English Synonyms and Antonyms

brands with a hot iron, but cauterizes with some corrosive substance, as silver nitrate. Cremate is now used
specifically for consuming a dead body by intense heat. To incinerate is to reduce to ashes; the sense differs
little from that of cremate, but it is in less popular use. To kindle is to set on fire, as if with a candle; ignite is
the more learned and scientific word for the same thing, extending even to the heating of metals to a state of
incandescence without burning. To scorch and to singe are superficial, and to char usually so. Both kindle and
burn have an extensive figurative use; as, to kindle strife; to burn with wrath, love, devotion, curiosity.
Compare LIGHT.
Antonyms:
cool, extinguish, put out, smother, stifle, subdue.
Prepositions:
To burn in the fire, burn with fire; burn to the ground, burn to ashes; burn through the skin, or the roof; burn
into the soil, etc.
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BUSINESS.
Synonyms:
affair, commerce, handicraft, trading, art, concern, job, traffic, avocation, craft, occupation, transaction, barter,
duty, profession, vocation, calling, employment, trade, work.
A business is what one follows regularly; an occupation is what he happens at any time to be engaged in;
trout-fishing may be one's occupation for a time, as a relief from business; business is ordinarily for profit,
while the occupation may be a matter of learning, philanthropy, or religion. A profession implies scholarship;
as, the learned professions. Pursuit is an occupation which one follows with ardor. An avocation is what calls
one away from other work; a vocation or calling, that to which one is called by some special fitness or sense
of duty; thus, we speak of the gospel ministry as a vocation or calling, rather than a business. Trade or trading
is, in general, the exchanging of one thing for another; in the special sense, a trade is an occupation involving
manual training and skilled labor; as, the ancient Jews held that every boy should learn a trade. A transaction
is a single action, whether in business, diplomacy, or otherwise; affair has a similar, but lighter meaning; as,
this little affair; an important transaction. The plural affairs has a distinctive meaning, including all activities
where men deal with one another on any considerable scale; as, a man of affairs. A job is a piece of work
viewed as a single undertaking, and ordinarily paid for as such. Trade and commerce may be used as
equivalents, but trade is capable of a more limited application; we speak of the trade of a village, the
commerce of a nation. Barter is the direct exchange of commodities; business, trade, and commerce are
chiefly transacted by means of money, bills of exchange, etc. Business, occupation, etc., may be what one
does independently; employment may be in the service of another. Work is any application of energy to secure
a result, or the result thus secured; thus, we speak of the work of God. Art in the industrial sense is a system of
rules and accepted methods for the accomplishment of some practical result; as, the art of printing;
collectively, the arts. A craft is some occupation requiring technical skill or manual dexterity, or the persons,
Synonyms and Antonyms, by James Champlin Fernald
77

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collectively, engaged in its exercise; as, the weaver's craft.
Prepositions:
The business of a druggist; in business with his father; doing business for his father; have you business with
me? business in New York; business about, concerning, or in regard to certain property.
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BUT.
Synonyms:
and, however, notwithstanding, that, barely, just, only, tho, besides, merely, provided, unless, except,
moreover, save, yet. further, nevertheless, still,