English Synonyms and Antonyms

 accident is that which happens without any one's direct intention; a chance that which happens without
any known cause. If the direct cause of a railroad accident is known, we can not call it a chance. To the theist
there is, in strictness, no chance, all things being by divine causation and control; but chance is spoken of
where no special cause is manifest: "By chance there came down a certain priest that way," Luke x, 31. We
can speak of a game of chance, but not of a game of accident. An incident is viewed as occurring in the
regular course of things, but subordinate to the main purpose, or aside from the main design. Fortune is the
result of inscrutable controlling forces. Fortune and chance are nearly equivalent, but chance can be used of
human effort and endeavor as fortune can not be; we say "he has a chance of success," or "there is one chance
in a thousand," where we could not substitute fortune; as personified, Fortune is regarded as having a fitful
purpose, Chance as purposeless; we speak of fickle Fortune, blind Chance; "Fortune favors the brave." The
slaughter of men is an incident of battle; unexpected defeat, the fortune of war. Since the unintended is often
the undesirable, accident tends to signify some calamity or disaster, unless the contrary is expressed, as when
we say a fortunate or happy accident. An adventure is that which may turn out ill, a misadventure that which
does turn out ill. A slight disturbing accident is a mishap. Compare EVENT; HAZARD.
Antonyms:
appointment, decree, intention, ordainment, preparation, calculation, fate, law, ordinance, provision, certainty,
foreordination, necessity, plan, purpose.
Prepositions:
The accident of birth; an accident to the machinery.
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ACQUAINTANCE.
Synonyms:
association, experience, fellowship, intimacy, companionship, familiarity, friendship, knowledge.
Acquaintance between persons supposes that each knows the other; we may know a public man by his
writings or speeches, and by sight, but can not claim acquaintance unless he personally knows us. There may
be pleasant acquaintance with little companionship; and conversely, much companionship with little
acquaintance, as between busy clerks at adjoining desks. So there may be association in business without
intimacy or friendship. Acquaintance admits of many degrees, from a slight or passing to a familiar or
intimate acquaintance; but acquaintance unmodified commonly signifies less than familiarity or intimacy. As
regards persons, familiarity is becoming restricted to the undesirable sense, as in the proverb, "Familiarity
breeds contempt;" hence, in personal relations, the word intimacy, which refers to mutual knowledge of
thought and feeling, is now uniformly preferred. Friendship includes acquaintance with some degree of
intimacy, and ordinarily companionship, though in a wider sense friendship may exist between those who
have never met, but know each other only by word and deed. Acquaintance does not involve friendship, for
Synonyms and Antonyms, by James Champlin Fernald
17

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one may be well acquainted with an enemy. Fellowship involves not merely acquaintance and
companionship, but sympathy as well. There may be much friendship without much fellowship, as between
those whose homes or pursuits are far apart. There may be pleasant fellowship which does not reach the
fulness of friendship. Compare ATTACHMENT; FRIENDSHIP; LOVE. As regards studies, pursuits, etc.,