Signification, significance 1. The of a word is not to be changed by any one person. 2. An act of apparently slight often proves momentous. 3. To understand the true of a race, we must consider it with regard to both its past and its future. Site, situation 1. There are plenty of ―s for building, but I shall not build yet. 2. Our school building has a pleasant 3. Has the 1. His of Richard's house been fixed? Solicitation, solicitude for money and clothes was persistent. 2. My mother watched over my infancy with tender 3. Coriolanus yielded at the of his mother. Substitution, substitute 1. I am not one of the regular team; 2. The I am a of Jones for Brown was a wise move by the captain. 3. English is prescribed as a for Greek. Union, unity 1. In Bacon there was a singular of audacity and sobriety. 2. How pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in -! 3. This composition lacks · ; it treats of unrelated subjects. Nouns that are similar, but not identical, in meaning are sometimes confounded with one another: I Reference is made to the ring which Portia had given to Bassanio II Allusion is made to the ring which Portia had given to Bassanio. As the ring had been distinctly mentioned several times in the passage from which this sentence is taken, "reference" is the proper word; "allusion" merely points indirectly to something not explicitly mentioned. A similar distinction exists between the verbs "allude' and "refer." I Those saved remained on deck the rest of the night. II Those saved remained on deck the balance of the night. "Balance" properly means the difference between two sides of an account, as "I have still a balance at the bank "; it also means "a thing of equal influence, importance, or value," 2 a counterpoise, as "If France, torn with civil strife, had ceased to be a balance to Spain, she found a new balance in Flanders" (J. R. Green); in the sense of "equilibrium," it appears in the phrase "balance of power." "Rest means what remains of a given number or quantity; it is used of either persons or things, and of large as well as of small parts. "Remainder" differs from "rest" in that it is used of things only and denotes a comparatively small part: e.g. “The remainder of the dinner was soon disposed of." I Mr. Smith is a talented young clergyman from Philadelphia. II Mr. Smith is a talented young divine from Philadelphia. Divine in the sense of "clergyman" is no longer in As a noun, the word now means good use. 66 one skilled in divinity, a theologian," as "a learned divine." I Dancing is an essential part of a young woman's education. II Dancing is an essential part of a young female's education. "woman" is no longer used Female as a synonym for by good writers except as an expression of contempt. Formerly the word in this sense was in better repute, as readers of Miss Burney's "Evelina" or of Scott's 99 Abbot are aware. At present, "female" is correctly used in contradistinction to "male." 66 I She jumped from the third story of her house yesterday, and broke one of her ankles. 1 See page 12. II She jumped from the third story of her home yesterday, and broke one of her ankles. 2 The Oxford English Dictionary. A "home" is one's habitual abode, "the abiding-place of the affections"; a "house" is a building. A "home" may or may not be in a "house"; a "house" may or may not be a "home." The distinction between the two words appears in Byron's lines: He entered in his house - his home no more, I We are here through divine prompting and guidance. 66 II We are here owing to divine instigation and guidance. Instigation" has long been correctly used in the sense of "incitement to evil": e.g. "Chunda Sahib fell into the hands of the Mahrattas, and was put to death, at the instigation probably of his competitor Mahommed Ali " (Macaulay). Some modern writers of good standing use the word in a neutral sense; but in this sense it seems better to use a neutral word, like "instance' or "prompting," and to confine "instigation to the old meaning. A similar remark applies to the noun "instigator" and to the verb "instigate." I The person in question entered, his hands full of letters. "Person" is correct, party incorrect; for the reference is to a man as an individual, not to a "party" of men or to one man considered as a "party" to a suit or to a legal document. Four transatlantic steamships A quartet of were among the arrivals. transatlantic steamships were among the arrivals. "Quartet" is properly used either of four persons who sing or play together a musical composition of four parts, or of the composition itself. 1 See page 13. I The magazine was successful from the start. II The magazine was a success from the start. According to the best present usage, it is proper to say that a magazine has "success," but not that it is a success or a failure. This form of speech is, however, so common that it may in time gain a footing in the language. Team is improperly used to mean, or to include, a vehicle. It properly means two or more animals working together. "Foot-ball team " is, therefore, correct. I Smoking is not permitted in this compartment unless all the passengers concur in allowing it. II Smoking is not permitted in this compartment unless the whole of the passengers concur. The noun "whole,” like the adjective, is properly used of that which is regarded as a unit, as in Montgomery's line, "Tis not the whole of life to live; it should never refer to individual persons or things. The adjective "all" may refer to individual persons or things, as in the sentence under I; or to the whole extent of a thing, as “all summer," "all the year round.” Discriminate between nouns that are similar in meaning. EXERCISE XXXI Illustrate by sentences, original or quoted, a correct use of each noun : Allusion, reference; balance, rest, remainder; divine, clergyman; female, woman; home, house; instigation; party, person; quartet; success; team; whole. EXERCISE XXXII Give the meaning of each sentence in the two forms suggested, with the noun in parenthesis and with that which precedes: 1. He made jocose allusions (references) to the situation 2. Mr. Howe is a well-known divine (clergyman). 3. Mr. Roscoe has no house (home). 4. The deed was done at his instigation (instance). 5. The hotel clerk says that he expects three more parties (persons) on the six o'clock train. 6. I lost a good team (carriage) by the accident. EXERCISE XXXIII Insert in each blank the noun that expresses the exact meaning; 1 explain your choice: 1 Allusion, reference 1. His book is full of obscure -s to authors not mentioned. 2. I must condense what I have to say in to my translation. 3. This Bible has marginal -s to parallel passages. 1. In most species the male is larger, in some few the 2. This work was performed by a—. 3. He and the were sitting together in the dining-room. 1 In some cases one noun or another may be used, according to the meaning intended. |