English Synonyms and Antonyms. James Champlin Fernald

are most needed for it at the moment. It includes adroitness and discretion to know what to do or say and what to avoid; ingenuity to devise; readiness to speak or act; the dexterity that comes of practise; and tact, which is the power of fine touch as applied to human character and feeling. Courtesy and politeness are indispensable elements of good address. Compare SPEECH.

      Antonyms:

awkwardness,	clumsiness,	ill-breeding,	stupidity,
boorishness,	fatuity,	ill manners,	unmannerliness,
clownishness,	folly,	rudeness,	unwisdom.

      Prepositions:

      Address in dealing with opponents; the address of an accomplished intriguer; an address to the audience.

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ADEQUATE.

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      Synonyms:

able,	competent,	fitted,	satisfactory,
adapted,	equal,	fitting,	sufficient,
capable,	fit,	qualified,	suitable.
commensurate,

      Adequate, commensurate, and sufficient signify equal to some given occasion or work; as, a sum sufficient to meet expenses; an adequate remedy for the disease. Commensurate is the more precise and learned word, signifying that which exactly measures the matter in question. Adapted, fit, suitable, and qualified refer to the qualities which match or suit the occasion. A clergyman may have strength adequate to the work of a porter; but that would not be a fit or suitable occupation for him. Work is satisfactory if it satisfies those for whom it is done, though it may be very poor work judged by some higher standard. Qualified refers to acquired abilities; competent to both natural and acquired; a qualified teacher may be no longer competent, by reason of ill health. Able and capable suggest general ability and reserved power, able being the higher word of the two. An able man will do something well in any position. A capable man will come up to any ordinary demand. We say an able orator, a capable accountant.

      Antonyms:

disqualified,	inferior,	unequal,	unsatisfactory,	useless,
inadequate,	insufficient,	unfit,	unsuitable,	worthless.
incompetent,	poor,	unqualified,

      Prepositions:

      Adequate to the demand; for the purpose.

ADHERENT.

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      Synonyms:

aid,	ally,	disciple,	partisan,	supporter.
aider,	backer,	follower,

      An adherent is one who is devoted or attached to a person, party, principle, cause, creed, or the like. One may be an aider and supporter of a party or church, while not an adherent to all its doctrines or claims. An ally is more independent still, as he may differ on every point except the specific ground of union. The Allies who overthrew Napoleon were united only against him. Allies are regarded as equals; adherents and disciples are followers. The adherent depends more on his individual judgment, the disciple is more subject to command and instruction; thus we say the disciples rather than the adherents of Christ. Partisan has[22] the narrow and odious sense of adhesion to a party, right or wrong. One may be an adherent or supporter of a party and not a partisan. Backer is a sporting and theatrical word, personal in its application, and not in the best usage. Compare ACCESSORY.

      Antonyms:

adversary,	betrayer,	enemy,	opponent,	traitor.
antagonist,	deserter,	hater,	renegade,

      Prepositions:

      Adherents to principle; adherents of Luther.

ADHESIVE.

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      Synonyms:

cohesive,	gummy,	sticky,	viscous.
glutinous,	sticking,	viscid,

      Adhesive is the scientific, sticking or sticky the popular word. That which is adhesive tends to join itself to the surface of any other body with which it is placed in contact; cohesive expresses the tendency of particles of the same substance to hold together. Polished plate glass is not adhesive, but such plates packed together are intensely cohesive. An adhesive plaster is in popular language a sticking-plaster. Sticky expresses a more limited, and generally annoying, degree of the same quality. Glutinous, gummy, viscid, and viscous are