Word Meanings - SYNONYM - Book Publishers vocabulary database

One of two or more words which are equivalents of each other; one of two or more words which have very nearly the same signification, and therefore may often be used interchangeably. See under Synonymous. All languages tend to clear themselves of

Additional info about word: SYNONYM

One of two or more words which are equivalents of each other; one of two or more words which have very nearly the same signification, and therefore may often be used interchangeably. See under Synonymous. All languages tend to clear themselves of synonyms as intellectual culture advances, the superfluous words being taken up and appropriated by new shades and combinations of thought evolved in the progress of society. De Quincey. His name has thus become, throughout all civilized countries, a synonym for probity and philanthropy. Macaulay. In popular literary acceptation, and as employed in special dictionaries of such words, synonyms are words sufficiently alike in general signification to be liable to be confounded, but yet so different in special definition as to require to be distinguished. G. P. Marsh.

Related words: (words related to SYNONYM)

• UNDERDOER
  One who underdoes; a shirk.
• UNDERBRED
  Not thoroughly bred; ill-bred; as, an underbred fellow. Goldsmith.
• UNDERSECRETARY
  A secretary who is subordinate to the chief secretary; an assistant secretary; as, an undersecretary of the Treasury.
• UNDERPLOT
  1. A series of events in a play, proceeding collaterally with the main story, and subservient to it. Dryden. 2. A clandestine scheme; a trick. Addison.
• UNDERNICENESS
  A want of niceness; indelicacy; impropriety.
• UNDERSOIL
  The soil beneath the surface; understratum; subsoil.
• UNDERDOLVEN
  p. p. of Underdelve.
• UNDERPROP
  To prop from beneath; to put a prop under; to support; to uphold. Underprop the head that bears the crown. Fenton.
• UNDERNIME
  1. To receive; to perceive. He the savor undernom Which that the roses and the lilies cast. Chaucer. 2. To reprove; to reprehend. Piers Plowman.
• UNDERCREST
  To support as a crest; to bear. Shak.
• CLEARLY
  In a clear manner.
• UNDERGROUND INSURANCE
  Wildcat insurance.
• UNDERSAY
  To say by way of derogation or contradiction. Spenser.
• UNDERTAPSTER
  Assistant to a tapster.
• UNDERDELVE
  To delve under.
• UNDERSTOOD
  imp. & p. p. of Understand.
• UNDERDO
  To do less than is requisite or proper; -- opposed to overdo. Grew.
• OTHERGUISE; OTHERGUESS
  Of another kind or sort; in another way. "Otherguess arguments." Berkeley.
• CLEARER
  A tool of which the hemp for lines and twines, used by sailmakers, is finished. (more info) 1. One who, or that which, clears. Gold is a wonderful clearer of the understanding. Addison.
• UNDERCOAT
  1. A coat worn under another; a light coat, as distinguished from an overcoat, or a greatcoat. 2. A growth of short hair or fur partially concealed by a longer growth; as, a dog's undercoat.
• NOTOTHERIUM
  An extinct genus of gigantic herbivorous marsupials, found in the Pliocene formation of Australia.
• PLUNDERER
  One who plunders or pillages.
• ISOGEOTHERMAL; ISOGEOTHERMIC
  Pertaining to, having the nature of, or marking, isogeotherms; as, an isogeothermal line or surface; as isogeothermal chart. -- n.
• SMOTHER
  Etym: 1. To destroy the life of by suffocation; to deprive of the air necessary for life; to cover up closely so as to prevent breathing; to suffocate; as, to smother a child. 2. To affect as by suffocation; to stife; to deprive of air by a thick
• DUNDERHEAD
  A dunce; a numskull; a blockhead. Beau. & Fl.
• TEN-POUNDER
  A large oceanic fish found in the tropical parts of all the oceans. It is used chiefly for bait.
• ISOTHEROMBROSE
  A line connecting or marking points on the earth's surface, which have the same mean summer rainfall.