N. probability,
likelihood,
credibleness,
likeliness,
vraisemblance,
verisimilitude,
plausibility, color,
semblance, show of,
presumption, presumptive evidence, circumstantial evidence,
credibility, reasonable chance, fair chance, good chance, favorable chance, reasonable prospect, fair prospect, good prospect, favorable prospect, prospect, wellgrounded hope, chance
V. be probable, give color to, lend color to, point to, imply, bid fair, stand fair for, stand a good chance, run a good chance, think likely, dare say, flatter oneself, expect, count upon
Adj. probable, likely, hopeful, to be expected, in a fair way,
plausible,
specious,
ostensible, colorable, ben trovato, well- founded, reasonable,
credible, easy of belief, presumable,
presumptive, apparent
Adv. probably,
belike, in all probability, in all likelihood, very likely, most likely, like enough, odds on, odds in favor, ten &c. to one, apparently,
seemingly, according to every reasonable expectation, prim facie, to all appearance
Phr. the chances, the odds are, appearances are in favor of, chances are in favor of, there is reason to believe, there is reason to think, there is reason to expect, i dare say, all lombard street to a china orange
N. intuition,
instinct, association,
hunch, gut feeling, presentiment,
premonition, rule of thumb,
superstition,
astrology, faith (supposition) 514,
sophistry,
paralogy,
perversion,
casuistry,
jesuitry,
equivocation,
evasion,
chicane,
chicanery, quiddet,
quiddity,
mystification, special pleading, speciousness, nonsense, word sense, tongue sense, false reasoning, vicious reasoning, circular reasoning, petitio principii, ignoratio elenchi, post hoc ergo propter hoc,
non sequitur, ignotum per ignotius, misjudgment, false teaching,
sophism,
solecism,
paralogism,
quibble,
quirk,
elenchus,
elench,
fallacy,
quodlibet,
subterfuge,
subtlety,
quillet,
inconsistency,
antilogy, "a delusion, a mockery, and a snare",
claptrap,
cant, mere words, "lame and impotent conclusion", meshes of sophistry, cobwebs of sophistry, flaw in an argument, weak point, bad case,
overrefinement,
hairsplitting V. judge intuitively, judge by intuition, hazard a proposition, hazard a guess, talk at random, reason ill, falsely, misjudge,
paralogize, take on faith, take as a given, assume (supposition) 514,
pervert,
quibble,
equivocate,
mystify,
evade,
elude, gloss over,
varnish, misteach, mislead,
cavil, refine,
subtilize, split hairs, misrepresent, beg the question, reason in a circle, reason in circles, assume the conclusion, cut blocks with a razor, beat about the bush, play fast and loose, play fast and loose with the facts, blow hot and cold, prove that black is white and white black, travel out of the record, parler a tort et a travers, put oneself out of court, not have a leg to stand on, judge hastily, shoot from the hip, jump to conclusions (misjudgment) 481
Adj. intuitive,
instinctive, impulsive, independent of reason, anterior to reason,
gratuitous,
hazarded, unconnected, unreasonable,
illogical, false, unsound,
invalid, unwarranted, not following, inconsequent,
inconsequential, inconsistent, absonous|,
absonant, unscientific, untenable,
inconclusive, incorrect,
fallacious, fallible, groundless, unproved,
non sequitur,
deceptive,
sophistical,
jesuitical,
illusive,
illusory,
specious, hollow,
plausible,
ad captandum,
evasive,
irrelevant, weak, feeble, poor,
flimsy, loose, vague,
irrational,
nonsensical,
foolish,
frivolous,
pettifogging,
quibbling,
finespun, overrefined, at the end of one's tether, au bout de son latin
Phr. non constat, that goes for nothing
N. falsehood, falseness,
falsity,
falsification,
deception, untruth,
guile, lying, untruth,
guile, lying, misrepresentation,
mendacity,
perjury, false swearing,
forgery, invention,
fabrication,
subreption,
covin, perversion of truth, suppression of truth, suppressio veri,
perversion,
distortion, false coloring,
exaggeration,
prevarication,
equivocation,
shuffling,
fencing,
evasion,
fraud, suggestio falsi,
mystification,
simulation,
dissimulation,
dissembling,
deceit,
blague,
sham, pretense, pretending,
malingering, lip homage, lip service, mouth honor, hollowness, mere show, mere outside,
duplicity,
double dealing,
insincerity,
hypocrisy,
cant,
humbug,
jesuitism,
jesuitry,
pharisaism,
machiavelism, "organized hypocrisy", crocodile tears,
mealy-mouthedness,
quackery,
charlatanism,
charlatanry,
gammon, bun-kum, bumcombe,
flam, bam*,
flimflam,
cajolery,
flattery, judas kiss,
perfidy, il volto sciolto i pensieri stretti, unfairness,
artfulness, misstatement
V. be false, be a liar, speak falsely, tell a lie, lie,
fib, lie like a trooper, swear false,
forswear, perjure oneself, bear false witness, misstate,
misquote,
miscite, misreport, misrepresent,
belie,
falsify,
pervert,
distort, put a false construction upon &c. (misinterpret) prevaricate,
equivocate,
quibble,
palter, palter to the understanding, repondre en normand,
trim,
shuffle,
fence, mince the truth, beat about the bush, blow hot and cold, play fast and loose,
garble, gloss over,
disguise, give a color to, give a gloss, put a gloss, put false coloring upon, color,
varnish,
cook, dress up,
embroider, varnish right and puzzle wrong,
exaggerate,
blague,
invent,
fabricate, trump up, get up, force,
fake,
hatch,
concoct, romance, cry "wolf!" dissemble,
dissimulate,
feign, assume, put on, pretend, make believe, play possum, play false, play a double game,
coquet, act a part, play a part, affect,
simulate, pass off for,
counterfeit,
sham, make a show of,
malinger, say the grapes are sour,
cant, play the hypocrite, sham abraham, faire pattes de velours, put on the mask, clean the outside of the platter, lie like a conjuror, hand out false colors, hold out false colors, sail under false colors, "commend the poisoned chalice to the lips", ambiguas in vulgum spargere voces,
deceive Adj. false,
deceitful,
mendacious, unveracious,
fraudulent,
dishonest, faithless, truthless,
trothless, unfair,
uncandid,
hollow-hearted,
evasive,
uningenuous,
disingenuous, hollow,
sincere, parthis mendacior,
forsworn, artificial,
contrived,
canting,
hypocritical,
jesuitical,
pharisaical,
tartuffish,
machiavelian, double, double tongued, double faced, double handed, double minded, double hearted,
double dealing, janus faced, smooth- faced, smooth spoken, smooth tongued,
plausible,
mealy-mouthed, affected,
collusive,
collusory, artful,
perfidious,
spurious, untrue,
falsified,
covinous Adv. falsely, a la tartufe, with a double tongue,
silly Phr. blandae mendacia lingua, falsus in uno falsus in omnibus, "i give him joy that's awkward at a lie", la mentira tiene las piernas cortas, "o what a goodly outside falsehood hath"
N. approbation,
approval,
approvement, sanction,
advocacy, nod of approbation, esteem,
estimation, good opinion, golden opinions, admiration, love,
appreciation, regard, account, popularity, κῦδος, credit,
repute, best seller,
commendation, praise,
laud,
laudation, good word, meed of praise, tribute of praise,
encomium,
eulogy,
eulogium,
eloge,
panegyric,
homage, hero worship,
benediction, blessing,
benison,
applause,
plaudit,
clap,
clapping, clapping of hands,
acclaim,
acclamation,
cheer,
paean, hosannah, shout of applause, peal of applause, chorus of applause, chorus of praise &c,
prytaneum V. approve,
approbate, think good, think much of, think well of, think highly of, esteem, value, prize, set great store by, set great store on, do justice to,
appreciate, honor, hold in esteem, look up to,
admire, like, be in favor of, wish godspeed,
hail, hail with satisfaction, stand up for, stick up for,
uphold, hold up, countenance, sanction, clap on the back, pat on the back, keep in countenance,
indorse, give credit,
recommend, mark with a white mark, mark with a stone,
commend,
belaud, praise,
laud,
compliment, pay a tribute,
bepraise, clap the hands,
applaud,
cheer, acclamate,
encore,
panegyrize,
eulogize, cry up, proner,
puff,
extol, extol to the skies,
magnify,
glorify,
exalt, swell, make much of,
flatter,
bless, give a blessing to, have a good word for, say a good word for, speak well of, speak highly of, speak in high terms of, sing the praises of, sound the praises of, chaunt the praises of, resound the praises of, sing praises to, cheer to the echo, applaud to the echo, applaud to the very echo, cheer to the very echo, redound to the honor, redound to the praise, redound to the credit of, do credit to, deserve praise, recommend itself, pass muster, be praised &c, receive honorable mention, be in favor with, be in high favor with, ring with the praises of, win golden opinions, gain credit, find favor with, stand well in the opinion of, laudari a laudato viro
Adj. approving, in favor of, lost in admiration,
commendatory,
complimentary,
benedictory,
laudatory,
panegyrical,
eulogistic,
encomiastic, lavish of praise, uncritical, approved, praised, uncensured,
unimpeached, popular, in good odor, in high esteem, in favor, in high favor, deserving of praise, worthy of praise,
praiseworthy,
commendable, of estimation, good,
meritorious,
estimable, creditable,
plausible,
unimpeachable, beyond all praise
Adv. with credit, to admiration, well, with three times three
Int. hear hear, bully for you, * well done,
bravo, bravissimo,
euge, macte virtute, so far so good, that's right, quite right,
optime, one cheer more, may your shadow never be less, esto perpetua, long life to, viva, enviva,
godspeed, valete et plaudite,
encore,
bis, phr, probatum est, tacent satis laudant, "servant of god, well done!",
[note 1][Obsolete in England except in legal writings, but surviving in the United States chiefly in a technical sense for license. C.O.S.M.] N. flattery,
adulation,
gloze,
blandishment,
blandiloquence,
cajolery,
fawning,
wheedling,
captation,
coquetry,
obsequiousness,
sycophancy, flunkeyism, toadeating, tuft-hunting,
snobbishness, incense, honeyed words,
flummery,
bunkum,
buncombe,
blarney,
placebo, butter, soft soap, soft sawder,
rose water, voice of the charmer, mouth honor, lip homage,
euphemism,
unctuousness V. flatter, praise to the skies,
puff,
wheedle,
cajole,
glaver,
coax, fawn upon, faun upon,
humor,
gloze,
soothe,
pet,
coquet, slaver, butter,
jolly,
bespatter,
beslubber,
beplaster,
beslaver, lay it on thick, overpraise,
earwig,
cog,
collogue, truckle to, pander to, pandar to, suck up to, kiss the ass of, pay court to, court, creep into the good graces of, curry favor with, hang on the sleeve of, fool to the top of one's bent, lick the dust, lay the flattering unction to one's soul, gild the pill, make things pleasant, overestimate,
exaggerate Adj. flattering,
adulatory,
mealy-mouthed,
honey-mouthed, honeyed, smooth,
smooth-tongued,
soapy,
oily,
unctuous, blandiloquent,
specious, fine-spoken, fair spoken,
plausible,
servile,
sycophantic,
fulsome, courtierly, courtier-like
N. vindication,
justification, warrant, # exoneration,
exculpation,
acquittal,
whitewashing,
extenuation,
palliation,
palliative,
softening,
mitigation, reply,
defense,
recrimination,
apology,
gloss,
varnish,
plea,
salvo,
excuse, extenuating circumstances, allowance, allowance to be made, locus paenitentiae,
apologist,
vindicator,
justifier,
defendant, justifiable charge, true bill, v,
justify, warrant, be an excuse, for, lend a color, furnish a handle,
vindicate,
exculpate,
disculpate,
acquit, clear, set right,
exonerate,
whitewash, clear the skirts of,
extenuate,
palliate,
excuse,
soften,
apologize,
varnish,
slur,
gloze, put a gloss, put a good face upon,
mince, gloss over, bolster up, help a lame dog over a stile, advocate, defend, plead one's cause, stand up for, stick up for, speak up for, contend for, speak for, bear out, keep in countenance, support, plead &c, 617, say in defense, plead ignorance, confess and avoid,
propugn, put in a good word for, take the will for the deed, make allowance for, give credit for, do justice to, give one his due, give the devil his due, make good, prove the truth of, prove one's case, be justified by the event
Adj. vindicated,
vindicating,
exculpatory,
apologetic,
excusable,
defensible,
pardonable,
venial,
veniable,
specious,
plausible,
justifiable Phr. "honi sot qui mal y pense", "good wine needs no bush."