Putnam's Phrase Book An Aid to Social Letter Writing and to Ready and Effective Conversation, with Over 100 Model Social Letters and 6000 of the World's Best English Phrases

Part 7

Chapter 73,378 wordsPublic domain

The righteous shall go away into life eternal. _Matt._ XXV., 46

Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart. _Ps._ XXVII., 14

The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate. _Ps._ XXXIV., 22

The Lord knoweth them that trust in him. _Nah._ I., 7

Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you. _I Pet._ V., 7

As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from hence forth even for ever. _Ps._ CXXV., 2

The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. _Ps._ CXII., 6

Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. _Ps._ XXX., 5

Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. _Ps._ XXXIV., 19

They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. _Ps._ CXXVI., 5-6

Their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more. _Jer._ XXXI., 12

I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow. _Jer._ XXXI., 13

A refuge in times of trouble. _Ps._ IX., 9

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. _John_ XVI., 33

A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation. _Ps._ LXVIII., 5

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. _Ps._ CXVI., 15

My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. _II Cor._ XII., 9

I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward. _Gen._ XV., 1

The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. _Deut._ XXXIII., 27

The promise of life which is in Christ Jesus. _II Tim._ I., 1

A bruised reed shall he not break. _Isa._ XLII., 3

For Letters of Congratulation

I take great pleasure in sending hearty congratulations and best wishes

It is with heartfelt pleasure I——

I cannot refrain from sending a few words of congratulation that——

We offer you our cordial congratulations and best wishes

My most sincere congratulations are yours

I hope in a few days to be able to offer my congratulations in person

Accept hearty congratulations

With most sincere congratulations

I write to offer my heartfelt congratulations

You will receive many hearty congratulations but none more sincere than mine

It must have been a great joy to you. I heartily congratulate you

I applaud you

For Letters of Introduction

It gives me great pleasure to introduce to you ————

I take this opportunity of presenting to you ————

I take great pleasure in making known to you ————

This letter is presented by my friend ————

I shall regard it as a kindness to myself if——

Any courtesy you can extend to ————

I shall appreciate any assistance you may give to ————

I shall regard any attention you can pay ———— as a personal favor

I shall warmly appreciate any attention you may pay to ————

For Letters of Invitation

Will you give us the pleasure of your company to——

I am asking a few friends to——

It would be a pleasure to have you——

Will you join us in——

The pleasure of your company is requested to——

Hoping that your engagements will permit

In anticipation of seeing you next——

———— requests the presence of ————

———— requests the pleasure of your presence at——

For Letters of Regret

I write at once to thank you, regretting most sincerely that——

I very much regret that I cannot accept your kind invitation to——

I regret that a previous engagement will prevent my acceptance of your very kind invitation to——

I very much regret that I cannot avail myself of the opportunity to——

I am grateful to you for your kind invitation, but——

I regret that I am unable to comply with your request because——

I regret extremely that——

For Letters of Thanks

Please accept my grateful acknowledgments for——

I will ever cherish your beautiful gift

My compliments and thanks to ————

Thank you most heartily for the——

Many thanks for the——

With hearty thanks for your kind thought of me

Best of thanks for your kind thought of me

I cannot express my thanks for the kindness which prompted you to——

Many thanks for the kind remembrance

With grateful appreciation for——

Thank you most heartily for——

How can I ever hope to repay you for——

I am extremely grateful to you for——

I am sending this letter as the silent messenger of my thanks and good wishes to you

I must find some way to make due acknowledgment of your goodness to me

I trust I may be able to do you some service, that I may be worthy of your kind approbation

I will not write more but wait until a better opportunity enables me to more fully express myself

Please allow me to send my most thankful acknowledgments for the favor you have conferred upon me

I know not how to express my grateful thanks for your——

The grateful sense I have of your kindness will never be erased from my mind

I take this first opportunity to send you my thanks for——

You have exceedingly obliged me by——

I beg to acknowledge, with thanks, the receipt of——

I am grateful to you for your kind expression of sympathy

Though your kind letter has waited so long for a reply, you may be assured that I was not unmindful of its messages of sympathy

Please accept my warmest thanks for your kindness

I am deeply indebted to you for——

I received your very agreeable letter, and hasten to give you my most hearty thanks for your——

I thank you for your hospitality

We had a most delightful time while with you

For Letters with Gifts

Please accept this little memento of our regard

Please accept this ———— as a token of high esteem and regard

Please accept as an evidence of unchanging friendship this ————

Please accept this token with my best wishes for many happy returns of your birthday

Will you be so kind as to accept the enclosed ————

I am sending to you a little token of my high regard

(CONCLUDING ASSURANCES)

For Christmas Letters

I send you tender tidings of regard this Christmas Day

I hope you will lack nothing to make a Merry Christmas

On this day I think of you, and wish you happiness without limit

May all joys combine to give you a happy Christmas Day

With best wishes and heartiest greetings for Christmas

I wish you a joyful Christmas from the bottom of my heart

With kind remembrances and all good wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Bright New Year

With best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a New Year of health and happiness

The best of good wishes for a happy Christmas

May Christmas bring you plenteous store of happiness and joy

Heaps of Christmas wishes

With the kindest thoughts and the best of good wishes for a happy Christmas

I heartily send all good Christmas wishes to you and yours

For Letters of Condolence

My prayer is that you may be wonderfully sustained by Him who hath said, “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Most sincerely yours,

I commend you to Him who hath said, “There shall be no more death, neither sorrow.” Affectionately yours,

May you have great comfort in the presence of Him who hath said, “I will not leave you destitute.” Your friend,

Ever remember the good word which tells us that “He shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” Faithfully yours,

Though we pass through the valley and the darkness of death let us fear no evil since He is with us. Ever your friend,

God gives us a fine assurance concerning the future in the word which says, “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” Most sincerely yours,

With a prayer for every blessing on your self, Affectionately, your friend,

Be assured of our cordial esteem and fervent prayers. Very sincerely yours,

May God that comforteth those that are cast down comfort you in this trial is the prayer of Your friend,

We can meet the trials of life in the comforting conviction that this mortal must put on immortality. With warmest regards,

No doubt you are inclined to say that all is vanity and vexation of spirit, but do not do so for He knoweth the way that we take. Faithfully yours,

Now that the time has come that you are “Like Niobe, all tears” also the rather remember the word which says that “God shall wipe away all tears.” Most sincerely yours,

We send our love and commend you to Him who hath said He will “Swallow up death in victory.” Most sincerely yours,

While your heart is heavy, and one feel quite deserted, yet we can be much comforted in remembering that “He knoweth our frame.” and is ever mindful of us. With sincere sympathy, Your friend,

For New Year Letters

May this New Year turn out to be the happiest and the best

With best New Year wishes

May all your plans and wishes come true in this New Year

May the New Year be a happy year for you

A joyous New Year

With all best wishes for a splendid New Year

With all the kindest wishes for good health and good fortune throughout the year

With my most hearty greetings and sincere good wishes for you for all the coming year

With best wishes for a year of great blessing

May the New Year be full of the kindliest benedictions

With kind wishes for a year of the brightest prospects

For General Letters

I am ever, with sincerest regard, Your friend,

Remember me very kindly to ———— Sincerely,

I beg to be most kindly remembered to ———— With cordial regard,

Accept the sincerest esteem of Your friend,

My compliments to your ———— Very sincerely,

With sincere regard,

With kindest respects to your whole family, Yours affectionately,

I beg you will give my affectionate respects to all. Most cordially yours,

———— best and kindest wishes accompany mine. Most sincerely,

With truest regard,

With my best wishes for your recovery, and kindest regard to ———— I remain, affectionately yours,

———— joins me in kindest regards and best wishes. Sincerely yours,

Kind remembrance to all, and doubly to ————. As ever,

If you are at ————, remember me kindly to ———— Yours ever,

Give my kind respects to ———— Very sincerely yours,

We join in affectionate regards to ———— Sincerely,

———— present their respects, with those of Yours truly,

———— desire me to add their kind regards to mine, Your affectionate friend,

With truest good wishes. As ever,

When you see ———— assure ———— of my kind remembrance. Sincerely yours,

With my best regards to ———— I remain your friend,

With our joint regards to ————, I am ever, Yours sincerely,

My most affectionate respects to ———— Yours sincerely,

With kindest regards of my family and myself, I am sincerely yours,

Yours ever, my dear and honored friend, with true regard,

———— desires particularly to be remembered. Yours ever,

With every sentiment of regard. Your greatly obliged friend,

With truest sentiments of affectionate esteem. Your friend,

———— sends her best love. Yours ever most affectionately,

———— joins in every kind wish and remembrance. Yours ever,

With cordial wishes for your health, I am, Yours very sincerely,

My best respects to ———— Very faithfully yours,

———— is away or I should have been charged with ———— kindest regards to you. Very sincerely,

My best respects and kindest remembrances to the whole family circle at ———— Very sincerely yours,

We unite in kindest remembrance to your family. Sincerely yours,

———— begs her most affectionate remembrance to you. Affectionately yours,

(FINAL ASSURANCES)

Conventional

Very sincerely yours,

Yours most sincerely,

Very respectfully,

Sincerely yours,

Respectfully yours,

To Friends

Yours faithfully,

Yours affectionately,

Heartily yours,

Yours in all fellowship,

Warmly your friend,

Your affectionate friend,

Yours ever truly,

Ever warmly yours,

With warmest regards,

Yours in heart,

For Lovers

All yours,

As ever,

Your own,

Yours forever and ever,

Ever with the whole heart yours,

Most devotedly yours,

Yours constantly,

Yours ever,

Ever yours,

Yours, with love,

To Relatives

Your loving ————,

Affectionately your ————,

Your devoted ————,

With much love,

Your ever loving ————,

Devotedly your ————,

With much affection, your ————,

LIKENESS

Similarity Resemblance

As like as two peas

A striking parallel

As like as two drops of water

Nearly identical in appearance

The same in essential characteristics

Cast in the same mold

A striking similitude between——

Having a very close resemblance

A speaking likeness

It is somewhat analogous to——

It typifies most perfectly the——

With a very exact resemblance

There is no material difference between——

Terms which will be tantamount to——

Have you been struck with the similarity between——

It bears an evident analogy to——

Cut out of the same cloth

You can make it tally with——

LOSS

Damage Waste

This particular milk has been spilt

Incalculable waste and loss will be avoided if——

Doomed to ethical decline

Irreparable loss

Rapidly sapping the strength of——

In the blackness of darkness forever

Where does it end

LOVE

Attachment Affection

He’s the great heart-maker

Winsomely and lovingly

The sacrifices of love

Matchless kindness

Unwavering love

A redeeming love-energy

A glad service of love

A legacy of love

A flame of sacred love

The sweet kingdom of God’s love

The wondrous story of God’s love

The wonderful words of life

The genial flame of affection

The marvel of His love

The love that conquers

Love divine, all loves excelling

The glorious sense of the Divine right of love

Made beautiful by Divine love

The warm yearning intimacy of God’s love

The sweet and unpolluted flower of love

The richest joys out of heaven

If our bosom burns with the fires of love

Love that translated us from alienation to family favor

Love, pure, warm, and changeless

Songs of redeeming love

An eye of love

A heaven of love

Abounding love

With undiminished love

Love is the universal language

What the world needs is love

MANLY

Strong Upright

The sanctifying love of a strong victorious man

A patient, loving, uncomplaining soul

A clear-eyed seer of the things of God

An uncompromising foe of evil

Sagacious in spiritual things

A mind full of vigorous hopeful uplifting thoughts

He has a wonderful experience of grace

He passed through the fires of affliction

He is a graduate of the University of Difficulty

We are resolved to lay no stumbling-blocks in the way of the progress of the redemption of the world

We have the abiding consciousness that we are fundamentally right with God

He is in the apostleship of spiritual beauty

A great lover of mankind

He takes a living, loving interest in men

Moral worth

Resolved not to depart from the channel of truth

Holy in character

A warmth of temperament

Generous impulses

The imposing grace of a noble self-restraint

A chaste refinement of spirit

Splendid reserve power

Well content to go down to the grave unpraised

Taking steps toward the threshold of heaven

Walking in the blessed path of peace, power, and purity

A nobility of life

Worthy of more attention than it has yet received

A worthy friend

Hands full of character and delicacy

With unfaltering lip and heart

Men who love their fellow-men and prove their love by service

He did not once deviate from his principles

He has a profound contempt for show and humbug

Men broad-brained and broad-shouldered for the task

Men of breadth of outlook

Men who foresee great things

Large-hearted and clear-eyed men

Real leaders

Men who keep in the straight path of duty

Every man shall bear his own burden

Men whose fidelity merits the highest praise

Men who would dare hell-heat or Arctic cold

Men whose intentions were never open to honest doubt

A man whose happiness was in serving others

Strong men

Untinged by prejudice

Clouded by no unfriendliness

Without acrimony

With no preconceived theories

In whole-hearted simplicity

Above suspicion

With entire frankness

No feeling of estrangement

A gleam of friendly light

The right mental attitude

The right hand of fellowship

In the sunshine of a genial nature

In the genial glow of the firelight

Of gentle mien

The contagion of noble lives

A rare maturity of judgment

He has an unswerving loyalty to principle

He has an unconquerable purpose to be true

He is unfalteringly devoted to duty

He is inflexible in purpose

He is not paralysed by fear of consequences

He is beautifully loyal to——

He is proof against all blandishments

He sits tight in the saddle

MEMORIES

Impressions Sentiments

Among the most haunting memories of——

I treasure the memory of it as one of my most precious recollections

A time full of happy memories

I brought away with me a store of happy memories

Rich in historical memories

It moves me to happy memories

It entitles him to grateful remembrance

There are no disturbing reminders

They can console themselves with the reflection that——

It was reminiscent of——

I have many choice recollections of——

Etched forever by the——

MILITARISTIC

Martial Soldierly

The zone of hostilities

The harmless victims of war

Tactical retreat

Martial enthusiasm

A crack regiment

Universal disarmament

Strict neutrality

The inevitable horrors of war

A military advantage

The ruthlessness of war

The neutrality of nations

The international equivalent of the policeman’s club

The lust of empire

The cruel indignities of war

The long-nurtured passions of a nation

When the thunders of war are heard around the world

The arbitrament of arms

A test of materialism

An age crammed with war

The federation of the world

The policy of military preparedness

The patriotism of the common people

A military tattoo in the streets

The dominant military power in the world

The nightmare menace of war

The crime of Cain multiplied a million fold

The maintenance of peace

A sin against civilization

The stunning sense of some great calamity

The futility of militarism

The theater of hostilities

The allied armies

The pitiful misery of the people

An appalling cost of human life

The diplomatic corps

A compact front

Wanton destruction

The military camarilla at ————

Military necessity

Deliberate and wanton vandalism

With ruthless hand

The guilty madness of war

The inveterate belligerence of ————

A crushing indictment of Twentieth-Century civilization

The city tense with the excitement due to militarism

Imbued with the spirit of war

Prepared for vigorous operations

Under cover of the artillery

The oft-trodden battle-ground of the Low Countries

A warless world

An armed peace

The mailed fist

A religion of valor

The terrorism of military might

MYSTERIOUS

Dark Inscrutable

Into those invisible regions where we cannot follow

Clothed in a cloak of mystery

The fascination of the inscrutable

In some incomprehensible way

It seems a Sphinx whose riddle no man can read

Shrouded in mystery

A great deal of hokus-pokus

Hidden under the impenetrable veil of metaphor

Absolutely inexplicable

It was Greek to me. _Julius Cæsar_, I., 2

Some enigma, some riddle. _Love’s Labour’s Lost_, III., 1

A bottomless sea of speculation

NECESSARILY

Needfully Essentially

The pressure of absolute necessity

I am under the imperative necessity of——

It is absolutely essential that——

It must needs be that——

Infinitely more so now

The imperative necessity of——

The need is urgent that——

Of all the essential cogs in the world’s great machine the——

Of extreme importance

Of vital necessity

Conditions will make it imperative that——

It is of prime importance to——

The first and most important requisite of——

Put to it

The supreme need of the hour is——

It is time for him to come to the scratch and——

All important factors in the case

As much as plants need sunshine

Indispensably necessary

The imperative needs of——

In the vigorous school of necessity

OPPORTUNE

Timely Seasonable

Every door is open

Virgin soil

A work in which every man may bear a share

Seize with avidity this opportunity to——

The time seems ripe to——