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Work is the generic term for any continuous application of energy toward an end; work may be hard or easy.
Labor is hard and wearying work; toil is straining and exhausting work. Work is also used for any result of
working, physical or mental, and has special senses, as in mechanics, which labor and toil do not share.
Drudgery is plodding, irksome, and often menial work. Compare ACT; BUSINESS.
Antonyms:
ease, leisure, recreation, relaxation, repose, rest, vacation. idleness,
* * * * *
YET.
Synonyms:
besides, further, hitherto, now, still, thus far.
Yet and still have many closely related senses, and, with verbs of past time, are often interchangeable; we may
say "while he was yet a child," or "while he was still a child." Yet, like still, often applies to past action or state
extending to and including the present time, especially when joined with as; we can say "he is feeble as yet,"
or "he is still feeble," with scarcely appreciable difference of meaning, except that the former statement
implies somewhat more of expectation than the latter. Yet with a negative applies to completed action, often
replacing a positive statement with still; "he is not gone yet" is nearly the same as "he is here still." Yet has a
reference to the future which still does not share; "we may be successful yet" implies that success may begin
at some future time; "we may be successful still" implies that we may continue to enjoy in the future such
success as we are winning now.
Synonyms and Antonyms, by James Champlin Fernald
297
* * * * *
YOUTHFUL.
Synonyms:
adolescent, callow, childlike, immature, puerile, boyish, childish, girlish, juvenile, young.
Boyish, childish, and girlish are used in a good sense of those to whom they properly belong, but in a bad
sense of those from whom more maturity is to be expected; childish eagerness or glee is pleasing in a child,
but unbecoming in a man; puerile in modern use is distinctly contemptuous. Juvenile and youthful are
commonly used in a favorable and kindly sense in their application to those still young; youthful in the sense
of having the characteristics of youth, hence fresh, vigorous, light-hearted, buoyant, may have a favorable
import as applied to any age, as when we say the old man still retains his youthful ardor, vigor, or hopefulness;
juvenile in such use would belittle the statement. Young is distinctively applied to those in the early stage of
life or not arrived at maturity. Compare NEW.
Antonyms:
Compare synonyms for OLD.
SUGGESTIONS TO THE TEACHER.
The following exercises have been prepared expressly and solely to accompany the preceding text in which
the distinctions of synonyms have been carefully pointed out. It is not expected, intended, or desired that the
questions should be answered or the blanks in the examples supplied offhand. In such study nothing can be
worse than guesswork. Hence, leading questions have been avoided, and the order of synonyms given in Part
I. has frequently been departed from or reversed in Part II.
To secure the study of Part I. before coming into class, pupils should not be allowed to open it during
recitation, unless on rare occasions to settle doubtful or disputed points. The very best method will be found to
be to have the examples included in the lesson, with any others that may be added, copied on the blackboard
before recitation, and no books brought into class.
The teacher should make a thorough study of the subject, not only mastering what is given in Part I., but
going beyond the necessarily brief statements there given, and consulting the ultimate authorities--the best
dictionaries and the works of the best speakers and writers. For the latter purpose a good cyclopedia of
quotations, like the Hoyt, will be found very helpful. The teacher should so study out the subject as to be
distinctly in advance of the class and able to speak authoritatively. Such independent study will be found
intensely interesting, and can be made delightful and even fascinating to any intelligent class.
In answer to questions calling for definitive statement, the teacher should insist upon the very words of the
text, unless the pupil can give in his own words what is manifestly as good. This will often be found not easy
to do. Definition by synonym should be absolutely forbidden.
Reasonable questions should be encouraged, but the class should not be allowed to become a debating society.
The meaning of English words is not a matter of conjecture, and all disputed points should be promptly
referred to the dictionary--usually to be looked up after the recitation, and considered, if need be, at the next
recitation. The majority of them will not need to be referred to again, as the difficulties will simply represent
an inferior usage which the dictionary will brush aside. One great advantage of synonym study is to
exterminate colloquialisms.
Synonyms and Antonyms, by James Champlin Fernald
298
The class should be encouraged to bring quotations from first-class authors with blanks to be filled, such
quotations being held authoritative, though not infallible; also quotations from the best newspapers,
periodicals, speeches, etc., with words underlined for criticism, such quotations being held open to revision
upon consultation of authorities. The change of usage, whereby that may be correct to-day which would not
have been so at an earlier period, should be carefully noted, but always upon the authority of an approved
dictionary.
The examples have been in great part selected from the best literature, and all others carefully prepared for
this work. Hence, an appropriate word to fill each blank can always be found by careful study of the
corresponding group of synonyms. In a few instances, either of two words would appropriately fill a blank
and yield a good sense. In such case, either should be accepted as correct, but the resulting difference of
meaning should be clearly pointed out.
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