Abominably Synonyms

Abominably Synonyms: Exploring Powerful Alternatives for Extreme Negativity

Introduction:

Have you ever searched for the perfect word to capture the sheer depth of your disgust or revulsion? "Abominable" is a strong word, conveying intense dislike or disapproval. But sometimes, even "abominable" falls short. This comprehensive guide dives deep into the world of "abominably synonyms," exploring a wide range of alternatives to express varying degrees of negativity, from mild displeasure to utter abhorrence. We'll examine synonyms, considering their nuances and contexts to help you choose the most impactful and precise word for your writing. Get ready to expand your vocabulary and master the art of expressing extreme negativity with precision and flair!

I. Understanding the Nuances of "Abominable"

Before we delve into synonyms, it's crucial to understand the core meaning of "abominable." It signifies something intensely unpleasant, morally reprehensible, or utterly detestable. This word carries a strong emotional weight, often implying a deep sense of revulsion or disgust. The intensity is key; "abominable" doesn't describe mere dislike; it signifies something truly appalling. Knowing this allows us to select synonyms that match the specific level of negativity we wish to convey.


II. Synonyms for "Abominably": Exploring the Spectrum of Negativity

The intensity of "abominably" demands synonyms that capture its extreme nature. We can categorize these synonyms based on their specific connotations:

A. Emphasizing Moral Reprehensibility:

Deplorable: This term emphasizes the moral wrongness of something, highlighting its undesirability. It's a strong word, but often less intense than "abominable."
Execrable: This word suggests something extremely bad and deserving of condemnation. It implies a strong moral judgment.
Heinous: This term describes something wicked, atrocious, or shockingly evil. It's typically used for crimes or acts of extreme cruelty.
Reprehensible: This suggests deserving of blame or condemnation, highlighting the immoral or unacceptable nature of the action.

B. Emphasizing Extreme Disgust or Displeasure:

Detestable: This synonym emphasizes the feeling of intense dislike or hatred. It suggests something so unpleasant it evokes a strong feeling of revulsion.
Loathsome: This word paints a picture of something disgusting and repulsive, often physically or morally.
Odious: This highlights something extremely unpleasant, offensive, or hateful, frequently carrying a sense of offensiveness.
Hateful: This straightforward term simply signifies something that is intensely disliked and inspires strong feelings of animosity.

C. Emphasizing Horribleness or Awfulness:

Dreadful: This word describes something causing great fear, suffering, or distress. It captures a sense of something severely unpleasant.
Terrible: This common word signifies something very bad or unpleasant, though perhaps less intense than "abominable" in its purest form.
Appalling: This term emphasizes something shockingly bad or horrifying, often causing dismay or horror.


III. Choosing the Right Synonym: Context is Key

The best synonym for "abominably" depends heavily on the context. Consider the subject matter and the desired level of emphasis. For example:

"The conditions in the factory were abominable" could be replaced with "The conditions in the factory were deplorable," focusing on the moral failings of the situation.
"The smell was abominably foul" could be better expressed as "The smell was loathsome," emphasizing the physical revulsion.
"His behavior was abominably cruel" might be more effectively conveyed as "His behavior was heinous," focusing on the severity of the cruelty.

Carefully select the synonym that most precisely captures the intended nuance and emotional impact.


IV. Using "Abominably" Synonyms in Different Sentence Structures

Here are some examples of how to use different synonyms effectively in various sentence structures:

Adverbial use: The food was prepared abominably (deplorably/execrably).
Adjectival use: The weather was abominably (terrible/ dreadful) cold.
Nominal use: His actions were an abomination (a loathsome act/ a heinous crime).


V. Expanding Your Vocabulary: Beyond Direct Synonyms

While direct synonyms offer strong alternatives, exploring related words can further enrich your writing. Consider using phrases like: "utterly repugnant," "horribly offensive," "beyond the pale," or "unspeakably vile" to convey a similar level of negativity.


VI. Conclusion: Mastering the Art of Expressing Extreme Negativity

Choosing the right word to express intense negativity is crucial for effective communication. This guide provides you with a diverse range of synonyms for "abominably," empowering you to select the most precise and impactful word for your writing. Remember to carefully consider context and nuance to achieve the desired effect. By mastering the art of choosing the right synonym, you'll elevate your writing and communicate your feelings with greater accuracy and power.


Article Outline: Abominably Synonyms

Introduction: Defining "abominable" and the purpose of the article.
Chapter 1: Exploring the nuances of "abominable" and its connotations.
Chapter 2: Categorizing synonyms based on their specific emphasis (moral reprehensibility, disgust, horribleness).
Chapter 3: Practical application: Choosing the right synonym based on context and sentence structure.
Chapter 4: Expanding vocabulary beyond direct synonyms: exploring related phrases and expressions.
Conclusion: Recap and emphasis on precise word choice for effective communication.


(The content above fulfills the points in this outline.)


FAQs:

1. What is the strongest synonym for "abominable"? There isn't a single "strongest" synonym, as the best choice depends on the context. However, words like "heinous," "execrable," and "loathsome" are excellent choices for expressing extreme negativity.

2. What's the difference between "abominable" and "terrible"? "Terrible" is a more general term for something bad, while "abominable" implies a deeper level of disgust or moral reprehensibility.

3. Can I use "abominable" and its synonyms interchangeably? While they share a general meaning, subtle nuances exist. Careful consideration of context is essential for accurate and effective communication.

4. Are there any formal synonyms for "abominable"? Yes, words like "deplorable," "reprehensible," and "execrable" maintain a formal tone.

5. How can I avoid overuse of strong negative words? Vary your vocabulary and use milder synonyms when appropriate. Consider using descriptive language to paint a vivid picture of the negative situation.

6. What are some good alternatives to using "abominably" as an adverb? Consider phrases like "to an extreme degree," "exceedingly," or "utterly."

7. Are there synonyms for "abominable" that are suitable for informal writing? Words like "awful," "terrible," and "horrible" are acceptable in informal contexts.

8. How can I choose the most impactful synonym for my writing? Consider the specific emotion you want to convey and the context in which the word will be used. Experiment with different options to find the most effective one.

9. Where can I find more information about expanding my vocabulary? Consider using online resources like vocabulary.com, Merriam-Webster's online dictionary, or Thesaurus.com.



Related Articles:

1. Words to Describe Extreme Anger: Exploring vocabulary for expressing intense frustration and rage.
2. Synonyms for Hate: A deep dive into words expressing strong dislike and animosity.
3. Powerful Words to Describe Evil: Exploring vocabulary for describing morally reprehensible acts.
4. How to Choose the Right Tone in Your Writing: A guide to selecting appropriate vocabulary for different audiences and situations.
5. The Importance of Precise Language in Professional Writing: Discussing clarity and impact in communication.
6. Expanding Your Vocabulary: A Practical Guide: Strategies for enriching your word choice and improving writing skills.
7. Synonyms for Disgust: Exploring various words to express feelings of revulsion and distaste.
8. Mastering Figurative Language: Metaphors and Similes for Powerful Writing: A guide to enhance descriptive language.
9. The Power of Word Choice in Persuasive Writing: How vocabulary influences the effectiveness of persuasive communication.


  abominably synonyms: Dictionary of 10-Letter Words: Words You Should Know Manik Joshi, 2020-09-15 In this book, you will learn the meanings of 1075 useful 10-letter words. You will also find the names of the parts of speech they belong to. I have also given synonyms for most of these words. Sample this: 01 -- aberrantly [adv.] -- in a manner that is unusual or socially unacceptable; departing from an accepted standard [synonym: abnormally] 02 -- abhorrence [n.] -- a feeling of strong hate for a way of thinking or behaving for moral reasons [synonyms: detestation, disgust, hatred, loathing, repugnance] 03 -- abominable [adj.] -- extremely bad or unpleasant and causing a strong feeling of dislike or disapproval [synonyms: appalling, detesting, monstrous, repulsive] 04 -- abortively [adv.] -- (of an action) in a manner that fails to produce the intended result [synonyms: fruitlessly, unproductively, unsuccessfully] 05 -- abrogation [n.] -- an act of officially canceling or ending sth such as a law, agreement, contract, decision, etc. and making them no longer valid 06 -- abruptness [n.] -- (a). (of an action) rapidness or unexpectedness [synonyms: hastiness, suddenness, unexpectedness] | (b). rudeness 07 -- abstemious [adj.] -- not allowing yourself to indulge too much in enjoyable activities such as eating food or drinking alcohol [synonym: ascetic] 08 -- abstracted [adj.] -- thinking deeply about sth and lacking concentration or not paying attention to what is happening around one. [synonyms: absentminded, inattentive, distracted, preoccupied] 09 -- abstrusely [adv.] -- in a manner that is complicated and difficult to understand especially when it could be explained in an easier way [synonyms: perplexingly, puzzlingly] 10 -- accusative [adj.] -- (in some languages such as Latin, Greek and German) the form of a noun, a pronoun or an adjective when it is the direct object of a verb, or objects of prepositions | [n.] -- a word in the accusative case 11 -- adamantine [adj.] -- extremely strong; impossible to break or smash 12 -- adaptively – in a manner that shows an ability to change when necessary in order to deal with different or changing situations 13 -- adjectival [adj.] -- containing, being, relating to or functioning as an adjective 14 -- adulterous [adj.] -- of or involving physical relationship (intercourse) between a married person and sb who is not their spouse or partner [synonyms: disloyal, treacherous] 15 -- advantaged [adj.] -- being in or having a comparatively favorable position over others in terms of a financial or social situation [synonym: privileged] 16 -- adventurer [n.] -- a man who enjoys taking risks or is willing to take risks with a view to acquire political power or to get success in a business, sometimes in a dishonest way 17 -- affectedly [adv.] -- in an insincere, pretentious and unnatural way to impress other people 18 -- aggrandize [v.] -- to increase power, wealth, importance or status of a person or country [synonyms: enhance; extend] 19 -- aggravated [adj.] -- (of crime or offense) involving further unnecessary violence or unpleasant behavior 20 -- allusively [adv.] -- in a manner that contains a word or phrase that makes a reference to a specific person, event, place, etc. in an indirect way 21 -- amateurism [n.] -- (a). the practicing of an activity, especially a sport, for enjoyment or interest on an unpaid basis | (b). the fact, state or quality of being unskilled or not competent at a particular activity. 22 -- ambassador [n.] -- (a). a high-ranking official, who is representative to a foreign country [synonyms: diplomat, envoy] | (b). a promoter of a particular activity 23 -- anticlimax [n.] -- a series of ideas arranged in the order of decreasing importance 24 -- antiquated [adj.] -- (of things or ideas) out-of-date and no longer useful, suitable or accepted for modern conditions [synonyms: obsolete, outdated, outmoded] 25 -- aristocrat [n.] -- a member of the highest social class or position who often has special titles such as that of duke or duchess 26 -- aspiration [n.] -- a strong desire to be successful in a particular career or activity [synonyms: aim, ambition, goal] 27 -- audibility [n.] -- the quality, fact or degree of being loud enough to be heard clearly by the ear.
  abominably synonyms: An Explanatory and Pronouncing Dictionary of the English Language, with Synonyms Noah Webster, 1856
  abominably synonyms: Oxford Dictionary and Thesaurus Maurice Waite, 2007 The second edition of the Oxford Dictionary and Thesaurus is the perfect language resource, combining a dictionary and thesaurus text. This means that you only have to reach for one book when you need language help. In this edition the dictionary and thesaurus texts are integrated so that the thesaurus entry for a word follows the dictionary entry directly. This is based on market research into user preferences making the dictionary accessible, clear, and easy to use. New to this edition is a centre section for crossword enthusiasts and puzzle solvers, containing hundreds of thematic word lists. With 300,000 definitions, synonyms, and antonyms, this really is the ultimate tool for anyone who loves language-based quizzes and puzzles. The Oxford Dictionary and Thesaurus also features usage notes to help you deal with tricky vocabulary and improve your writing style. The ultimate reference tool for your shelf - but not designed to stay there!
  abominably synonyms: “A” Standard Dictionary of the English Language Upon Original Plans Isaac Kaufman Funk, 1893
  abominably synonyms: Pocket Oxford Dictionary and Thesaurus Sara Hawker, 2008 Featuring a dictionary and thesaurus combined, the Pocket Oxford Dictionary & Thesaurus provides the essential language reference help you need in a single portable volume. The second edition of this reference book has been completely redesigned so that it is easier to use. The thesaurus entry for a word now immediately follows the dictionary entry, so that you do not need to hunt around the page for this information. We have also made the text more open and accessible, so that you can find the word you are looking for quickly and easily. New words and new meanings have been added to the text, so you can be sure that you are using a reference book that is up-to-date and reflects the developments of the English langauge. With over 90,000 words, phrases, and definitions, and 115,000 synonyms and antonyms, the Pocket Oxford Dictionary & Thesaurus provides all the everday language help you need. This edition also contains new Word Link features, helping you find words that are closely associated with each other. For example, the Word Link at environment tells you that the study of the natural world is called ecology, and the Word Link at cave informs you that the exploration of caves is known as speleology or potholing. The new centre section of the dictionary and thesaurus contains encyclopedic information such as lists of countries, capitals, and kings and queens, helping you to broaden your knowledge, and to find solutions for quizzes and puzzles. The Pocket Oxford Dictionary & Thesaurus is an invaluable tool for anyone who wants a portable quick reference tool useful both for general ready reference and for quizzes and crossword puzzles.
  abominably synonyms: The Synonymous, Etymological, and Pronouncing English Dictionary William Perry, 1805
  abominably synonyms: Dictionary of Adverbs: Vocabulary Building Manik Joshi, 2020-09-14 1600 Useful Adverbs and Their Meanings An adverb is a word used to describe or modify a verb, an adjective or another adverb. They tell us how (in what manner), how much (in what degree), how far (to what extent), when (in what time), and where (in what place). In this book, you will study and learn useful English adverbs along with their meanings. || Sample This: English Adverbs -- A 01 -- abaft -- in or behind the stern (back end) of a ship 02 -- aberrantly -- in a manner that is unusual or socially unacceptable; departing from an accepted standard [synonyms: abnormally] 03 -- ably -- skillfully, successfully and well: [synonym: competently] 04 -- abominably -- in an extremely bad or unpleasant way, causing a strong feeling of dislike or disapproval [synonyms: appallingly, monstrously, repulsively] 05 -- abortively -- (of an action) in a manner that fails to produce the intended result [synonyms: fruitlessly, unproductively, unsuccessfully] 06 -- abruptly -- (a). in an unpleasant manner that is sudden, rapid or unexpected [synonyms: hastily, suddenly, unexpectedly] | (b). (related to the way of talking) in an unfriendly manner 07 -- abstemiously -- in a sparing manner, avoiding too much in enjoyable activities such as eating food or drinking alcohol 08 -- abstractedly -- without paying attention to what is happening around you because you are thinking deeply about sth else; [synonyms: absentmindedly, inattentively, distractedly] 09 -- abstractly -- (a). in a manner that is based on general ideas or principals | (b). in a manner that exists in thought or as an idea, separated from physical reality (c). in a manner that does not represent somebody/something in a realistic way and expresses concepts only [synonyms: conceptually, intangibly, theoretically] 10 -- abstrusely -- in a manner that is complicated and difficult to understand especially when it could be explained in an easier way [synonyms: perplexingly, puzzlingly] 11 -- acidly -- (of sb’s remarks) in a manner that is critical, rude and unkind [synonyms: sarcastically] 12 -- acquisitively -- in a manner that shows eagerness to own to acquire and own money or new possessions (material things) in a greedy way [synonyms: graspingly, covetously, materialistically] 13 -- acrimoniously -- (of an argument, a speech, discussion, behavior, etc.) in an angry manner or in a bitter, sharp, harsh manner of language or tone 14 -- adaptively -- in a manner that shows an ability to change when necessary in order to deal with different or changing situations 15 -- adeptly -- in a skillful way that shows natural ability or through proficiency [synonyms: adroitly, skillfully, proficiently] 16 -- adulterously -- relating to a physical relationship (intercourse) between a married person and sb who is not their spouse or partner [synonyms: disloyally, treacherously] 17 -- advantageously -- in a manner that is good, useful, helpful or favorable in a particular situation [synonyms: beneficially, constructively, gainfully] 18 -- adventitiously -- in a manner that is happening by chance or accident; in a manner that is not planned or designed 19 -- adventurously -- (a). in a way that includes new and interesting ideas, methods, things or experiences | (b). in a manner that is full of new, exciting or dangerous ideas, methods, things or experiences [synonyms: audaciously, boldly, daringly] 20 -- affectedly -- in an insincere, pretentious and unnatural way to impress other people 21 -- affectingly -- in a manner that produces strong feelings of distress, pity, regret, sorrow, or sympathy, etc. 22 -- agelessly -- in a manner that seems to be never coming to an end or growing old [synonyms: everlastingly, timelessly] 23 -- allusively -- in a manner that contains a word or phrase that makes a reference to a specific person, event, place, etc. in an indirect way 24 -- aloft -- high up in or into the air; far above the ground [synonyms: overhead] 25 -- also -- (not used with negative verbs) in addition; as well; [synonyms: furthermore, too] 26 -- amateurishly -- in a manner that is done incompetently, inexpertly or unskillfully [synonyms: incompetently, unprofessionally]
  abominably synonyms: Language Edward Sapir, 1921 Professor Sapir analyzes, for student and common reader, the elements of language. Among these are the units of language, grammatical concepts and their origins, how languages differ and resemble each other, and the history of the growth of representative languages--Cover.
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  abominably synonyms: The Varieties of Religious Experience William James, 2009-01-01 Harvard psychologist and philosopher William James' The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature explores the nature of religion and, in James' observation, its divorce from science when studied academically. After publication in 1902 it quickly became a canonical text of philosophy and psychology, remaining in print through the entire century. Scientific theories are organically conditioned just as much as religious emotions are; and if we only knew the facts intimately enough, we should doubtless see 'the liver' determining the dicta of the sturdy atheist as decisively as it does those of the Methodist under conviction anxious about his soul. When it alters in one way the blood that percolates it, we get the Methodist, when in another way, we get the atheist form of mind.
  abominably synonyms: Nineteen eighty-four George Orwell, 2022-11-22 This is a dystopian social science fiction novel and morality tale. The novel is set in the year 1984, a fictional future in which most of the world has been destroyed by unending war, constant government monitoring, historical revisionism, and propaganda. The totalitarian superstate Oceania, ruled by the Party and known as Airstrip One, now includes Great Britain as a province. The Party uses the Thought Police to repress individuality and critical thought. Big Brother, the tyrannical ruler of Oceania, enjoys a strong personality cult that was created by the party's overzealous brainwashing methods. Winston Smith, the main character, is a hard-working and skilled member of the Ministry of Truth's Outer Party who secretly despises the Party and harbors rebellious fantasies.
  abominably synonyms: Three Steps on the Ladder of Writing Hélène Cixous, 1993 Three Steps on the Ladder of Writing is a poetic, insightful, and ultimately moving exploration of 'the strange science of writing.' In a magnetic, irresistible narrative, Cixous reflects on the writing process and explores three distinct areas essential for 'great' writing: The School of the Dead--the notion that something or someone must die in order for good writing to be born; The School of Dreams--the crucial role dreams play in literary inspiration and output; and The School of Roots--the importance of depth in the 'nether realms' in all aspects of writing. Cixous's love of language and passion for the written word is evident on every page. Her emotive style draws heavily on the writers she most admires: the Brazilian novelist Clarice Lispector, the Russian poet Marina Tsvetaeva, the Austrian novelists Ingeborg Bachmann and Thomas Bernhard, Dostoyevsky and, most of all, Kafka.
  abominably synonyms: The Merriam-Webster Thesaurus Merriam-Webster, 2023-06 Find the right word fast! This indispensable guide from America's Language Experts is the perfect tool for readers and writers! This all new edition of The Merriam-Webster Thesaurus features more than 150,000 word choices, including related words, antonyms, and near antonyms. Each main entry provides the meaning shared by the synonyms listed and abundant usage examples show words used in context. Words alphabetically organized for ease of use. A great complement to The Merriam-Webster Dictionary and perfect for school, home, or office.
  abominably synonyms: Radical Feminism Today Denise Thompson, 2001-06-01 Radical Feminism Today offers a timely and engaging account of exactly what feminism is, and what it is not. Author Denise Thompson questions much of what has come to be taken for granted as `feminism' and points to the limitations of implicitly defining feminism in terms of `women', `gender', `difference' or `race//gender//class'. She challenges some of the most widely accepted ideas about feminism and in doing so opens up a number of hitheto closed debates, allowing for the possibility of moving those debates further.
  abominably synonyms: Gadsby Ernest Vincent Wright, 2022-05-28 Gadsby is a novel by Ernest Vincent Wright. A fading fictitious city known as Branton Hills is rejuvenated due to the efforts of central character John Gadsby and a youth organizer. A humorous read!
  abominably synonyms: Frog Music Emma Donoghue, 2014-03-27 Inspired by a true unsolved crime, Frog Music is a gripping historical novel by Emma Donoghue, author of the multi-million-copy bestseller Room. San Francisco, 1876: a stifling heat wave and smallpox epidemic have engulfed the City. Deep in the streets of Chinatown live three former stars of the Parisian circus: Blanche, now an exotic dancer at the House of Mirrors, her lover Arthur and his companion Ernest. When an eccentric outsider joins their little circle, secrets unravel, changing everything – and leaving one of them dead. A New York Times bestseller, Frog Music is a dark and compelling story of intrigue and murder.
  abominably synonyms: Cicero, Against Verres, 2.1.53-86 Marcus Tullius Cicero, Ingo Gildenhard, 2011 This volume provides a portion of the original text of Ciceros speech in Latin, a detailed commentary, study aids and a translation. Ingo Gildenhards commentary will be of particular interest to students of Latin at both high school and undergraduate level. It will also be of help to Latin teachers and to anyone interested in Cicero, language and rhetoric, and the legal culture of Ancient Rome. A free online interactive edition is also available.
  abominably synonyms: A Standard Dictionary of the English Language Isaac Kaufman Funk, 1894
  abominably synonyms: Text Mining Gabe Ignatow, Rada Mihalcea, 2016-04-20 Online communities generate massive volumes of natural language data and the social sciences continue to learn how to best make use of this new information and the technology available for analyzing it. Text Mining brings together a broad range of contemporary qualitative and quantitative methods to provide strategic and practical guidance on analyzing large text collections. This accessible book, written by a sociologist and a computer scientist, surveys the fast-changing landscape of data sources, programming languages, software packages, and methods of analysis available today. Suitable for novice and experienced researchers alike, the book will help readers use text mining techniques more efficiently and productively.
  abominably synonyms: A Commentary on the Psalms Allen P. Ross, Brilliant commentary on the most cherished book of the Bible
  abominably synonyms: A Standard Dictionary of the English Language, Upon Original Plans ... , 1894
  abominably synonyms: A Dictionary of English Synonymes ... John Platts, 1845
  abominably synonyms: Wealth, Poverty and Politics Thomas Sowell, 2016-09-06 In Wealth, Poverty, and Politics, Thomas Sowell, one of the foremost conservative public intellectuals in this country, argues that political and ideological struggles have led to dangerous confusion about income inequality in America. Pundits and politically motivated economists trumpet ambiguous statistics and sensational theories while ignoring the true determinant of income inequality: the production of wealth. We cannot properly understand inequality if we focus exclusively on the distribution of wealth and ignore wealth production factors such as geography, demography, and culture. Sowell contends that liberals have a particular interest in misreading the data and chastises them for using income inequality as an argument for the welfare state. Refuting Thomas Piketty, Paul Krugman, and others on the left, Sowell draws on accurate empirical data to show that the inequality is not nearly as extreme or sensational as we have been led to believe. Transcending partisanship through a careful examination of data, Wealth, Poverty, and Politics reveals the truth about the most explosive political issue of our time.
  abominably synonyms: Reflections on the Psalms C. S. Lewis, 2017-02-14 A repackaged edition of the revered author’s moving theological work in which he considers the most poetic portions from Scripture and what they tell us about God, the Bible, and faith. In this wise and enlightening book, C. S. Lewis—the great British writer, scholar, lay theologian, broadcaster, Christian apologist, and bestselling author of Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce, The Chronicles of Narnia, and many other beloved classics—examines the Psalms. As Lewis divines the meaning behind these timeless poetic verses, he makes clear their significance in our daily lives, and reminds us of their power to illuminate moments of grace.
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  abominably synonyms: The Odyssey Homer, 2010-05-25 Penelope has been waiting for her husband Odysseus to return from Troy for many years. Little does she know that his path back to her has been blocked by astonishing and terrifying trials. Will he overcome the hideous monsters, beautiful witches and treacherous seas that confront him? This rich and beautiful adventure story is one of the most influential works of literature in the world.
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  abominably synonyms: A History of Caricature and Grotesque in Literature and Art Thomas Wright, 1865
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  abominably synonyms: English-Malay synonyms Abdullah Hassan, 1994
  abominably synonyms: Narnian Virtues Thomas Lickona, Mark A. Pike, 2021-11-25 In this engaging and practical book Mark Pike and Thomas Lickona show how C.S. Lewis' wisdom for nurturing good character, and his much-loved Chronicles of Narnia, inspire us to virtue. Drawing upon the Judeo-Christian virtues of faith, hope and love and 'Narnian' virtues such as courage, integrity and wisdom, they present an approach to contemporary character education validated by recent research. An introduction to C.S. Lewis' thought on character and faith is followed by practical examples of how to use well-known passages from the Narnia novels as a stimulus for rich character development at home and in the classroom.
  abominably synonyms: Contemporary English , 1973
  abominably synonyms: Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta is the main work on the life and teachings of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the incarnation of Krishna who appeared in India five hundred years ago. Lord Chaitanya introduced the chanting of the holy names of God as the prescribed method of God-realization for our time. He began what is today called the Hare Krishna movement, since the movement's founder, Srila Prabhupada, comes in the Chaitanya line of spiritual masters. Lord Chaitanya transformed the face of India in four respects: philosophically, by encountering, defeating and converting the greatest philosophers and thinkers of His day; religiously, by organizing the largest, most widespread theistic movement in India's history; socially, by His strong challenges to the religious inequities of the caste system; politically, by His organization of a massive civil disobedience movement in Bengal, more than four centuries before Gandhi. This English translation with commentary, by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, reveals his consummate Bengali and Sanskrit scholarship, his intimate familiarity with the precepts of Sri Chaitanya, and his pure devotion to God.
  abominably synonyms: A Pronouncing and Defining Dictionary of the English Language Noah Webster, Chauncey Allen Goodrich, 1856
  abominably synonyms: The Tower of Oblivion Oliver Onions, 2015-10-27 I think it is Edgar Allan Poe who says that while a plain thing may on occasion be told with a certain amount of elaboration of style, one that is unusual in its very nature is best related in the simplest terms possible. I shall adopt the second of these methods in telling this story of my friend, Derwent Rose. And I will begin straight away with that afternoon of the spring of last year when, with my own eyes, I first saw, or fancied I saw, the beginning of the change in him. The Lyonnesse Club meets in an electric-lighted basement-suite a little way off the Strand, and as I descended the stairs I saw him in the narrow passage. He was standing almost immediately under an incandescent lamp that projected on its curved petiole from the wall. The light shone brilliantly on his hair, where hardly a hint of grey or trace of thinness yet showed, and his handsome brow and straight nose were in full illumination and the rest of his face in sharp shadow. He wore a dark blue suit with an exquisitely pinned soft white silk collar, to which, as I watched, his fingers moved once; and he was examining with deep attention a print that hung on the buff-washed wall. I spoke behind him. Hello, Derry! One doesn't often see your face here. Quietly as I spoke, he started. Ordinarily he had very straight and steady grey-blue eyes, alert and receptive, but for some seconds they looked from me to the print and from the print to me, irresolutely and with equally divided attention. One would almost have thought that he had heard his name called from a great distance. Then his eyes settled finally on the print, and he repeated my last words over his shoulder. My face? Here?... No. What's the picture? Anything special? Still without moving his eyes from it he replied, The picture? You ought to know more about it than I—it's your Club, not mine—— And he continued his absorbed scrutiny. Now I had passed that picture scores of times before and had never found it worth a glance. It was a common collotype reproduction of a stodgy night-effect, a full moon in a black-leaded sky with reflections in water to match—price perhaps five shillings. Then suddenly, looking over his shoulder, I realised where his interest in it lay. He was not looking at the picture at all. In the polished glass, that made an excellent mirror in that concentrated light, I had seen his eyes earnestly fixed on his own eyes, his cheeks, his hair, his chin.... Well, Derwent Rose had better reason than most men for looking at himself in a picture-glass if he chose. Indeed it had already struck me that that afternoon he looked even more than ordinarily fresh and handsome. Let me, before we go any further, describe his personal appearance to you. He had, as I knew, passed his forty-fifth birthday in the preceding January; but he would have been taken anywhere for at least ten years younger. You will believe this when I tell you that at the age of thirty-nine, that is to say in the year 1914, he had walked into a recruiting-office, had given his age as twenty-eight, received the compliments of the R.A.M.C. major who had examined him, had joined an infantry battalion as a private, risen to the rank of company-sergeant-major, and had hardly looked a day older when he had come out again, with a herring-bone of chevrons on his cuff and a captain's stars on his shoulder—not so much as scratched. He was just over six feet high, with the shoulders of a paviour and the heart and lung capacity of a diver. Had you not been told that he wrote novels you would have thought that he ran a ranch. His frame was a perfectly balanced combination of springiness and dead-lift power of muscle; and to see those grey-blue eyes that looked into yours out of unwrinkled lids was to wonder what secret he possessed that the cares and rubs and disillusions of life should so have passed him by. Yet he had had his share of these, and more. His looks might be smooth, but wrinkles enough lay behind his writing. From those boyish eyes that reminded you of a handler of boats or a breaker of horses there still peeped out from time to time the qualities of his earlier, uneasy books—the gay and mortal and inhuman irony of The Vicarage of Bray, the vehement, unchecked passion of An Ape in Hell. If to the ordinary bookstall-gazer these works were unknown—well, that was part of the task that Derwent Rose had set himself. It is part of the task any writer sets himself who refuses all standards but his own, and works on the assumption that he is going to live for ever. Only his last published book, The Hands of Esau, showed a fundamental urbanity, a mellower restraint, and perhaps these were the securer the more hardly they had been come by. I for one expected that his next book would rise like a star above the vapours where we others let off our little six-shilling crackers ... but his body seemed a mere flouting of the years. And here he stood under the corolla of an incandescent lamp, looking at himself for wrinkles! Then in the glass he caught my eye, and flushed a little to have been caught attitudinising. He gave a covert glance round to see whether anybody else had observed him. A few yards away, in the doorway, Madge Aird was smilingly receiving the Club's guests, but for the moment Madge was looking the other way. Then he spoke in a muffled voice. Well? Notice anything? How do I look? How do I strike you? No, I don't want a compliment. I'm asking you a question. How do I look? I've a special reason for wanting to know. I laughed a little, not without envy. How do you look! I said. Another ten years will be time enough for you to begin to worry about your looks, Derry. I know your age, of course, but for all practical purposes you may consider yourself thirty-five, my young friend. Sadly, sadly now I remember the eagerness of his turn. How much? he demanded. I said thirty-five or thereabouts, you Darling of the Gods. I'm fifty, but you make me look sixty, and when you're a hundred your picture will be in the papers with the O.M. round your neck. You'll probably have picked up the Nobel Prize too, and a few other trifles on the way. You've got a physique to match your brain, lucky fellow that you are, and nothing but accident can stop you. Don't go out and get run over, that's all. Well, are you coming in? But he hung back. And yet it was largely his own fault if in such places as this Club he felt like a fish out of water. It might even have been called a perverse and not very amiable vanity in him, and I had hoped he had got over this shyness, arrogance, or both. We have to live in a world, even if we are as gifted mentally and physically as was Derwent Rose. But it was no good pressing him. I remembered him of old. Then if you're not coming in? I ventured to hint; and again his hand went to the soft collar. What have I come for, you mean? I want you to find out for me if there's a Mrs Bassett here. I don't think I know her. Mrs Hugo Bassett. Ask somebody, will you? What's she like to look at? Can't say. Haven't seen her for years. Wait a bit. Is it somebody called Daphne Bassett? Yes, yes—Daphne, he said quickly. Who published what's called a 'first novel' some little time ago? Instantly I saw that I had said something he didn't like. The blood stirred in his cheeks. He spoke roughly, impolitely. And even up to this point his manner had been curt enough. Why do you say it like that? he demanded. 'First' novel, with a sneer? She wrote a novel, if that's what you mean. Yet, though he began by glaring at me, he ended by looking uneasily away. You too may have wondered why publishers so eagerly insist that some novel or other is a really-and-truly 'first' one. Your bootmaker doesn't boast that the pair of boots he sells you is his 'first' pair, and you wouldn't eat your cook's 'first' dinner if you could help it. You may take it from me that in the ordinary course of things Derwent Rose would have been far more likely to applaud the novel that ended an ignominious career than the one that began it. Yet here he was, apparently wishing to outface me about something or other, yet at the same time unable to look me in the eye. There's got to be a first before there can be a second, hasn't there? he growled. Jessica had to have a First Prayer, didn't she? And is there such a devil of a lot of difference between one novel and another when you come to think of it—yours or mine or anybody else's? It was at this point that I began to watch him attentively. Go on, Derry, I said. There isn't; you know there isn't; and I'm getting sick of this superior attitude. Why must everybody do the Big Bow Wow all the time? Can't somebody write something just for amuse—I mean must they always be banging the George Coverham Big Drum? As long as it doesn't make any pretence.... Have you read it? he demanded suddenly. No. Then you don't know anything about it. It was here that I became conscious of what I have called the Change. Whatever had happened to put him out, this was not the Derry Rose I had lately seen. Surely my remark about that first novel had been innocent enough; but he had replied surlily, unamiably, unfamiliarly.... Unfamiliar? No, that is not the word. I should rather say remotely familiar, recollected, brought forward again out of some time that was past. Just as in his resplendent physical appearance he seemed to be too well, if such a thing can be, so in his manner he seemed to be too ... something; I gave it up. I only knew that the author of The Hands of Esau would not have spoken thus. Well, will you find out for me if she's here? he said in a softer one. I fancy that already he was sorry he had not spoken more quietly. Why not come in and see for yourself? Oh—you know how I hate this sort of thing. Not long ago you spoke of joining the Lyonnesse. I know. I thought I would. But I've decided it's out of my line. Then at least come and be introduced to Mrs Aird. She'll know whether Mrs Bassett's here or not. The blue-grey eyes gave mine a quick and critical glance. Is that the Mrs Aird who writes those bright books about young women and their new clothes and how right their instincts are if you only give them plenty of pocket-money and leave 'em alone? I smiled. Perhaps it was a little like Madge. But I noticed his sharp distinction between the novels of one woman and the first novel of another. It began to look as if behind Mrs Hugo Bassett the novelist lay Daphne Bassett the woman. Well, I sighed, I'm to ask for Mrs Hugo Bassett. What's the title of her book? The Parthian Arrow. Mrs Hugo Bassett, author of The Parthian Arrow. Very well—— I approached Madge, but before I could ask my question she had drawn me inside the doorway. Who is he? she whispered ardently in my ear. Her plump ringed hand clutched my sleeve, and there was the liveliest curiosity in the dark eyes that looked up at me from under her nodding hat with black pleureuse feathers. Is there a Mrs Bassett here—Daphne Bassett? No. But—— Has she been, and is she likely to come? She hasn't been, and nobody'll come now. But George—— I'll see you presently; just let me get rid of my message, I said; and I returned to Rose. A glance at my face was enough for him. He may have muttered a Thank-you, but I didn't hear it; he had spun on his heel and in a moment was half-way to the cloakroom. I hope he got his own hat, for he was out again almost instantly. I had a glimpse of his magnificent back as he hurried along the passage, then a flying heel at the turn of the stairs and he was gone. Turning, I saw that Madge had watched his departure with me. She almost ran to me. Quickly, George—who, who is your Beautiful Bear, and why have you been keeping a superb creature like that from me? she demanded. I knew he was waiting for a woman. Every skirt that came in—— at the swing of her head the feathers tossed like an inky weeping-elm in a gale. But, she added, I confess I never saw a man admire himself quite so openly before. My friend has scored off me often enough in the past. This time I scored off her. Derwent Rose always was good-looking, I remarked. She fell a step back. George!—Derwent Rose! You don't mean to say that that was Derwent Rose? I always thought you knew everybody in London. That was Derwent Rose! Then she added, with inexpressible conviction and satisfaction, Ah! I am always a little uneasy when Madge Aird says Ah! in that tone. She was Madge Ruthven before she married Alec Aird, and I have often wondered whether in the past any of her Scottish forbears had any traffic with France. I am not now thinking of the air with which she always wore her clothes, from whatever it was on her head to the always irresistible shoes on her tiny feet. I mean the workings of her mind. There is none of our northern softness and hesitation and mystery about these. All she thinks and says has a logical completeness and finish that somehow always seems just a little too good to be true. Few things in this world are so neatly right as that. But wrong though her conclusions may be, they are always dazzlingly effective, and you have to swallow them or reject them whole. Ah! she murmured again, with the intensest self-approval; and I wondered what unreliable imperfection she was meditating now. You never know with her. She sees so many people, goes to so many places, hears so much. Often the mere mention of a name is enough to touch off that instantaneous fuse of her memory that leads straight into the heart of heaven knows what family history or hidden scandal. And what do you mean by 'Ah'? I asked her. The gorgeous creature! I never dreamed—but this makes the situation perfectly fascinating! What situation? Why, of him and Daphne Bassett. But poor old George, I keep forgetting that you're the noblest Roman of them all and don't listen to our horrid petty little scandal. And evidently you haven't read The Parthian Arrow. I haven't. Tell me what it's about. But you've read An Ape in Hell? Of course. Tell me what the other's about. But at that moment she was claimed. Her next words came over her shoulder as, with a wisk of her ribboned ankles and another gale in the shake of feathers, she was off. Not now—another time. I shall be in fairly early this evening if you're staying in town. It's quite an interesting situation. And if you'll bring your Beautiful Bear to see me some time, I'll—— I understood her to mean that in that case she would bring Mrs Hugo Bassett also. II I live out in Surrey, my car happened to be in dock, and I had my train to think of. As I walked slowly up the short street to the Strand I puzzled over Madge's words. Evidently she found some connection between that first novel, The Parthian Arrow, and Rose's own book, An Ape in Hell. Well, my ignorance could soon be remedied. There was a bookshop just round the corner, and I could be the possessor of a copy of Mrs Bassett's book in five minutes. But suddenly, on the point of hailing a taxi, I dropped the point of my stick again. Somewhere at the back of my mind was the feeling that there was some invitation or appointment I had overlooked. I knew that it could be of no great importance, and, looking back on these events since, I have thought that it was perhaps a mere disinclination to go down to Surrey that night that gave me pause. I may say that I am unmarried, and have got my housekeeper fairly well trained to my ways. So, standing on the kerb, I brought a number of papers from my pocket and began to turn them over in search of the forgotten appointment. I found it. It was a lecture by a Fellow of a Learned Society, and it was to take place at the rather unusual hour of six o'clock. No doubt this was in order that the learned speaker might get his paper over by half-past seven, leaving his learned listeners free to dine. A taxi slowed down in front of me. Society of Arts, I said to the driver. A minute later I was on my way to see Derwent Rose for the second time that afternoon. I will tell you in a moment the subject of that lecture I had so suddenly decided to attend. First, a word as to my attitude at that time towards new discoveries and new thought in general. I was enormously, wistfully interested in them. Instinctively, at that time, I stretched out my hands to them. I had lived long enough in the world to realise that such events as Trafalgar and the French Revolution were mere events of yesterday, and the possibilities of an equally near to-morrow haunted me. I shrank from the thought that while the dead stones of the Law Courts and Australia House would still be there after I had gone, I should not at least be able to make a guess at the stream of Life, uncradled yet, that would beat and press and flow along those channels in so little a time, the new blood of London's old unchanging veins. One begins to think of these things when one is fifty. So, at a minute or so to six, my taxi set me down in the Adelphi, when I might have been a happier man had it taken me straight to Waterloo. And now for what that lecture was all about. My meaning will perhaps be clearer if I give an extract from a leading article in The Times of slightly later date. On a subject of this kind I would rather use an expert's words than risk the inaccuracies that might creep into my own. Human beings, the article begins, differ not only in the knowledge they have acquired, but in their dower of intelligence or natural ability. It has long been accepted that the former property may continue to increase until the natural faculties begin to abate, but that the latter has a maximum for each individual, attained early in life.... Intelligence, as opposed to knowledge, is fully developed before the age of schooling is over. Sixteen years has usually been taken as the age at which, even in those best endowed, the limit of intelligence has been reached. Obviously the standard varies in different individuals; the degree of intelligence passed through by the more fortunate at the age of ten may be the final attainment of others, and all intermediate stages occur.... Mr H. H. Goddard, an American psychologist of international repute, classifies the intelligence of his countrymen into seven grades, but believes that in exceptional cases, amounting to four and a half per cent. of the population, a superlative standard is reached at the age of nineteen. On the other hand, seventy per cent. of the citizens of the United States have to carry on their lives with the intelligence of children of fourteen, and ten per cent. with that of children of ten. It was to hear these conclusions of Mr Goddard's expounded by a fellow-savant that I had come that afternoon to the Society of Arts. To tell the truth, a certain whimsical humour in the idea had attracted me. When a man's books sell as well as mine do, and he is as flatteringly thought of as I am, it is rather tickling to be told that he is really an infant of sixteen or seventeen, telling fairy-stories to a gigantic public nursery the average age of which is perhaps twelve. Sir George Coverham, Knight, merely the top boy of a kindergarten of adults!... It pleased me, and I rather hoped the lecturer would approach his subject from that humorous angle. The lights were being turned down as I entered the lecture chamber. Quietly, not to make a disturbance, I tiptoed to the nearest seat. Then, as with a preliminary hiss or two the shaft of light from the lantern pierced the gloom, I was able dimly to distinguish that the subject of the lecture had not attracted more than a couple of dozen people. These barely filled the first two rows. The rest of the theatre appeared to be empty. Of the speaker himself nothing could be seen but a glimpse of white beard as he moved slightly at the reading-lamp. He read from a typescript in a flat, monotonous voice, with once in a while a halting explanatory remark that trailed, paused, and then stopped altogether. I watched the acute angles his wand made with its own shadow on the diagrams projected by the lantern. Then I thought I heard an impatient movement and muttering somewhere behind me. The speaker, after another long and painful pause, had just said, I hope I've made that clear, gentlemen; and I was almost certain that the muffled growl had taken the shape of the words You don't know a damned thing about it! Then, a few minutes later, the sound was repeated, this time accompanied by an unmistakable groan. Sssh! said somebody sharply from the front or second row. The lecture dragged on. But about the next and final outbreak there was no doubt whatever. Neither was there about the sharp suffering of whoever was the cause of it. Somebody a couple of rows behind me must be ill, I thought, and evidently others thought so too, for the lecturer came definitely to a stop, and my eyes, now accustomed to the gloom, saw the turning of faces. Is anybody——? a secretary or chairman called out, and I expected the light to go up at any moment. In the end, however, the lecture was finished without further incident. The lights were switched on, the dingy classic painted panels on the walls could be seen, and instantly every face, my own included, was turned towards the back of a man who was seen to be hurriedly making his way to the door. I cannot tell you what happened at the Society of Arts after that. I was already on my feet, hurrying after that back. It was the same back I had seen, in the same haste, leaving the Lyonnesse Club less than two hours ago. He had got to the entrance hall before I caught him up. He accepted with rather disturbing docility the arm I slipped into his. All the fight had gone out of him; he might not have been the same man who had so recently tried to outface me about first novels. I looked at his face as we stood by the glass doors that opened on to John Street. It showed both fear and pain. What's the matter, Derry? Can I be of any help? I asked him anxiously. He muttered, Yes—yes—about time I called somebody in—just about enough of it—— Do you want a doctor? Shall we call at a chemist's? He stared at me for a moment; then I vow he almost laughed. A doctor? No thanks. One dose a day's quite enough. One dose of what? Words, he replied, with a jerk of his head in the direction of the lecture chamber. We passed out and into John Street, he accommodating his ordinary London-to-Brighton pace to mine. He once told me that five miles an hour was walking, six stepping out a bit, and anything over six and a half really going. Which way? I asked at the end of the street. I suppose you'd better come round to my place, he replied; and we crossed the Strand and struck north past Trafalgar Square. He lived (I am not troubling you with the lobster we shared standing up at a counter, during which repast we did not exchange one single word)—he lived in Cambridge Circus, and I hope I have not given you the impression that Derwent Rose was desperately poor. When I spoke of him as having none too much either of money or success I meant as by comparison with myself. Until, quite suddenly and by no means early in life, my own reward came to me, I should have considered his quarters luxurious—once you had got there. This you did by means of a narrow staircase from the various landings of which branched off the offices of variety-agents, film-brokers, furriers, jewellers and I don't know what else. The double windows he had had fitted into his room subdued the noises of the Circus outside, and if he cared to draw his thick brocade curtains as well he could obtain almost dead silence. His black oak furniture was brightly polished by some basement person or other, his saddlebag chairs scrupulously beaten and brushed. The two or three thousand books that completely filled two of his walls might have been arranged by a librarian, so methodically and conveniently were they disposed, with lettered and numbered tickets at intervals along the edges of the shelves; and I knew that he had begun a catalogue of them. All this portion of his room spoke of a man settling down into meticulousness, whom disorderly habits and departures from routine begin to irritate. In marked contrast with it was the topsy-turvy state of the large oval table with the beaded edge. This was in an appalling state of confusion. Newspapers had been tossed aside on to it, open books with their faces downwards sprawled over it. Empty shells of brown paper still kept something of the shape of the books they had contained, and ends of packer's string with bits of sealing-wax twined among them. A teacup lay on its side in a wet saucer, a large oval milk-can stood next to it. And on the top of all were the snaky rubber cords of an exerciser and a ten-pound, horsehair-stuffed medicine-ball. I was about to hang up my hat in the neatly-curtained recess he had had fitted up as a lobby when he exclaimed Oh, chuck it anywhere, and set me the example by throwing his own hat and stick on to the clutter. They caught the medicine-ball, which rolled an inch or two, tottered, and then fell with a soft dead thump to the floor. The next instant, as if now that his own door was closed behind him there was no longer any need to keep up appearances, he himself had fallen with a similar thud to the sofa. He, this piece of physical perfection who called six miles an hour stepping out a bit, lay all limp and relaxed, with lids quivering lightly over his closed eyes. He spoke with his eyes closed. Well, what did you think of it? he said, breathing deeply. I tried to keep my anxiety out of my tone. What did I think of the lecture? Yes, the lecture if you like. That'll do to start with. No, I don't want anything, thanks. Tell me what you thought of the lecture. I began to say something, I hardly remember what, when, still with his eyes closed and twitching, he interrupted me. All those silly charts—all those useless figures about the American Army—that's all waste of time. Making work for work's sake. I could have told him all that straight away. I remembered those groans in the obscurity of the lecture-room. I spoke quietly. Is that what you were going to tell him when you—interrupted a little? I had to wait for his reply. When it did come I hardly heard it, so low did he speak. I know what you mean; but I can only tell you that if you'd been vivisected like that you'd have squirmed a bit too. I couldn't help thinking he had taken that lecture in a curiously personal sense, and I said so. Vivisected? I exclaimed. I was vivisected, as you call it, just as much as you were—perhaps more in some ways. What on earth are you talking about? It's a general question. It's human functions and faculties at large he was vivisecting, not you or me. So, I concluded, we were all vivisected alike, and when everybody's vivisected—you see—— I made a little gesture. Then he opened his eyes, and there was an expression in them that suddenly dried me up. It was an even more remarkable throw-back to a remembered and earlier manner than that I had witnessed earlier in the afternoon. In short, it was an expression of unconcealed contempt. Q.E.D., he said. Finis, Explicit, and the Upper Fourth next Term. You'd have made a good schoolmaster.... I tell you that when I say 'I' and 'myself'—he positively glared with irascibility and impatience—I mean myself singly and specially, understand—the egregious and indestructible ego—and not merely just as much or as little as anybody else. Get that well into your head or I won't talk to you. Had he not been so visibly suffering I shouldn't have stood the tone of it for a moment, not even from him. And let me tell you at once the surmise that had already flashed through my brain. I am a dependable sort of person myself, one of the kind that nothing startlingly new is ever likely to happen to; but I was not so sure about his kind. Brains like his often fly off at queer tangents, and I wondered whether he had been reading too much of this current cant about multiple personality and had allowed it to run away with him. Every Tom, Dick and Harry seems to rush to that for an explanation of everything nowadays. I had already noticed, by the way, that one of the books that sprawled cover uppermost on his table was a book on the thyroid gland. But suddenly he seemed to guess at my thoughts. He spoke more quietly. Indeed he seemed to be fully aware of these outbreaks of his, and to be trying to resist them more and more strenuously as our conversation proceeded. Sorry, old fellow, he said contritely. I'm very sorry. I oughtn't to have spoken like that. But I'm not what they call 'disintegrating'; I'm the last man to do that. When I say 'I' I mean the 'I' I've always been. That's just the devil of it. Suppose you begin at the beginning, I suggested. There you are! was his swift reply. He was sitting up on the sofa now, and was facing it, whatever it was, with a calmer courage. I can't begin at the beginning. All I really know yet's the end, and of course that hasn't come.... It's a damn-all of a problem. Get yourself a drink if you want one. No, I won't have one; I—I daren't. And you might draw the curtains. When I hear the buses and taxis it makes me want to go out. I drew his curtains for him, but did not take the drink. He sat on the sofa leaning a little forward, his great hands clasped between his knees and working slightly and powerfully, as if he cracked walnuts in the palms of them. The grey-blue eyes avoided mine. I have seen that same avoiding glance in the eyes of a man who had something perfectly true to tell, but so utterly improbable that he was self-convicted of lying even in speaking of it. About what you were saying this afternoon in that Club place—my age, he began in a constrained voice. You—you meant it, I suppose? That you'd live to be a hundred and be world-famous? Yes, I meant it in a way. I didn't mean you to take me too literally, of course. And you thought—he hesitated for a moment and shivered slightly—it was something to be congratulated about? Well—isn't it? Professionally you've staked out a magnificent course for yourself in which time means practically everything, and so, if you live long enough, as you look like doing—— Yet I cannot tell you what premonition of calamity seemed already to flow like an induced current from him to me. Ordinarily I am not specially sensitised to receive impressions of this kind. I am just a man who had had the luck to think as most other people think and to be able to express their thoughts for them. The greater therefore must have been that current's projecting force. Certainly the greater was my shock when it did come. I shan't live to be a hundred, he said in a low voice. I cannot remember what I said, or whether I said anything at all. All that I do remember is his own next words, the swift and agonising collapse of the whole man as he said them, and the feeling of my own nape and spine. No, not a hundred. You're counting the wrong way. You got my age quite right this afternoon. I'm thirty-five. And I shall live till I'm sixteen. III Among the things that have contributed to the wordly success of Sir George Coverham, Knight, has been that author's rigid exclusion from his books of everything that does not commend itself to the average common sense of his fellow-beings. The most he seeks in his modest writings—I speak of him in the third person because, as Derry's head dropped over his knees, it seemed impossible that this Sir George Coverham and I could be one and the same person—the most he seeks is a line somewhere between ordinary experience and the most, rather than the least, attractive presentation of it. In a word, his books are polite, debonair, and deliberately planned so as not to shock anybody. Therefore in some ways he may be quite the wrong person to be writing this story of Derwent Rose. For example: he had known Rose for some fifteen years, and, not to mince matters, there had been many highly impolite things in Rose's life during that time. More than once it had seemed a very good thing indeed that he had had to work hard for his money. The great mental concentration necessary for the writing of some of his books must have kept him out of a good deal of mischief. So I (I am allowing myself the man and Sir George Coverham the novelist gradually to reunite, as they gradually reunited that evening)—I, his friend, had already done what we all do when we are completely bowled over. I had instinctively sought refuge from his lunatic announcement in trifles—any trifle that lay nearest to hand. Suddenly I found myself wondering why he was afraid to take a drink, and why I had had to draw his curtains lest the sound of the buses and taxis should call him out into the streets. But presently he had recovered a little. He was even able to look at me with the faint shadow of a smile. Well, that's the lot, he said. I've given you the whole thing in a nutshell. You heard that lecture and you know me. You can fill in the rest for yourself. Suddenly I looked at my watch. It was not yet half-past nine. I got on to my feet. You'd better get your hat and come down to Haslemere with me, I said. We can catch the ten-ten. You're all on edge about something and you want a change. Leave word here that you'll be back in a week, and come along. But he did not move, except to shake his head. I expected you'd say that. It's what anybody would say. It simply means that you haven't taken it in yet. No, since we've started we'll go on—unless you'd rather not. I warn you there's a good deal to be said for not going on. Why not talk about it down at Haslemere? Once more there was the hint of irascibility. Do you want to hear or don't you? Slowly I sat down again, and he resumed his former attitude of cracking nuts with his palms for nutcrackers. There's not an atom of doubt about what I'm going to tell you, he began. Not an atom. Unless I'm mistaken you saw for yourself this afternoon—though of course you didn't know what you were seeing. You simply thought I looked younger, didn't you? I waited in silence. And I fancy my manner got a bit on your nerves—does a bit now for that matter? This also I let pass without remark. Well, let's start from that point. You said I looked thirty-five. Well, it's just that that's getting on your nerves—the less amiable side of my character when I was thirty-five, and—and—well, when you go you might take that bottle of whisky with you and make me sign the pledge or something. I'm trying—I'm honestly trying—to hang on, you see. I sighed. I wish you could make it a bit plainer, I said. I'm making it as plain as I can. Is this plain—that something's happened to me, I don't know what, and I'm getting younger instead of older? Derry—— I began, half rising; but he held up one heroically-moulded hand. Let me finish. And if I happen to go to sleep suddenly you just walk straight out, do you hear? Walk right out and shut the door. You're to promise that. There are some things I won't ask even a pal to go through.... So there it is. Instead of getting older like everybody else I'm simply getting younger. I'm perfectly sober—I haven't had a drink for five days—and I tell you I shall go on till I'm thirty, and then twenty-five, and then twenty, and then, at sixteen or thereabouts—that fellow wasn't very sound on his ages to-night—I shall die. Now have you got it? Even about human nature there are some things that you have to accept as it were mathematically. I am no mathematician, but I do know (for example) that the common phrase mathematically certain is a misnomer. The whole essence of mathematics lies, not in its certainties, but in its assumptions, its power to embrace any concept whatever and pin it down in the form of a symbol. Once you have adopted the symbol you don't trouble about what lies behind it. You merely proceed to reason on it. It can only have been in some such way that I accepted Derwent Rose's mad statement and was willing to see what superstructure he was prepared to raise upon it. I was even able to speak in an almost calm and ordinary voice. Tell me how you know all this, I said. He was logical and prompt. By my knowledge of myself, and also by my memory. I know what I was at thirty-five, and I know what I did; well, I simply know that I'm that man again, and that I shall go on and re-do more or less what he's already done. At some point in my life I must have got turned round, and now I'm living it backwards again. And put multiple personality quite out of your head. That's the whole point. I'm not anybody else, and I shan't be anybody else. At this moment I'm Derwent Rose, as he always was and always will be, but simply back at the mental and physical stage when he wrote An Ape in Hell. To-day, looking back, it gives me an indescribable ache at my heart to remember the sudden and immense sense of relief his words gave me. I breathed again, as if a window had been opened and a draught of cool fresh air let in. For if he only meant memory, then the thing wasn't so bad. The maniacal idea that had sent that cold shiver up my spine was capable of an ordinary explanation after all. For what else is memory but the illusion that one is living backwards again in this sense? How many ancient loves, hates, angers, can we not re-experience in any idle hour we choose to give over to reverie? Beyond a doubt Rose had in some way been abusing this mysterious faculty, and Surrey and the pine-woods was the place for him. I see, I said at last. I confess you frightened me for a moment. Anyway that's all right. You only have what we all have more or less. You merely bring greater powers than the rest of us to bear on an ordinary phenomenon. I don't want to talk about your work, but it always did seem to me that you went to rather appalling heights and fearsome depths for the stuff of it. Personally I don't think either heaven or hell is the safest place to go to for 'copy.' Too terrifying altogether. He seemed to consider this deeply. He was almost quiet again now. Again he cracked invisible nuts, and his heels and toes rose and fell gently and alternately on the carpet. That's rather a new idea you've given me, George, he said at last. I admit I hadn't thought of that. It might explain the beginning anyway—the turn-round. I suppose you mean I've been too close to the flames or the balm, and have got singed or the other thing, whatever you call it. I see. Yes.... It's probably nothing to do with the thyroid after all. I've been reading the wrong books. I never thought of the writings of the Saints. Or the Devils.... By the way, some of the Saints induced the stigmata on themselves by a sort of spiritual process, didn't they? I frowned and moved uneasily in my chair. I wasn't anxious to hear Derwent Rose either on ecstasy or blasphemy. But he went on. So that's useful as far as it goes. But—you'd hardly call this spiritual, would you? I think I mentioned that he wore a soft white collar, pinned and tied with exquisite neatness. A moment later he wore it no longer. Without troubling about pin, studs or buttons, with a swift movement he had ripped the collar, tie and half the shirt-band from his neck, and showed, of an angry and recent purply-red, vivid on his magnificent throat, two curved marks like these brackets—(). Now I am not more squeamish than most men. I am far from having lived the whole of my life in cotton-wool. But it needed no course in medical jurisprudence to tell me what those marks were—the marks of teeth, and of a woman's teeth. I was deeply wounded. Rose's amusements in this sort were no affair of mine, and I strongly resented this humiliation both of himself and of me. But his hand gripped my arm like a vice. Suddenly I saw a quite new pair in his grey-blue eyes. It was a swift fear lest, instead of helping him, I should turn against him....
  abominably synonyms: American Holocaust David E. Stannard, 1993-11-18 For four hundred years--from the first Spanish assaults against the Arawak people of Hispaniola in the 1490s to the U.S. Army's massacre of Sioux Indians at Wounded Knee in the 1890s--the indigenous inhabitants of North and South America endured an unending firestorm of violence. During that time the native population of the Western Hemisphere declined by as many as 100 million people. Indeed, as historian David E. Stannard argues in this stunning new book, the European and white American destruction of the native peoples of the Americas was the most massive act of genocide in the history of the world. Stannard begins with a portrait of the enormous richness and diversity of life in the Americas prior to Columbus's fateful voyage in 1492. He then follows the path of genocide from the Indies to Mexico and Central and South America, then north to Florida, Virginia, and New England, and finally out across the Great Plains and Southwest to California and the North Pacific Coast. Stannard reveals that wherever Europeans or white Americans went, the native people were caught between imported plagues and barbarous atrocities, typically resulting in the annihilation of 95 percent of their populations. What kind of people, he asks, do such horrendous things to others? His highly provocative answer: Christians. Digging deeply into ancient European and Christian attitudes toward sex, race, and war, he finds the cultural ground well prepared by the end of the Middle Ages for the centuries-long genocide campaign that Europeans and their descendants launched--and in places continue to wage--against the New World's original inhabitants. Advancing a thesis that is sure to create much controversy, Stannard contends that the perpetrators of the American Holocaust drew on the same ideological wellspring as did the later architects of the Nazi Holocaust. It is an ideology that remains dangerously alive today, he adds, and one that in recent years has surfaced in American justifications for large-scale military intervention in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. At once sweeping in scope and meticulously detailed, American Holocaust is a work of impassioned scholarship that is certain to ignite intense historical and moral debate.
  abominably synonyms: Deep Green Resistance Derrick Jensen, Aric McBay, Lierre Keith, 2011-01-04 For years, Derrick Jensen has asked his audiences, Do you think this culture will undergo a voluntary transformation to a sane and sustainable way of life? No one ever says yes. Deep Green Resistance starts where the environmental movement leaves off: industrial civilization is incompatible with life. Technology can't fix it, and shopping—no matter how green—won’t stop it. To save this planet, we need a serious resistance movement that can bring down the industrial economy. Deep Green Resistance evaluates strategic options for resistance, from nonviolence to guerrilla warfare, and the conditions required for those options to be successful. It provides an exploration of organizational structures, recruitment, security, and target selection for both aboveground and underground action. Deep Green Resistance also discusses a culture of resistance and the crucial support role that it can play. Deep Green Resistance is a plan of action for anyone determined to fight for this planet—and win.
  abominably synonyms: Flashman, Flash for Freedom!, Flashman in the Great Game George MacDonald Fraser, 2010-02-02 Three of George MacDonald Fraser’s incomparable and hilarious novels featuring the lovable rogue, soldier, cheat, and coward: Harry Paget Flashman. Praised by everyone from John Updike to Jane Smiley, Fraser was an acknowledged master of comedy and satire, an unrivaled storyteller, whose craft was matched only by his impeccable historical research. And his greatest creation was, of course, Flashman. The novels collected here find our hero in the midst of his usual swashbuckling adventures of derring-do: fleeing adversaries in the First Anglo-Afghan War; meeting and nearly deceiving a young Abraham Lincoln in America; alternately impersonating a native Indian cavalry recruit and wooing women in India; and managing, whatever the circumstances, to keep his hero’s reputation unsullied. A must-have treat for the legions of dedicated Flashman fans, and a delightful introduction for those lucky enough to be encountering him for the first time.