion

It has become the guiding principle of his life

Arbitrary procedure

Under the lash of——

The lure of despotic power

DOUBT

Misgiving Question

It will provoke a challenge in many minds

There seems to be a cloud of doubt about the matter

I very much question whether——

We doubt the expediency of going farther

The statement is so sweeping in scope as to require very close scrutiny

It will not bear the test of exact criticism

Its excellence has caused suspicion of its reality

All that can be said with assurance is that——

Full of misgivings

The best experience we have makes us skeptical of——

I am far from feeling sure that the——

It cannot be regarded as conclusive that——

It is now exceedingly doubtful whether——

Of very doubtful wisdom

The whole scheme is in the air

The matter has been wrapped in doubt

Harried by uncertainties

It was accepted with reluctance and misgivings

We have been secretly cherishing the suspicion that——

With the shadows of uncertainty hanging over us

Of that we are even unprepared to guess

It is an open question whether——

Little hope is cherished that——

A frail hope

Not sure, though hoping.

King Lear, V., 3

Our doubts are traitors.

Measure for Measure, I., 4

Right down in my heart of hearts I cannot say that——

We can hardly take his ipse dixit for a decision

DULL

Uninteresting Tiresome

As dry as desert dust

Ineffably dull

Devoid of interest

An intolerable tedium

Without conscious appreciation of the meaning of——

With all the virility taken out

A gray day

The gray drab of life

No one could accuse him of any inspiration

It is almost impossible to strike any fire in him

The embodiment of stupidity

It needs the infusion of new blood

As tedious as a twice-told tale

As tedious as a tired horse

Unutterably wearisome

In the usual humdrum way

A dull and tedious statement

EFFECTUAL

Efficacious Operative

It turns wheels and grinds corn

In the way that will count

To achieve the maximum result with the minimum expenditure of effort

In a far more powerful and effective way

There can be no denying the effectiveness of——

The work brought out certain fine qualities in——

One of his most telling strokes

Well begun is half done

Weighed in the balances and not found wanting

It represents the very acme of——

Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well

It fulfills the expectation of——

It dispels the fear of——

The lance which unhorses everyone is——

The only sure deterrent of——

With inspiring cogency

Highly beneficial

EFFICIENCY

Ability Aptitude

Efficient in the highest degree

A man of large resourcefulness

He will have no loose ends

The matter is in capable hands

Well qualified for the tasks assigned

He is versed in all the intricacies of——

He has a singular aptitude for——

He knows how to get things done

He is past master in the art of——

The masters of circumstance

He is able to cope with the——

He is making good

The brains of progress

One cannot do these things off-hand

He is quite capable of——

He has great aptitude

We have the invincible weapons with which to put to rout the——

There are some who go instinctively to the bottom of any matter

With consummate skill

A typical example of efficiency

Quite able to meet all emergencies

In a broadly capable way

I have not head enough to——

Masterly execution

EFFORT

Zeal Work

A zeal which one cannot but admire

With all the arduous duties he has to perform

The result of downright hard work

Many hands make quick work

Engaged in gainful occupations

He has done much to redeem the——

It is better to wear out than to rust out

Arduous study

There were strenuous attempts to——

He made a prodigious effort

No tree falls at the first stroke

Beating at the bars of circumstance

Hotly competing with one another

A great inertia which must be overcome

Puissant efforts

A brave endeavor to deal with the——

A desperate effort to keep afloat

In the sweat of the fray

Laboring with honest zeal

EMERGENCY

Exigency Urgency

He took the bull by the horns

He took matters into his own hands

He decided upon his own initiative

Any port in a storm

It will not do to refer it to some remote futurity

The urge underlying our efforts

He took the bit in his teeth and ran away with——

EMPHASIZE

Stress Insistence

The expression is not too strong

I wish to stress the fact that——

It only served to accentuate the——

A praiseworthy insistence upon——

This is specially and emphatically so if——

This fact throws into a high light the——

Much stress has rightly been laid on the——

I want to say with all possible emphasis that——

It is inconceivable that——

There is a persistent rumor that——

We must ever insist upon the point that——

He attached the utmost importance to——

Express and repeated mention of——

ENGLISH

Language Rhetoric

That expresses it beautifully

Gifted with the power of words

Clear and lofty speech

A clean-cut expression

The gift of lucid expression

Replete with literary charm

He wields a facile pen

Master of the use of virile and nervous English

He has the gift of clothing his opinions in piquant dress

A clean phrase and no frills

Happy expressions

Swift phrase

With adroit felicity of speech

A wealth of picturesque language

Gifted with rare powers of speech

In such neat and elegant language

Transparency of expression

A graceful letter-writer

A pleasing knack of expression

The princes of literature

The phrase brims over with melody and loveliness

He has talent for rhetorical expression

Neat phrases

Phrases of delightful aptness

A crystalline lucidity of style

Of felicitous fluency

The art of graceful expression

In popular parlance

Unique literary charm

In exquisite literary form

Ever ready in repartee

With all the energy of diction

A desire to excel in speech and expression

Unable to express himself with any degree of force or fluency in conversation

A good converser

A condensed verbal statement

The art of conversation

The luxury of talk

An eloquent, fascinating talker

A man whose genius shone in conversation

He charmed everybody he met by his talk

He fused the thoughts of others into his own

A suggestive talker

The charm of conversation

Brilliant conversation

A felicitous talker

New beauties of verbal effect

Striking forms of expression

Phrases which cling

ENJOYMENT

Complacency Satisfaction

Who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.

I Tim. VI., 17

He will ever be mindful of his covenant.

Ps. CXI., 5

He filleth thee with the finest of the wheat.

Ps. CXLVII., 14

He satisfieth the longing soul.

Ps. CVII., 9

He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.

Zech. II., 8

He shall feed his flock like a shepherd.

Isa. XL., 11

As the heaven is high above the earth so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

Ps. CIII., 11

He filleth the hungry soul with goodness.

Ps. CVII., 9

He healeth the broken in heart.

Ps. CXLVII., 3

He is kind to the unthankful.

Luke VI., 35

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

II Cor. IX., 15

As the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.

Isa. XXXII., 2

The desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose.

Isa. XXXV., 1

The God of truth.

Isa. LXV., 16

The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich and he addeth no sorrow with it.

Prov. X., 22

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.

Ps. XXXVII., 23

Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.

Deut. XXVIII., 5

In every thing give thanks.

I Thess. V., 18

I have a goodly heritage.

Ps. XVI., 6

A feast of fat things.

Isa. XXV., 6

The promise of eternal inheritance.

Heb. IX., 15

His soul shall dwell at ease.

Ps. XXV., 13

Thy sleep shall be sweet.

Prov. III., 24

More precious than rubies.

Prov. III., 15

The peace of God which passeth all understanding.

Phil. IV., 7

With joy unspeakable and full of glory.

I Pet. I., 8

Underneath are the everlasting arms.

Deut. XXXIII., 27

Let us put on the armour of light.

Rom. XIII., 12

More than heart could wish.

Ps. LXXIII., 7

ENTHUSIASM

Fervor Energy

They made the welkin ring

The military fires of youth

It stirred us like a blast from a bugle

A vigorous element of young blood

Strong in the advocacy of——

Working whole-heartedly

Always abreast of the times

In fine fettle

Shot through with——

Zest for the fray

Promptly upon the heels of——

Very much alive

Seizing every available occasion

When he tackles a job he tackles it vigorously

Unaging vitality

Fired with enthusiasm for——

With fervent aspiration after——

A dash of recklessness

With tremendous earnestness

A mighty dynamic

A fountain of boundless energy

Hot for the fray

A brimming tide of energy

Ginger and go

Never relaxing

Fine enthusiasm

It is very tonic to me

In high feather

He gave himself without stint

A strenuous life

An eye of fire

Throbbing with life

Full tilt

ENTREAT

Appeal Urge

Let me plead without ceasing

The cause must be kept at flood tide

I call upon you to——

Why not keep the same steadfast eye on realities

I am addressing your understanding

I am setting forth the rationale of things

I am pleading with you to——

I am trying to exhort you to an unwavering belief

It is not enough for us to say that——

I want to press the thought with all the earnestness I have

Pledge me your word that you will——

I beseech you that——

With loving urgency

Passionate earnestness

Would that I could persuade some who are halting between two opinions

ERROR

Mistake Blunder

Very far afield

Utterly wide of the mark

He will have to guess again

An absurdly distorted view

I was shown how erroneous was my preconception

We shall make a great mistake if we allow an easy optimism to encourage the belief that——

Sincere but mistaken

Woefully mistaken

A ridiculous contradiction in terms

An erroneous notion

A self-evident falsity

Misleading in appearance

Not conforming exactly to the truth

Not in accordance with the facts

He is laboring under the false notion that——

He put the saddle on the wrong horse

He is out in his reckoning

The report was unfounded

The most culpable blundering

He would kill the goose that lays the golden egg

On the wrong scent

Manifestly incorrect

ESTEEM

Admiration Regard

He is a man of rare personal qualities

A delightful man to do business with

An altogether delightful companion

I always entertained the very highest regard for——

I was full of admiration for the way in which——

He is winning golden opinions from all sides

A high-class man

A nine days’ wonder

Absolutely matchless

Held in high esteem

If I were a Pagan I would raise altars to him

Everybody was proud of him

We give our admiration without reserve

EVASIVE

Double-minded Shifting

He evades the point at issue

Warped out of the true meaning

Veering to the other extreme

The futility of such double-dealing was seen in——

Ye cannot serve God and Mammon

He cannot worship at two shrines at once

He skirted the edges of——

He is infected with the disease of indirection

A dozen different exigencies

A responsibility he is in no way prepared to assume

The trick of turning a blind eye on the shortcomings of——

I feel myself forced to feign a particular interest in——

I am thankful to be furnished with so good a pretense

Excuse enough for any extravagances

He has apparently lost his grip by wobbling

One can kiss it away by——

That is neither here nor there

I haven’t sufficient information to pass judgment upon it

That is not one of my accomplishments

It is very difficult to say

It is hardly the language of strict propriety

EVIDENCE

Proof Attestation

It has the hall-marks of——

I have such lamentable proofs every day before my eyes of the——

Prima facie evidence of——

Indisputable and overwhelming evidence

The proofs are plentiful that——

It was abundantly proved that——

Substantial evidence

Signs are multiplying that——

The facts bear sufficient witness

The incontrovertible evidences are——

It is pretty good evidence that——

It has been proved that——

A substantial evidence of——

I am always telling that to——

I have no less authority for the statement than——

It seems to prove conclusively that——

Tangible evidence

Conclusive evidence

EVIL

Wicked Corrupt

The seat of vice

The throne of iniquity

The brood of the serpent

The pit of perdition

Another sinister symptom of——

Blacker than Egypt’s night

As black as the pit

He has dealings with the prince of darkness

An inspiration coming otherwheres than from heaven

Incurably asinine

From the harshest brutality to the lowest shade of petty meanness

In wanton defiance of every law of God and man

Manifold iniquities

The sum of all villainies

The deeps of degradation

The tents of wickedness

An unsanctified dream

EXACT

Accurate Correct

Mapped out with rigid precision

It will bear the test of exact criticism

He is capable of accurate estimate

As accurate as a time-table

No loose ends

No slipshod work

No unfortified assertions

Master of every detail

Severe exactitude

Faultily faultless

To be precise——

EXAGGERATE

Overstate Overdo

He who proves too much proves nothing

Violence of statement

Stronger language than the facts justify

It is altogether too extravagant a fancy

Made out of whole cloth

He makes a mountain out of a mole-hill

He quite overshot the mark

A gross exaggeration

Extravagant promises

He made as much of his facts as they would carry

He went to the limit

He has shot his bolt

He sees a glow-worm and thinks it a conflagration

A difficulty we are apt to overrate

EXCEPTIONAL

Excellent Choice

Second to none in importance

A star of the first magnitude

Of capital importance

The finest asset

A step of prime moment

The high-water mark of——

It calls for talents of rather an unusual order

A notable exception

On an unprecedented scale

How very unusual to find that——

Of a rather unusual sort

Its finest flower and fulfillment

The height of elegance

Of rare talent

It will not be easy to match

100% capacity men

Scarcely to be paralleled

EXPECTANT

Hopeful Anticipatory

I am living in the fond hope that——

It bodes well for the future

A most reassuring phase

He hopes to ride safely into the harbor of——

The net effort seems to warrant the hope that——

There is a bare possibility that——

What a gleam of hope in——

We set out under happier stars

A promise of the future

I think we may indulge the hope that——

As hopeful as the dawn

We are enabled to look beyond the mists which fill the valley

Full of splendid promise

In the happy and beautiful millennial time when——

Rich in promise

Big with possibilities

A star in blackest night

I nurse a lingering hope that——

In all probability I——

It is the expression of a glorious fact that——

EXPERIENCE

Knowledge Proof

The burnt child dreads the fire

A momentous experience

I have tasted all the consequences of——

There is no hunting but with old hounds

Experience is the best teacher

It is the consensus of experience that——

I can tell where my own shoe pinches

A word that has no meaning to him

Tried experience

I soon had occasion to know better

Of value to those who have eyes to see its significance

He is utterly heedless of the teachings of experience

This has been convincingly demonstrated in the past

Proof has been furnished with painful frequency

A testimony which is conclusive to all fair-minded men

An exemplification of——

The crucible of experience

Tested in the fires of experience

FAILURE

Ill-success Shortcoming

He is headed straight for the auctioneer’s block

They have lost not only the meat from the bone but the bone itself

He beat the bushes and another caught the birds

He has fallen outside the breastworks

The wick in the lamp is already beginning to flicker

He has not made out a case for it

It is a fatuity

He was broken at the wheel in the attempt

An end of all that pleasing vision

My hand has lost its cunning

The tragedy of unfulfillment

In the vain hope that——

Many signs of hereditary degeneration

It has gone stale

Was there ever a maxim that proved so false

We have seen all the hopes snapped

Not functioning with satisfactory efficiency

After vain endeavors upon my part

The big fish ate the little ones

With few results and most of them not worth tabulating

In a bad way

It will collapse like a house of cards

At a low ebb

It is a prophecy that will sleep in a pigeon-hole

The keystone has fallen out of the arch

The idol is off his pedestal

Feeding on the swine-husks of——

Gone by the board

Dropped away like autumn leaves

FANCIFUL

Visionary Capricious

It was a gallant dream

Based on ephemeral conditions

A mirage of iridescent tints

A dreamer of vain and impossible dreams

An illusion born of vanity

Nothing is more visionary than trying——

A rose-buddy sort of——

Purely fantastic

Idle dreams

Capricious ways

Various foibles

Ghostly recitals of——

The enticing illusions of——

Building castles in the air

FICKLE

Wavering Changeable

Tossed about by every wind of doctrine

He is a creature of moods and moments

He is as whimsical as a butterfly

He is without anchor and without port

The mood of the moment

Conquered by every passing whim

The very sport of adverse winds

The caprice of the moment

No one can blow and swallow at the same time

Like a butterfly driven aimlessly before the breeze

An inspiration not amounting to a fixed resolve

An impractical sort of dreamer

The refinement of speculation

He flits from scheme to scheme

As changeable as the moon

Drifting like an idle straw at the mercy of the wind

Like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed

Fickle and irresolute

I am a feather for each wind that blows.

The Winter’s Tale, II., 3

FINAL

End Last Resort

Dead without hope of resurrection

With an atmosphere of finality

I agree that you have spoken the decisive word

Reduced to barest terms

The irreducible minimum

In the final analysis

The court of final appeal

Ere the curtain is rung down on the drama

In his heart of hearts he——

The ultimate solution of the problem

It’s all over

We want no inconclusive settlement

Wellnigh snuffed out

The last sad estate

The ultimate goal

FIRM

Resolute Steadfast

Proof against all propaganda

As impregnable as Gibraltar

We stuck to our guns

Courteously but firmly expressed

The time for laying on a vigorous hand

I was utterly inexorable

He stands four-square to all the winds that blow

The same unyielding quality

With moral fixity of purpose

He resolutely declared his intention of——

In the unalterable decision that——

With implacable purpose

An impregnable bulwark against the——

In no uncertain terms

Master of the situation

The resolute kind

We have to be as unbending as truth

Hearts of oak

With unswerving fidelity

By strict adherence to——

As unalterable as the Laws of the Medes and Persians

A resolute decision

FIRST

Foremost Vital

It is of first consequence that——

It is a red-letter day in——

It is enormously important

It is highly significant that——

The vital thing now is——

Besides this everything pales

First things first

Their wishes are paramount

The ruling considerations were——

There is a cardinal place in the scheme of things for——

The outstanding features of the——

Matters of primary importance

It was the first and foremost consideration

For the present the significant thing is——

It is a notable circumstance that——

It is worthy of chronicle that——

The prime reason for——

FIT

Appropriate Suitable

Exquisite fitness

The eternal fitness of things

Fruits ripening to their full value

A sense of the fitness of things

Most appropriate

As the hand fits the glove

FLIMSY

Weak Superficial

There is very little wheat in that chaff

Your defenses will crumble at the assault

A faint kind of policy

Lack of recuperative power

What wretched dilettante business it all is

To what degree is this a fair-weather enterprise

Like the flimsy fortification of a cobweb

Little better than sound and foam

Without rhyme or reason

As frail and as fleeting as a bubble

It will make ludicrous the flimsy assertion that——

With rudimentary notions of——

The weak spot in the——

He may swim boldly who is held up by the chin

In a cheap and bizarre fashion

FORCIBLE

Weighty Trenchant

In words of trenchancy

The driving wheel of the——

Presented in a striking and strong light

A very growing influence

The argument is irresistible

A formidable man with an idea

A crescendo of power

Of wonderful fortitude

Every ounce of strength and vitality

A power to be reckoned with

A telling argument

There is great potency in——

Clear-cut and convincing

In no measured terms

A compelling reason

FORTUNATE

Lucky Favored

I could not help felicitating myself that——

I feel very grand at this issue of things

I thank my good star that——

I am thankful that Providence managed otherwise

It was uncommon luck that——

I was certainly fortunate in that——

By a turn of good fortune, I——

FRATERNAL

Brotherly Social

The foundations of a stable order of brotherly helpfulness

Efficient social citizenship

A perfect social order

A well developed social consciousness

A burning zeal for service

In the way of noble endeavor

The stewardship of wealth

A heart-warming fellowship

FRENCH

À la mode, according to the style

À outrance, without mercy

Au fait, up to the mark

Au reste, besides

Au revoir, adieu until we meet again

Beau monde, the fashionable world

Bête noire, a pet aversion

Bonhomie, good nature

Bon jour, good morning

Bonne bouche, a delicate morsel

Bon soir, good evening

Chapeaux bas, hats off

Chef de cuisine, head cook

Contretemps, an awkward situation

Coup d’état, a stroke of policy

Croix de guerre, cross of war

De trop, superfluous

Edition de luxe, a splendid edition

En déshabillé, in undress

Enfin, finally

En masse, in a body

En rapport, in harmony

En route, on the way

Entre nous, between ourselves

Esprit de corps, the animating spirit of a collective body

Faux pas, a mistake

Hors de combat, down and out

Laissez faire, let things take their natural course

Lèse-majesté, high treason

Ma chère, my dear

Ma foi, on my honor

Mal à propos, ill-timed

Mal de mer, seasickness

Mon ami, my friend

Noblesse oblige, rank imposes obligations

On dit, they say

Par excellence, preëminently

Peu a peu, by degrees

Raison à état, a reason of state

Raison d’étre, reason for existence

Robe de chambre, a morning gown

Sans souci, free from care

Tout ensemble, the general effect

FUNDAMENTAL

Basal Permanent

It is well to have a few well established limitations and restrictions

The solid fact behind it all is——

The one indispensable qualification for——

A settled principle as old as the hills

Of permanent significance

One of the root reasons

My own irrefragable argument for——

The old simplicities of faith

A faith centered in the everlasting

Subject to the eternal things or perish

A guiding principle which admits of no exceptions

Thinking things through to their final and logical outcome

The elemental realities

The eternal verities

As old as the evening star

A basis of enduring justice and right

The established states of human society

Like deep calling unto deep

At the root of things

It makes for the permanent stability of——

The ultimate fact is——

As well founded as the law of gravitation

Long-cherished opinions

A solid underpinning

A very vital equation in the problem is——

Strong and deep-rooted beliefs

The underlying reasons

Solid reasons

One of its fundamental tenets

They have gone down beneath superfluities to bedrock

The fundamental principle is irrefutable

The abiding significance of——

So solid in principle that it has resisted every shock

At the bottom of all

FUTILE

Useless Unavailing

The protest was of no avail

The proposition is equally aliunde and futile

I might as hopefully have entreated the wind

He would dig a well with a needle

He catches the wind with a net

Scanty prospects

It is a hopeless proposition

It is futile to——

I am afraid he is indulging in a futile hope

The matter will never be consummated

Their hope is without foundation

He is on a fruitless errand

It will result in the inevitable breakdown of——

But in spite of all our optimism the evidence is overwhelming that——

That has been tried before but with no distinct success

The game is not worth the candle

It has cooled my resolutions

It may be something of a damper to be told that——

GENEROUS

Liberal Magnanimous

A man of generous disposition

Built on a generous scale

Not the least mite stingy

Kindly disposed

A revelation of tenderness which is very reassuring

With noticeable consideration

His kindness knew no bounds

A generous view of life

No man of breadth cares one whit whether——

Large minded men with liberal views

A breadth of outlook

Broad tolerance

A magnanimous man

In the most generous fashion

A people known for their warm hearts

Kinder than the kindest

GIFTED

Talented Extraordinary

He is a capable fellow

He is my beau ideal in every respect

He has a genuine aptitude for business

He has considerable colloquial talents

He is finely qualified by exceptional advantages

Of rare powers

Of no ordinary faculties

He is a man of many fascinations

He is one who can think for a commonwealth

You can leave it to him for being clever

He is a man of real ability and fitness

One of the most fascinating persons I——

He rendered brilliant service in——

Few men have rendered more conspicuous service

He possesses in an unusual degree the power of——

He shakes the pillars of the temple

He presided with rare dignity

He is the organizer of victory

He could not fail to delight a cultivated public

He plays with wonderful expression

He passes things through the alembic of his own mind

With the suavity of conscious power

A man of consequence

He creates confidence

He carries conviction

He has the qualities of triumphant leadership

GOOD-HUMORED

Good-natured Cheerful

He is anointed above his fellows with the oil of good-feeling

In his happiest mood

The era of good feeling

A bit of good-humored chaff

The friendly relations so happily subsisting between——

He did not think it in any way demeaning to his dignity——

Put the best construction upon every action

Like a boy before a holiday

Grumpiness is no feature of his nature

An irrepressible youthfulness of heart

Beaming with good humor

His nature is all sunshine

As full of happiness as a hive is full of bees

As merry as a child

Happy as an angel

A real delight to me

A source of æsthetic pleasure

Those were halcyon days

His good humor was so infectious

A breezy good-humor

The era of good feeling

The happiest moods which can fill the soul

GROUCHY

Petulant Irritable

As sullen as an ill-tempered boy

The impression of pure pique

Skulking in his tent

As impatient as the wind

In a huff

Symptoms of an attack of nerves

He could brook no delay

Sullen silence

Tears of vexation

One in whom the milk of human kindness had turned sour

One of those people who make themselves wretched and pass on their misery to those near them

A man with a hair-trigger constitution

He does not suffer fools gladly

So provoking

I shall be right glad when——

Solemn as the day of judgment

He took umbrage at what I said

Not in a particularly genial frame of mind

As acid as vinegar

As gloomy as an old man by a fireless hearth

I’m afraid he started the day in a contradictory mood

A censorious attitude toward one’s fellowmen

GULLIBLE

Ignorant Stupid

Given out for gospel to the ignorant

An easy mark

The optimism of ignorance

The prey of profiteers

I am afraid he will be taught by many a sore and scalding lesson

The easy prey of——

He fell into the trap

He nibbled at the bait

The unsuspecting victim of——

HABITUAL

Customary Usual

He had become habituated to——

Of frequent iteration

An inveterate habit

Of immemorial usage

Over a well-beaten path

Addicted to the habit of——

He moves in a rut

Custom calls me to ’t.

Coriolanus, II., 3

Until it shall become an indispensable and delightful habit

HASTE

Rapidity Hurry

A high-pressure haste

With all practical speed

As quick as a wink

A concession to the requirements of brevity

HASTY

Premature Rash

A little premature

Crossing the bridge before we come to it

We need not say good morrow to the devil until we meet him

Unseemly haste

The more haste the worst speed

He shocked the proprieties

It would be premature to forecast the——

He ran before he was sent

It is too early at this time to state the——

Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow.

Romeo and Juliet, II., 6

The letting down of restraint