Döderlein's Hand-book of Latin Synonymes

Agger; Vallum. Agger (from ἐσαγείρω) is a single line, like a dam; vallum or mound (ἀλκή) is a line which helps to enclose a space. Agger may serve in a warfare as the outwork of a redoubt [which is protected by a single line in front]; vallum [rampart] always belongs to a fortress, camp, or entrenched place.

Agmen, see Caterva (#word_Caterva).

Agrestis, see Rus (#litres_trial_promo).

Aio, see Dicere (#litres_trial_promo).

Ala; Penna; Pluma; Pinna. 1. Ala (from ἔχω, vehere) denotes ‘the wing,’ as a joint, like πτέρυξ; penna (πέτεσθαι), with reference to its feathers, like πτερόν. Plaut. Pœn. iv. 2. 48. Meæ alæ pennas non habent. 2. Penna denotes the larger and harder feathers; pluma, the smaller and softer feathers, which serve as a clothing to the body of the bird, like πτίλον. Sen. Ep. 42. Meministi, cum quendam affirmares esse in tua potestate, dixisse me volaticum esse ac levem, et te non pedem ejus tenere, sed pennam. Mentitus sum; pluma tenebatur, quam remisit et fugit. Cic. N. D. ii. 47. 121. 3. Penna denotes the whole, consisting of quill and feathers; pinna, the feather only, in opposition to the quill. (v. 204.)

Alacer, see Gaudere (#litres_trial_promo).

Ala, see Armus (#word_Armus).

Alapa; Colaphus. Alapa (Goth. lofa, ‘the flat hand,’) denotes a blow with the flat hand on the face, as a gentle punishment, like a slap on the cheek, or box on the ear; colaphus (κόλαφος), a blow on the head with the clenched fist, betokening anger and rage, like a cuff, a thump. (vi. 14.)

Albus; Candidus; Albidus. 1. Albus (ἀλφός) denotes ‘white,’ as far as it is in general a negation of all color, as that which is colorless; candidus (from ξανθός), as being itself a positive color, and, as such, the purest and brightest, near which all other colors have a shade of darkness and duskiness, as a fine brilliant white. Albus, opposed to ater, approaches, like λευκόν, to yellowish; candidus, opposed to niger, approaches, like ἀργόν, to bluish. Alba cutis is the skin of the sick and dropsical; candida, that of the fair girl. Figuratively, albor is the symbol of good fortune and joy; candor, of purity of mind and innocence. 2. Albus denotes ‘white;’ albidus, only ‘whitish.’ (iii. 193.)

Alere; Nutrire; Nutricare. Alere (from ἄλθω) denotes nourishment, as conducive to development and growth; nutrire and nutricare, only as it prolongs and secures existence. Or, alimenta adjuvant, nutrimenta sustentant. Cic. N. D. ii. 63. Neque ali neque sustentari. Nutrire involves a general notion; nutricare is usually applied more particularly to brutes. (ii. 99.)

Algere, Algidus, see Frigere (#litres_trial_promo).

Alienigena, see Externus (#litres_trial_promo).

Alimenta; Penus; Cibus; Esca; Edulia; Cibare; Pascere. 1. Alimenta and penus are victuals in general, meat and drink; alimenta, mostly with reference to the wants of an individual; penus, to the wants of a whole family. Cibus and esca denote ‘food,’ in opposition to drink. Cic. Fin. i. 11, and ii. 28. Cibus (from γεύω, to chew), natural food, as a means of nourishment; esca (from ἔδω), ‘the food’ that is artificially prepared as a dish. Hence cibus denotes the food of brutes also; but esca, only a bait, prepared as it were like a dish, and set before them. Cic. N. D. ii. 47. Animalia cibum partim dentibus capessunt: compare this with ii. 23. Dii nec escis nec potionibus vescuntur. 2. Cibaria are the most general and usual sorts of food; edulia are savory and select sorts of food. Suet. Tib. 46. Comites nunquam salario, cibariis tantum sustentavit; compare with Cal. 40. Pro eduliis certum statumque exigebatur. 3. Cibare means to feed with one’s hand, as nurses, etc.; pascere (from πάσασθαι), only to give out food, as a feeder or master. Suet. Tib. 72. Draconem manu sua cibaturus; compare with Vesp. 18. Sineret se plebeculam pascere. (v. 192.)

Aliquando, see Nonnunquam (#litres_trial_promo).

Alites, see Volucres (#litres_trial_promo).

Alloqui; Appellare; Affari. Alloqui denotes accosting, as addressing the first word, a salutation, and so forth, to a person with whom one is not unacquainted; appellare (from an old Gothic substantive, spellan), when one wishes to draw a person into conversation, and direct to him serious, or, at any rate, not insignificant words; affari denotes addressing from the impulse of a feeling; through peculiar friendliness or with solemnity. Cic. Cluent. 61. Quum nemo recipere tecto, nemo audire, nemo alloqui, nemo respicere vellet: compare with Phil. xiii. 2. Salutabunt benigne, comiter appellabunt unumquemque nostrum; and Brut. 3. Salutatio libri, quo me hic affatus quasi jacentem excitavit. (v. 107.)

Alsus, see Frigere (#litres_trial_promo).

Altercatio, see Disceptatio (#litres_trial_promo).

Altus; Editus; Procerus; Arduus; Celsus; Excelsus; Sublimis. 1. Altus denotes, as a general expression, height or depth, as mathematical dimensions, in opp. to length and breadth, and, consequently, height, in opp. to humilis; Cic. Tusc. v. 13. 24. Orat 57. N. D. ii. 47, like ὑψηλός; editus denotes height, in opp. to planus, Tac. Ann. xv. 38: lastly, procerus denotes height or length in reference to growth. The altum has no measure and no limits; the editum has the bulk of a hill; the procerum has the bulk of a tree, the full stature of the human figure, and so forth. 2. Altus, editus, and procerus, denote height merely in relation to space; arduus means height, which is at the same time steep and inaccessible; thence, figuratively, ‘difficult, impossible;’ celsus, height, that thrusts itself out, and stretches upwards; thence, figuratively, ‘proud;’ excelsus and præcelsus, what overtops something that is itself high, hence ‘pre-eminent;’ sublimis, what is on high without touching the ground, soaring in the air, like μετέωρος; thence, figuratively, ‘grand,’ of an elevated nature. (ii. 99.)

Amans, Amator, see Amicus (#word_Amicus).

Amare, see Diligere (#litres_trial_promo).

Amarus, see Acerbus (#word_Acerbus).

Ambiguus, see Dubius (#litres_trial_promo).

Ambire; Circumire. Circumire denotes motion in any circular form, but on the boundaries of a space, so as to go round it; ambire denotes going hither and thither in zigzag, or going about. Plin. Ep. ii. 9. Ambio domos, stationesque circumeo: and Cic. Att. xiv. 21. Antonium circumire veteranos, ut acta Cæsaris sancirent; that is, He made in his canvassing the round, from first to last; – stronger than ambire, which would only express his canvassing, and addressing the veterans in general.

Ambo, see Uterque (#litres_trial_promo).

Ambulare; Spatiari; Deambulare; Inambulare; Obambulare. 1. Ambulare (from ambire) denotes taking a walk as a leisurely motion, like going up and down, in opp. both to stare and cubare, and also to currere and salire; Plaut. Bacch. iv. 8. 56. Plin. Ep. ix. 36. Cic. Fat. 5. Fin. v. 17. Sen. Ep. 113. Gell. ii. 9. Sen. Ir. ii. 35. Plin. H. N. x. 38: spatiari denotes motion in open space, as to walk out, in opp. to the confinement which a room imposes. 2. Deambulare denotes going up and down till one is tired; inambulare, within a bounded space; obambulare, with reference to a fixed object, along which one walks, or to a person walking with us. (iii. 48.)

Amens; Demens; Insanus; Vesanus; Excors; Vecors; Furor; Delirium; Rabies; Cerritus; Lymphatus. 1. Amentia shows itself negatively and passively; dementia, positively and energetically. The amens is without reason, and either acts not at all, or acts without reason, like the idiot, ἄφρων; the demens, while he fancies that he is doing right, acts in direct opposition to reason, like the madman, παράφρων. Hence, amens metu, terrore; demens scelere, discordia, etc. 2. Insanus has a privative; vesanus, a depravative meaning. The insanus in his passion oversteps the measure and bounds of right, and gives one the impression of a guilty person; the vesanus, in his delusion, wanders from the right path, follows a false object, and gives one the impression of an unfortunate person. 3. Excors means of weak understanding in general, without the ability of reflecting and examining, in opp. to cordatus; vecors means, of a perverted understanding, without the ability of reflecting calmly, from the mind being taken up with one fixed idea. 4. Furor (fervere) denotes mental irritation, ecstasy, as raging, μανικός; delirium (ληρεῖν), a physical and childish remission of the mental faculties; rabies (ῥαβάσσειν, ἄραβος), a half-moral condition of a passionate insanity, as frantic, λύσσα. The furibundus forgets the bounds of sense, the delirus babbles nonsense, the rabidus will bite and injure when he can. 5. Cerritus and lymphatus betoken frenzy, as a demoniacal state, as possessed, cerritus or ceritus, by Ceres, lymphatus, by the nymphs; they may also be considered as derived from κόρυζα, mucus narium, and from λέμφος, mucus, as symbols of stupidity. (v. 89.)

Amictus, Amiculum, see Vestis (#litres_trial_promo).

Amicus; Amans; Amator. Amicus involves the notion of reciprocity, but means only a sincere and calm affection, like φίλος; amans and amator denote a more glowing affection, but do not imply reciprocity; amans denotes this affection as a temporary state; amator as an habitual feeling, like ἐραστής. Cic. Verr. v. 63. Alba tunc antiquissimus non solum amicus, verum etiam amator. Tusc. iv. 12. Inter ebriositatem et ebrietatem interest, aliudque est amatorem esse, aliud amantem. (iv. 102.)

Amicus, see Socius (#litres_trial_promo).

Amittere; Perdere; Jactura. 1. Amittere means to lose something, so that it ceases to be in our possession, like ἀποβαλεῖν, opp. to retinere, Cic. Rep. v. i. Sext. 47. Suet. Tib. 15. Ter. Phorm. iii. 2, 22; perdere means, to lose something, so that it is destroyed, and rendered useless, like διολέσαι, opp. to servare. Plaut. Rud. iv. 4, 120. Ter. Ad. ii. 2, 32. Sen. Contr. iii. 21. – Tac. Ann. ii. 25. Perdita classe, amissis armis. 2. Amissio is an involuntary, jactura, a voluntary, loss, which a person undergoes, a sacrifice that is made to avoid a greater loss, as in the case of the master of a ship, who throws the freight overboard, to save his ship and his life. Plin. Ep. i. 12. Jacturam gravissimam feci, si jactura dicenda est tanti viri amissio. (iii. 289.)

Amittere, see Mittere (#litres_trial_promo).

Amnis, see Fluvius (#litres_trial_promo).

Amor, see Diligere (#litres_trial_promo).

Amplecti; Complecti. Amplecti denotes embracing, often with one arm only, as a sign of calm affection and protection; complecti, clasping and surrounding with both arms, as a sign of passionate love, or familiar confidence. Amplecti means, figuratively, to lay hold of something, in opp. to slighting and disdaining; complecti, to take fully in one’s grasp, in opp. to a half and superficial possession. (v. 281.)

Amplus, see Magnus (#litres_trial_promo).

Ancilla, see Servus (#litres_trial_promo).

Anceps, see Dubius (#litres_trial_promo).

Anguis, see Repere (#litres_trial_promo).

Angor, see Cura (#litres_trial_promo).

Angustus; Arctus; Densus; Spissus. 1. Angustus and arctus relate to space itself, and to the proximity of its enclosing limits; densus and spissus, to things existing in space, and to their proximity to one another. The angustum (ἐγγυστός) is bounded only by lines, and forms mostly an oblong, narrow, opp. to latus, Cic. Att. iv. 29, like στενός; the arctum (from arcere, εἴργω) is fenced in by lists, walls, or mounds, and forms mostly a square or circle, and so forth, close, in opp. to laxus, Cic. Orat. 25, like στενωπός. The clavus angustus can therefore never be arctus. Mel. iii. 2, 8. Rhenus ad dextram primo angustus, et sui similis, post ingens lacus Flevo dicitur.. fitque iterum arctior, iterumque fluvius emittitur, in which passage the banks of the Rhine are considered only as lines, or as walls, 3. Densus (from ἀδινός? or θαμά?) denotes objects only as pressed near to one another, and without any observable gaps, in opp. to rarus, like δασύς and θαμειός: spissus, as pressed close into one another, and without any intervals between, in opp. to solutus, loose, like πυκνός and συχνός. In densus the principal notion is, the rich abundance of objects, which have no need to keep far apart, if they are to fill a wide space; in spissus, the want of empty space, from all the spaces between objects being filled up, owing to their being crowded together. (iv. 431.)

Anima; Aer; Aura; Spiritus; Sublime. Anima and aër denote ‘air’ as an element, like ἀήρ, and anima (ἄνεμος), in opp. to terra, mare, ignis; but aër, a learned term (ἀήρ, from ἀείρω?) in opp. to æther; aura and spiritus denote ‘air’ when put in motion; aura (αὔρα, from ἀέσαι, or from ἀεῖραι), the gently waving and fanning air; spiritus, the streaming and breath-like air, like πνεῦμα; lastly, sublime (from sublevare?), the air that hovers over us, simply in a local relation, in opp. to humus, like μετάρσιον, μετέωρον. (v. 92.)

Anima; Animus; Mens. 1. Anima denotes ‘the soul,’ physiologically, as the principle of animal life, in men and brutes, that ceases with the breath, like ψυχή: animus (ἄνεμος), psychologically and ethically, as the principle of moral personality, that ceases with the will, like θυμός. The souls of the departed also are called, in a mythological point of view, animæ, as shades; but, in a metaphysical point of view, animi, as spirits. Anima is a part of bodily existence; animus, in direct opposition to the body. Sen. Ep. 4. Difficile est animum perducere ad contemtionem animæ: and 58. Juven. xv. 148. Principio indulsit communis conditor illis tantum animas, nobis animum quoque. 2. Animus denotes also the human soul, as including all its faculties, and is distinguished from mens (μένος, μανθάνω, the thinking faculty, as a whole from one of its parts. Cic. Rep. ii. 40. Ea quæ latet in animis hominum, quæque pars animi mens vocatur. Lucr. iii. 615. iv. 758. Catull. 65, 3. Plaut. Cist. iii. 1, 6. As in practical life the energy of the soul is displayed in the faculty of volition, so animus itself stands for a part of the soul, namely, feeling and energy of will in co-ordinate relation to mens, the intellect or understanding. Tac. II. i. 84. Quem nobis animum, quas mentes imprecentur. Ter. Andr. i. 1. 137. Mala mens, malus animus. And, lastly, so far as thought precedes the will, and the will itself, or determination, stands as mediator between thought and action, in the same way as the body is the servant of the will, so mens is related to animus, as a whole to its part. Cic. Tusc. iii. 5. Mens, cui regnum totius animi a natura tributum est. Liv. xxxvii. 45. (v. 94.)

Animadvertere; Notare. Animadvertere means, to observe mentally, and take notice of; but notare, to make distinguishable by a mark. (vi. 20.)

Animal; Animans; Bellua; Bestia; Pecus; Fera. 1. Animal and animans are the animal as a living being, including man; animal, with reference to his nature, according to which he belongs to the class of living animals, in opp. to inanimus, like ζῶον; animans, with reference to his state, as still living and breathing,[1 - Hence animalium cadavera, not animantium.] in opp. to exanimus; bellua, bestia, and pecus, as irrational beings, in opp. to man, and bellua and pecus, with intellectual reference, as devoid of reason, in peculiar opp. to homo, Cic. N. D. ii. 11; bestia and fera, with moral reference, as wild, and hostile to man. 2. Bellua (from βλάξ) denotes, particularly, a great unwieldy animal, as the elephant, whale, principally sea-monsters; pecus, a domestic animal, particularly of the more stupid kinds, as a bullock, sheep, in opp. to the wild; bestia, a destructive animal, particularly those that are ravenous, as the tiger, wolf, etc., in opp. to birds, Justin, ii. 14, like θηρίον; fera (φῆρες), a wild animal of the wood, as the stag, wolf, tiger, in opp. to domestic animals. Curt. ix. 10. Indi maritimi ferarum pellibus tecti piscibus sole duratis, et majorum quoque belluarum, quos fluctus ejecit, carne vescuntur. And Tac. G. 17. (iv. 291.)

Annales; Historiæ. Annales means a comprehensive historical work, principally and especially a history of former ages, composed from documents, like Livy and Tacitus; historiæ, particularly a work on the history of the times in which the author himself has lived, as Sallust and Tacitus.

Antiquus; Priscus; Vetus; Vetustus; Veternus; Pristinus. 1. Antiquum and priscum denote the age that formerly existed, and is now no more, in opp. to novum, like παλαιός; vetus and vetustum (from ἔτος), what has existed for a long time, and has no longer any share in the disadvantages or advantages of youth, in opp. to recens, like γέρων, γεραιός, γερούσιος. Hence antiquus homo is a man who existed in ancient times; vetus, an old man. Antiqui scriptores means the classics, inasmuch as the age in which they flourished has long been past; veteres, inasmuch as they have lived and influenced manhood for 2000 years. Cic. Verr. i. 21. Vereor ne hæc nimis antiqua et jam obsoleta videantur: compare with Orat. i. 37. Ut illi vetus atque usitata exceptio daretur. 2. Vetus refers only to length of time, and denotes age, sometimes as a subject of praise, sometimes as a reproach; vetustus refers to the superiority of age, inasmuch as that which is of long standing is at the same time stronger, more worthy of honor, more approved of, than that which is new, in opp. to novicius; lastly, veternus refers to the disadvantages of age, inasmuch as, after many years’ use, a thing becomes worn out, or, through long existence, weak and spiritless. Moreover, veternus, in the writers of the golden age, is only admitted as a substantive, veternum, as lethargy; vetus regularly supplies its place, and denotes more frequently the weakness than the strength of age. Tac. Ann. xi. 14 and 15. Veterrimis Græcorum, and vetustissima Italiæ disciplina. 3. Antiquus denotes age only in relation to time, as a former age in opp. to the present; priscus (from πάρος), as a solemn word, with the qualifying accessory notion of a former age worthy of honor, and a sacred primitive age, like ἀρχαῖος, in opp. to the fashion of the day. 4. Antiquus and priscus denote a time long past; pristinus, generally, denotes only a time that is past, like πρότερος. (iv. 83.)

Antrum, see Specus (#litres_trial_promo).

Anus; Vetula. Anus (as the fem. to senex) denotes an old lady, with respect, and also as a term of reproach; an old woman, with reference to her weakness, credulity, loquacity, and so forth: vetula, an old woman, with reference to her ugliness and disagreeableness. (iv. 92.)

Aperire; Patefacere; Aperte; Palam; Manifesto; Propalam. 1. Aperire (from πεπαρεῖν) means ‘to open’ a space that is covered at top, and therefore in a horizontal direction, as, for instance, pits and springs, and thereby to make them visible; patefacere, ‘to open’ a space whose sides are closed; hence, to open in a perpendicular direction, as, for instance, gates, roads, and fields, and thereby to make them accessible. 2. Returare (from στέφω, German stopfen) means, to make accessible an opening that has been stopped up; recludere, an opening that has been shut up; reserare, an opening that has been barred up. 3. Aperte means ‘openly,’ and without concealment, so that everybody can perceive and know, in opp. to occulte, like φανερῶς; palam (from planus), ‘openly,’ and without hiding anything, so that everybody can see and hear, in opp. to clam, like ἀναφανδόν; manifesto, palpably, so that one is spared all inquiry, all conjecture, all exertion of the senses and of the mind, like δῆλον. 4. Palam denotes that openness which does not shun observation; propalam, that which courts observation. Cic. Orat. i. 35. Neque proposito argento neque tabulis et signis propalam collocatis; that is, to everybody’s admiration: compare with Pis. 36. Mensis palam propositis; that is, without fear and constraint. (v. 291.)