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Atonement (at-one-ment), originally denoting reconciliation, or the bringing into agreement of those who have
been estranged, is now chiefly used, as in theology, in the sense of some offering, sacrifice, or suffering
sufficient to win forgiveness or make up for an offense; especially and distinctively of the sacrificial work of
Christ in his humiliation, suffering and death. Expiation is the enduring of the full penalty of a wrong or
crime. Propitiation is an offering, action, or sacrifice that makes the governing power propitious toward the
offender. Satisfaction in this connection denotes the rendering a full legal equivalent for the wrong done.
Propitiation appeases the lawgiver; satisfaction meets the requirements of the law.
Antonyms:
alienation, curse, penalty, reprobation, vengeance, chastisement, estrangement, punishment, retribution, wrath.
condemnation, offense,
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PROPITIOUS.
Synonyms:
auspicious, benignant, favorable, gracious, kindly, benign, clement, friendly, kind, merciful.
That which is auspicious is of favorable omen; that which is propitious is of favoring influence or tendency;
as, an auspicious morning; a propitious breeze. Propitious applies to persons, implying kind disposition and
favorable inclinations, especially toward the suppliant; auspicious is not used of persons.
Antonyms:
adverse, forbidding, ill-disposed, repellent, unfriendly, antagonistic, hostile, inauspicious, unfavorable,
unpropitious.
Preposition:
May heaven be propitious to the enterprise.
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PROPOSAL.
Synonyms:
bid, offer, overture, proposition.
An offer or proposal puts something before one for acceptance or rejection, proposal being the more formal
word; a proposition sets forth truth (or what is claimed to be truth) in formal statement. The proposition is for
consideration, the proposal for action; as, a proposition in geometry, a proposal of marriage; but proposition
is often used nearly in the sense of proposal when it concerns a matter for deliberation; as, a proposition for
the surrender of a fort. A bid is commercial and often verbal; as, a bid at an auction; proposal is used in nearly
the same sense, but is more formal. An overture opens negotiation or conference, and the word is especially
Synonyms and Antonyms, by James Champlin Fernald
235
used of some movement toward reconciliation; as, overtures of peace.
Antonyms:
acceptance, denial, disapproval, refusal, rejection, repulse.
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PROPOSE.
Synonym:
purpose.
In its most frequent use, propose differs from purpose in that what we purpose lies in our own mind, as a
decisive act of will, a determination; what we propose is offered or stated to others. In this use of the word,
what we propose is open to deliberation, as what we purpose is not. In another use of the word, one proposes
something to or by himself which may or may not be stated to others. In this latter sense propose is nearly
identical with purpose, and the two words have often been used interchangeably. But in the majority of cases
what we purpose is more general, what we propose more formal and definite; I purpose to do right; I propose
to do this specific thing because it is right. In the historic sentence, "I propose to move immediately on your
works," purpose would not have the same sharp directness.
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PROTRACT.
Synonyms:
continue, delay, elongate, lengthen, procrastinate, defer, draw out, extend, postpone, prolong.
To protract is to cause to occupy a longer time than is usual, expected, or desirable. We defer a negotiation
which we are slow to enter upon; we protract a negotiation which we are slow to conclude; delay may be used
of any stage in the proceedings; we may delay a person as well as an action, but defer and protract are not
used of persons. Elongate is not used of actions or abstractions, but only of material objects or extension in
space; protract is very rarely used of concrete objects or extension in space; we elongate a line, protract a
discussion. Protract has usually an unfavorable sense, implying that the matter referred to is already unduly
long, or would be so if longer continued; continue is neutral, applying equally to the desirable or the
undesirable. Postpone implies a definite intention to resume, as defer also does, though less decidedly; both
are often used with some definite limitation of time; as, to postpone till, until, or to a certain day or hour. One
may defer, delay, or postpone a matter intelligently and for good reason; he procrastinates through indolence
and irresolution. Compare HINDER.
Antonyms:
abbreviate, conclude, curtail, hurry, reduce, abridge, contract, hasten, limit, shorten.
Prepositions:
To protract a speech by verbosity, through an unreasonable time, to, till, or until a late hour.
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Synonyms and Antonyms, by James Champlin Fernald
236
PROVERB.
Synonyms:
adage, axiom, maxim, saw, aphorism, byword, motto, saying, apothegm, dictum, precept, truism.
The proverb or adage gives homely truth in condensed, practical form, the adage often pictorial. "Hope
deferred maketh the heart sick" is a proverb; "The cat loves fish, but dares not wet her feet," is an adage. Both
the proverb and the adage, but especially the latter, are thought of as ancient and widely known. An aphorism
partakes of the character of a definition; it is a summary statement of what the author sees and believes to be
true. An apothegm is a terse statement of what is plain or easily proved. The aphorism is philosophical, the
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