Advantage is “a state of forwardness or advance;” and the word is applied rightly, therefore, to one person or thing in relation to other persons or things. Benefit is simply gain or profit, without comparison of one person or thing with another. [Thus: “He possesses an advantage over me,” is correct. “All derived advantage from it,” is incorrect.]

Also is applied to things and qualities, and denotes mere addition. Likewise is applied to states of being or of action; and denotes some agreement or connection between the ideas expressed in the words it joins. [Thus: “He is a prince and also a musician;” but: “He is a poet and likewise a musician.”]

Ability is the power of doing something. Capacity is the faculty of receiving something [e.g.: new ideas, great thoughts.] [So: “That statesman has great ability;” “That pupil had wonderful capacity.”]

An answer is given to questions; a reply, to attacks and accusations. [An answer to an answer may, however, be called a reply.]

Amid or amidst is used generally when the surroundings are of a different nature from the person or thing surrounded. Among, when they are of the same nature. Again, amid or amidst is generally applied to quantity; among, to number. [So: “among friends;” “amidst enemies;” “among thousands;” “amid the snow.”]

Abandon and desert generally imply something blame-worthy in the one who abandons or deserts; forsake does not. Again: abandon and forsake are used of persons and things, desert is used of causes or of persons, but not of things. [Thus: “The soldier deserted his post of duty.” “The man abandoned his early friends.” “We forsook the dear old homestead.”]

Assist implies mutuality of help; aid, not necessarily so. [“The sufferers assisted one another.” “I aided him in his distress.”]

Anger is inward feeling. Wrath is inward feeling accompanied by outward manifestations. [“The wrath of the elements.” “The anger of the inmost soul.”]

Accurate is aiming at, and therefore attaining to, correctness. Exact has not necessarily this implication of intention, and may be used of accidental correctness. [“He was very honest and accurate in his accounts.” “He was exact in that financial statement, but it was by chance.”]

Authentic is that which gives a true account of the matters in question. Genuine is that which has been written or composed by the person whose signature the book or paper bears. [“This is a genuine letter of the great Captain’s; but it does not give an authentic account of the voyage.”]

Admittance is the right of entry; admission is the actual entry. [“The admittance fee was twenty-five cents.” “The burglar gained admission to the house by a window.”]

Allow is the stronger of the two. [“I begged to to be allowed to go; but I was refused.” “Permit me to show you to a seat.”]

Seem is confined to the mind; appear, to the senses. [“It seems to me that you have made a mistake.” “That house appears white to me.”]

Bountiful is used of persons; plentiful, of things. [“The game was plentiful.” “A bountiful giver.”]

Bravery is a natural quality; courage and valor are acquired qualities; courage, in particular, being the result of reason. Bravery and valor are confined to contests with living beings; courage is not. Again, valor is not used of single combat, but of war; bravery and courage may be used of single combat. [“The natives showed great bravery.” “He bore his sufferings with undaunted courage.” “His military career was one long record of valor.”]

Beneficent is used chiefly—if not entirely—of actions. Benevolent is used of both actions and feelings, chiefly of feelings. The same thing may be said of most adjectives and nouns having the endings -ficent and -ficence [facio, I do] respectively, and -volent and -volence [volo, I will] respectively; e.g.: munificent, malevolent. [“He was naturally very benevolent; but, owing to the circumstances of his life, he could not shew any very great beneficence.” “He was a very munificent man, continually giving away his money to the poor.”] The use of these words should be confined to persons or personified things. It is incorrect, therefore, to speak of a munificent gift.

Brevity is mere shortness. Conciseness is shortness along with condensation. [“His speech was very brief; for really there was nothing to be said.” “Mr. H. is very concise in his speeches: they are short, but full of matter.”]

Motion is continuous when there are no interruptions. It is continual when there are interruptions. [“Life itself is continuous.” “The demands upon ones purse are imperative and continual.”]

Character is our real inner worth; reputation is the world’s opinion of our character. [“His reputation is bad; but, could we see his real character, we should find him not so bad, after all.”]

Conscious applies to the heart, the soul, the conscience: i.e., to the moral and spiritual part of man. Aware applies to the mind. [“He was conscious of his sin.” “He was not aware that you saw him.”]

A crime is an infraction of the law of a particular land or people. Sin is the violation of a religious law. This law may be common to many lands or peoples. Vice is a continual course of wrong-doing, and is unaffected by country, religious belief, or state of life: being a line of conduct harmful to the vicious man or to others. [Smuggling is a crime; idleness is a sin, and, if long-continued, it becomes a vice.]

Courteous has reference chiefly to others; polite or polished, to ourselves. The former is “objective;” the latter, “subjective.” [Thus: “We met an old fisherman, who took us home and treated us with great courtesy and kindness. Of course, he was not polished: in fact, he had very little idea of politeness.”]

A catalogue is a list accompanied by short explanations or notes. “The list of the paintings was only a page and a half long; but the complete catalogue—compiled later—occupied four pages.”

That is casual which is unpremeditated. That is fortuitous which is “opposed to systematic design.” [Fortuitous generally implies a combination of events.] That is accidental which interrupts (generally unpleasantly) the ordinary course of events. [“Walking carelessly along, I took a casual look at the prison window; and there I beheld my friend.” “The accidental stopping of the coach saved him a further explanation.” “The meeting was quite fortuitous: it would not have taken place once in a thousand times.”]

Compel and compulsion generally imply the employment of physical force. Coerce and coercion do not, their meaning being almost always confined to moral or mental pressure.

Confess, confession, imply that what is told was before unknown to the person to whom the confession is made. Acknowledge, acknowledgment, have no such implication. [“But what was their surprise when the captain confessed that he himself was the murderer!” “The monster, being accused of the crime, acknowledged his guilt.”]

A surmise is founded on evidence; a conjecture, not necessarily so. A conjecture, therefore, is generally of something visionary; a surmise of something practical. [“His conjecture, that the moon is inhabited, is now discredited.” “After taking observations, he surmised that the Indians contemplated an attack.”]

Con- is used before a consonant; co-, before a vowel. When, however, the two parts are very distinct, co- is preferred, before even a consonant. A hyphen will, in such cases, generally be used. [Contemporary, coeval, co-partner.]

Complete means lacking nothing. Finished means done as far as was intended. [“The house is finished for the winter; but still, much more labor will be required to make it complete.”]

Custom and usage apply to society; habit applies to an individual. Again, usage implies long standing; custom, not necessarily so. [“My habit in Africa was to rise early. Early rising is a custom of the country, sanctioned by immemorial usage.”]

Discriminate is used of small differences; distinguish, of great differences. Again: discriminate applies to several objects; distinguish, to two. Further: discriminate is generally used of the mind; distinguish, of the senses. [“By the light of the lantern he distinguished the bodies.” “He discriminated among the specimens, which, to an unpractised eye, appeared all the same.”]

Despotism exists by law or of right. A tyranny exists in the face of law and right. A despotism may, therefore, be mild, as has often been the case in history.

Resolve is stronger than determine. [“I am resolved to die rather than give up my Church.” “I am determined to get the book, if possible.”]

One is directed by a person at a greater or less distance. One is guided by a person close at hand. [“Taking our hand, he guided us through the forest.” “Standing on an eminence, he directed the pilgrims to their various quarters, by a movement of the hand.”]

In reasoning, deduction is proceeding from generals to particulars; induction, from particulars to generals.

A letter is directed to him who is to receive it; addressed, to him who is to read it. A parcel, therefore, is directed, not addressed.

Drive is to urge along; ride, to be borne along. This is the distinction in America. [“Mr. Vanderbilt drove a beautiful span of bays; his wife rode beside him.”] In Great Britain and Ireland, drive generally refers to vehicles (except busses, cabs, and other public conveyances, with which its use is confined to the driver); whilst ride means to be carried upon the back of a horse, donkey, &c. Thus: “I went out for a drive,” would not necessarily mean that I myself held the reins. The American use of drive and ride is, however, more agreeable to reason and authority.

Evidence is that which produces proof. Testimony is that which is intended to produce proof, i.e., the giving of what may be evidence. [“Much testimony was taken, but really there was little evidence of even the commission of the crime.”]

Epidemic is a disease brought upon or into a community from some outside quarter. It is therefore unnatural to the locality. Endemic is a disease natural to the community or locality. [“Yellow-fever, which is epidemic at New York, is endemic in Cuba.”]

Expense and expensive refer to the purchaser; cost and costly, to the thing purchased. [“That vase is not too costly—for it is very valuable; but it is too expensive for my limited means.”]

The effect is that which immediately follows the cause. Then comes the consequence, and after that the result. [“The effect of wearing clothes is warmth; the consequence is the wearing out of the clothes; the result is the purchase of new clothes.”]

Eternal: having neither beginning nor end; everlasting: having beginning, but no end. [“Eternal Father, strong to save.” “The everlasting hills.”]

Etc. means, “and others of a different kind.” And so forth means, “and others of the same kind,” “in the same strain,” “and the like.” [“He has sold his horses, cows, sheep, &c.” “The result is a train of coughs, colds, consumption, and so forth.”] In dignified composition the use of these expressions is to be avoided as much as possible. It is incorrect to use etc., &c., and so forth, in instances like the following: “Employ some such word as mountain, hill,” &c. [Some such renders &c. superfluous.]

Ferment is to produce alcohol by fermentation. Hence ferment is sometimes used figuratively with the intransitive force of “to be in an excited state.” Foment is to apply lotions to; hence, figuratively, to animate or stir up. [“The revolutionary ingredients seemed to be fermenting; the leaven of socialism seemed to be working.” “He fomented the disturbance by appeals to the people.”]

Faultless is, free from defects as well as from evil or wickedness. Blameless is, free from evil or wickedness alone. [“His course of life was blameless, although he made many errors in business matters.” “His playing was faultless.”]

A falsehood is a false or incorrect proposition. Falsity is the falseness or incorrectness of the proposition, apart from the proposition itself. [“That statement is a falsehood. The falsity of the assertions contained therein is obvious.”]

Farther is used of rest; further, of motion. In a secondary sense further is generally preferred. [“Montreal is farther away than Toronto.” “I throw the ball further than you.” “To speak further is superfluous.”]

Goodness is innate; virtue, acquired. [“His goodness of heart prompted the savage to give us food.” “His virtue was of slow growth: at first he was a most degraded man.”]

Hidden and concealed imply intention; secret does not. [“Hidden here, concealed there, the officers found the stolen goods.” “Deep in the earth he found the secret ore.”]

Haste is quickness. Hurry is quickness accompanied with confusion or flurry. [“We are often in haste; we ought never to be in a hurry.”]

A hindrance stops us at the beginning; an obstacle, in the middle; an inpediment retards us all the time. [“Our journey was very unfortunate. The entrance of a visitor was a hindrance to our departure; about a mile from the house we found in the road an obstacle in the shape of a fallen tree; whilst the mass of baggage we carried was a serious inpediment to our progress.”]

One who is informed knows something new; one who is instructed understands something new; one who is taught can do something new. [“He was informed of the death of his father.” “He was instructed in matters of trade.” “He was taught how to make sword-blades.”]

To take issue is to object to the right of denial. To join issue is to admit the right of denial, but to disagree as to facts. Join issue should, of course, never be used for agree. [“He wanted to argue with me; but I at once took issue with him, alleging that his position in the matter precluded any argument.” “He said yes; I said no. Upon this we joined issue.”]

Indecent is used of the person; immodest, of the conduct or disposition. [“The wearing of such clothes was simply indecent.” “His general behaviour was quite immodest.”]

An instant is shorter than a moment. [“In a few moments—nay, in a single instant—we may be ushered into eternity.”]

Diligent and diligence express the idea of thoroughly doing whatever is at hand. Industrious and industry express the same idea, and, in addition, imply a readiness or watchfulness for work. [“He performed his task with diligence—just as a well-trained horse does. He lacked, however, those habits of industry and thrift which raised his brother to wealth.”]

Import is the idea most readily conveyed. Meaning is the idea intended to be conveyed. Sense is the way in which the expression may be taken, or its general substance or spirit. [“He says the meaning is so and so. His words may have that sense, but it is not their obvious import.”]

Illusion is the imagining to be existent of something non-existent. Delusion is an incorrect idea about something really existent. [“His chief illusion was that there were wild beasts in the room.” “The delusion under which he labored was that paper currency is real money, instead of its representative.”]

In- is the ordinary negative prefix to be used with nouns and adjectives of Latin origin. Un- is the negative prefix to be used: (1) with words of Anglo-Saxon origin; (2) with verbs of Latin origin. [Thus: inhospitable, ingratitude; unclean, unauthorize.] There are, however, many exceptions; e.g.: uncomfortable, incapacitate.

Inexorable is, not to be prevailed upon by entreaty; inflexible, not to be bent at all. Inflexible is therefore the stronger of the two. [“We tried entreaties, but he was inexorable. Afterwards, we tried money and threats; but he was still inflexible.”]

A jar is a wide-mouthed vessel without a handle [“A jar of jam”]. A pitcher is a wide-mouthed vessel with a protruding lip and a large ear or handle. [“Please pass the milk-pitcher.”] A jug is a small-mouthed vessel with a swelling body and a small ear or handle near the mouth. [“He brought a large jug of beer.”]

Low-priced is that for which little has been paid. The thing may however, really be dear. Cheap is that the price of which is low, its intrinsic worth being considered. [“The watch was by no means low-priced; it cost, in fact, one hundred pounds; still, it was cheap at that sum, for its action was perfect.”]

Lazy describes the general disposition, and is the opposite to alert or industrious. Idle refers to a particular time, place or matter, and is the opposite to busy or occupied. Slothful or indolent implies a hatred of exertion and a general slowness or languor. The opposite to slothfulness or indolence is activity. [“The boy was thoroughly lazy: he would neither work nor play.” “After a hard day’s work, he was now enjoying a few minutes of idle repose.” “Be not slothful in business.”]

Laudable is used of things; praiseworthy, of persons. [“It is a most laudable endeavour.” “He is a praiseworthy man.”]

Last is used of place or order; latest, of time. [“His name was last on the list.” “He was the latest to arrive.”] Late is often employed incorrectly for last. E.g.: “The late [last] speaker.”

Leave generally implies a return. Quit generally implies no return. [“He left me for a moment.” “He quitted me for ever.”]

Malice is used of conduct in general; spite, of individual acts. [“He followed him for years with untiring malice.” “On this occasion he certainly shewed spite towards his opponent.”]

Marital means, pertaining to a husband; matrimonial, pertaining to marriage. [“His marital rights were disregarded.” “Matrimonial alliances between crowned heads are often matters of policy.”]

A mistake is not necessarily blameworthy. An error is blameworthy. [“That was a fortunate mistake.” “It was a downright error on his part; for he had been warned again and again.”]

Mute is used of one who can speak, but who, through compulsion or otherwise, will not. Dumb is used of one who cannot speak. So, the expression, a deaf-mute, should be, a deaf and dumb person. [“He was mute, in spite of all their threats: he would not betray his friends.” “He was dumb, having uttered no articulate sound in his whole life.”]

Merely implies no addition; simply, no admixture. [“They were there merely to prevent bloodshed.” “It was simply incredible that he should have so acted.”]

Nearly, entirely, scarcely, are applied to quantity, time or space; almost, completely, hardly, generally to degree. [“It is nearly a mile from here.” “The apple is hardly ripe.” “He is almost dead.”]

Neglectful refers to an individual act. Negligent, to a series of acts that have produced a habit. [“To forget that book was very neglectful.” “He was all his life a most negligent man.”]

Due is used of debts. Owing calls attention to the source or origin whence something springs. The present participle [owing] of the intransitive verb to owe has taken the place of the past participle [owed] of the transitive verb to owe. [“A large sum was due him.” “It was owing to the Crusades that many oriental ideas and inventions were introduced into the West.”]

Upon is stronger than on, and should be employed when particular attention is to be drawn to the support, whether literal or figurative. With verbs of motion, also, upon is generally preferable. [“The book is on the table.” “He lifted the large box, and put it upon the table.” “Upon truth and righteousness, upon honour and justice, must rest the foundations of every state.”]

Perspicacity and perspicacious express the power of of seeing clearly. Perspicuity and perspicuous express the quality of clearness. The former two are active in their meaning, the latter two passive. The ending -city, here as elsewhere, denotes the power or ability to do something; e.g.: veracity is the quality of speaking the truth, not truth itself. [“I admire the perspicuity of his explanations.” “He is a most perspicacious man: nothing escapes his eye.”] In many cases, clear-sightedness, clear-sighted, clearness, clear, are greatly preferable to perspicacity and the rest.

Perpetually is an exact synonym of continuously, and means, therefore, never-ceasing. Continual implies interruptions, and is equivalent to constantly renewed. [“The perpetual flow of the river.” “The continual roar of the mill, ceasing only for a short time at night.”]

One proclaims opinions, sentiments, and so forth. One announces news, tidings, and so on. [“He proclaimed to the vast throng the revolutionary doctrines of socialism.” “The messenger announced that the battle was lost.”]

Purpose generally implies the employment of means to accomplish the end. Intent and intention may exist without the employment of means. [“His intention was to do wonders; but he never did anything at all.” “His practical purpose soon found ways and means to accomplish what he wished.”]

Poverty means straitened circumstances, one’s position in life being considered. Indigence is absolute destitution. Pauperism implies the receiving of public relief. [“The duke was in poverty, although he had £1,000 a year. But what is that for the expenses of a duke?” “I found them in the greatest indigence—without any fuel, and with but a mouthful of bread.” “Legalized pauperism kills individual effort.”]

Reticence and reticent are confined to habitual quiet or caution. Reserve and reserved may refer to temporary quiet or caution. [“He a very reticent man: during our whole acquaintance with him I have never heard him make a speech.” “I questioned him upon that point, but he kept a careful reserve.”]

Reverse is the opposite or antithesis. Converse is “an opposite reciprocal proposition.” In the converse, therefore, the cause becomes the effect, the condition becomes the result. [“Minus is the reverse of plus.” “If the sides of two triangles are respectively equal, the angles will be equal. But the converse is not true; for the angles may be equal, and the sides unequal.”]

Recompense is a fair compensation. Reward is any present or gift. Meed is something earned by one’s own toil. [“The recompense for the loss of his arm at the Alma was not too great.” “He rewarded me munificently—indeed, far above my deserts.” “He alone who fights and labours, wins the glorious meed.”]

Robbery is stealing with violence; theft, generally without. [“After a hard struggle, he robbed the traveller of his watch.” “I had not noticed the theft, it was committed so quietly.”]

Remember is to gather materials ready at hand; recollect, to gather materials not ready at hand. [“I do not remember, but I will try to recollect.”]

Religion is a form of belief or worship. Piety is reverence for what is good, and the desire to do good. It includes, therefore, love, charity and such like. [“There are many religions; there is but one piety.”]

Relieve is to remove pain entirely. Alleviate or mitigate is to remove it but partially. Alleviate is used generally of others, mitigate of ourselves. [“At his touch the pain was instantly relieved.” “I alleviated his sufferings through the application of a lotion.” “My anguish was somewhat mitigated.”]

Recant generally implies the use of force; abjure generally does not. [“Unable to bear the torture, he recanted.” “I freely abjure all part in the plot.”]

Rend implies purpose; tear may or may not do so. Rend generally carries with it the idea of splitting or dividing. Such idea is not necessarily implied in tear. [“He unfortunately tore his coat.” “He tore his hair.” “He rent his garment.”]

Sewerage: a system of drainage or the science of drainage. It is but rarely used for sewage. Sewage: sometimes the same as sewerage, but generally the matter flowing through the drains. [“How many books have been written on sewerage!” “The sewage from the city pollutes the river.”]

Spontaneous should be confined to things; voluntary, to persons. [“It was an instance of spontaneous combustion.” “The action was voluntary on his part.”]

Sociable expresses a readiness for companionship. Social refers to the relations that men in an organized society bear, one to another. [“He is a very sociable man.” “Have you read the great works on social science and social progress?”] Sociable is, therefore, the correct form of the noun. [“The sociable was successful.”]

Satisfied is stronger than contented, and means that all our desires are gratified. Satisfaction is positive pleasure, and comes from the outside. Contentment is the absence of pain, and lies in ourselves. Satisfaction is less lasting than contentment. [“The industrious and intelligent artisan may, for a time, remain contented; but he is certainly far from satisfied with his lot.”]

One has enough when one’s desires are satisfied; sufficient, when one’s needs are satisfied. [“Do not let the horse eat as much as he will. Give him just sufficient.” “He was rich; but, like all other misers, he never had enough.”]

Strong: of sound constitution, able to stand hard work. Powerful: able to lift heavy weights, to strike heavy blows, &c. [“He made a gallant fight against disease; for he was a very strong man.” “Strange to say, he was a very powerful man, able to give tremendous blows; and yet, his constitution was undermined through dissipation.”] Muscular is a very effective word.

Stubborn: opposed to the way of others; obstinate: set in one’s own way. [“I tried to induce him to approve my scheme; but, although he had none of his own to offer, yet he was stubborn and refused.” “He wished to go his own way, and was very obstinate about the matter.”]

Safety: freedom from danger. Security: freedom from care. Security may, therefore, be real or fancied. [“He relied with the greatest security upon his followers; but, really, he was far from being in a position of safety.”]

Subdue is to conquer so thoroughly that resistance ceases. Subjugate is to conquer and then to impose restraints, generally repeated and severe. Subjugate, moreover, is used chiefly in a literal sense, i.e., with reference to nations; subdue is frequently used in a figurative sense, i.e., with reference to the mind or the moral nature. [“England subdued, but did not subjugate Russia.” “The Poles have been subjugated; but their spirits are yet unsubdued.”]

Source implies that the supply is continuous; origin, that it has ceased. [“This was the origin of the friendship, which was a source of such joy.”]

Tongue is generally an original form of speech; language, a derived form. [“The Latin is one of the tongues from which so many languages have sprung.”] Language may, of course, be used of inarticulate speech [“The language of birds”], where tongue would be incorrect.

Transitory is liable to pass away. Transient or fleeting is actually passing away. Transitory is abstract; transient and fleeting are concrete, as well as abstract. Fleeting is preferable to transient. [“Earth’s joys are transitory: in a moment they may pass away.” “Life is fleeting as a shadow: the transient moments can never be recalled.”]

Trivial generally has a tinge of contempt; trifling, generally not. [“That is the most absurd and trivial matter in the world.” “The greater part of our time ought to be occupied with serious matters; the rest may be occupied with amusements and other rather trifling matters.”]

Talkative implies a desire to speak, accompanied or not with readiness of speech. Loquacious implies a desire to speak, accompanied with a readiness of speech. [“The little child was very talkative.” “Unlike most loquacious men, he was very instructive in his long harangues.”]

Voluntary is with seeming readiness or acquiescence; willing, with real readiness or acquiescence. [“He went voluntarily: no compulsion was used; but still, he looked as if he did not like to go.” “He was ready—yes, more than ready—willing, to die.”]

Only what is metaphorically low is vulgar. Vulgarity, moreover, generally implies pretension to refinement along with lowness of disposition. [“That was a most immodest act.” “His general bearing was very vulgar.” “The old-fashioned English squire—coarse as he was—was not vulgar, was not given to cheap display and pretence.”]

Whole: that from which nothing has been taken. The whole and all the are usually interchangeable. Entire: that which is undivided. [“The whole town was burned: not a single house escaped.” “That congregation, at any rate, was entire in its vote: there were no divisions among its members.”]

Wit is the effect of unexpected fitness or congruity. Humor is the effect of unexpected unfitness or incongruity. Again, humor is not, as wit is, sudden and short-lived; it extends very often through a whole book or speech. [“Humor is all. Wit should be brought only to turn agreeably some proper thought.” “He made a very witty pun, and wrote more than one humorous chapter.”]

World is our planet viewed from the “moral or abstract point of view.” The world refers, therefore, almost always to its inhabitants. Earth is our planet with reference to its external or material formation or aspect. Globe is our planet in a geological sense chiefly. Globe is often used in poetry for world or earth. [“The bodies revolving round the sun are the following: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars,” &c. “When we look abroad upon the world and see its wickedness, we are lost in wonder at man’s depravity.” “Who can say how many ages have been required for the formation of the crust of the globe!”]