Part 12
#195. Contraction.—N. contraction, reduction, diminution; decrease &c. 36 of size; defalcation, decrement; lessening, shrinking &c. v.; compaction; tabes[obs3], collapse, emaciation, attenuation, tabefaction[obs3], consumption, marasmus[obs3], atrophy; systole, neck, hourglass. condensation, compression, compactness; compendium &c. 596; squeezing &c. v.; strangulation; corrugation; astringency; astringents, sclerotics; contractility, compressibility; coarctation[obs3]. inferiority in size. V. become small, become smaller; lessen, decrease &c. 36; grow less, dwindle, shrink, contract, narrow, shrivel, collapse, wither, lose flesh, wizen, fall away, waste, wane, ebb; decay &c. (deteriorate) 659. be smaller than, fall short of; not come up to &c. (be inferior) 34. render smaller, lessen, diminish, contract, draw in, narrow, coarctate[obs3]; boil down; constrict, constringe[obs3]; condense, compress, squeeze, corrugate, crimp, crunch, crush, crumple up, warp, purse up, pack, squeeze, stow; pinch, tighten, strangle; cramp; dwarf, bedwarf[obs3]; shorten &c. 201; circumscribe &c. 229; restrain &c. 751. [reduce in size by abrasion or paring; see subtraction 38] abrade, pare, reduce, attenuate, rub down, scrape, file, file down, grind, grind down, chip, shave, shear, wear down. Adj. contracting &c. v.; astringent; shrunk, contracted &c. v.; strangulated, tabid[obs3], wizened, stunted; waning &c. v.; neap, compact. unexpanded &c. (expand &c. 194)[obs3]; contractile; compressible; smaller &c. (small &c.193).
#196. Distance.—N. distance; space &c. 180; remoteness, farness[obs3], far-cry to; longinquity[obs3], elongation; offing, background; remote region; removedness[obs3]; parallax; reach, span, stride. outpost, outskirt; horizon; aphelion; foreign parts, ultima Thule[Lat], ne plus ultra[Lat], antipodes; long range, giant's stride. dispersion &c.73. [units of distance] length &c. 200. cosmic distance, light-years. V. be distant &c. adj.; extend to, stretch to, reach to, spread to, go to, get to, stretch away to; range. remain at a distance; keep away, keep off, keep aloof, keep clear of, stand away, stand off, stand aloof, stand clear of, stay away, keep one's distance'. [transitive] distance; distance oneself from. Adj. distant; far off, far away; remote, telescopic, distal, wide of; stretching to &c. v.; yon, yonder; ulterior; transmarine[obs3], transpontine[obs3], transatlantic, transalpine; tramontane; ultramontane, ultramundane[obs3]; hyperborean, antipodean; inaccessible, out of the way; unapproached[obs3], unapproachable; incontiguous[obs3]. Adv. far off, far away; afar, afar off; off; away; a long way off, a great way off, a good way off; wide away, aloof; wide of, clear of; out of the way, out of reach; abroad, yonder, farther, further, beyond; outre mer[Fr], over the border, far and wide, "over the hills and far away" [Gay]; from pole to pole &c. (over great space) 180; to the uttermost parts, to the ends of the earth; out of hearing, nobody knows where, a perte de vue[Fr], out of the sphere of, wide of the mark; a far cry to. apart, asunder; wide apart, wide asunder; longo intervallo[It]; at arm's length. Phr. "distance lends enchantment" [Campbell]; "it's a long long way to Tipperary"; out of sight, out of mind.
#197. Nearness.—N. nearness &c. adj.; proximity, propinquity; vicinity, vicinage; neighborhood, adjacency; contiguity &c. 199. short distance, short step, short cut; earshot, close quarters, stone's throw; bow shot, gun shot, pistol shot; hair's breadth, span. purlieus, neighborhood, vicinage, environs, alentours[Fr], suburbs, confines, banlieue[obs3], borderland; whereabouts. bystander; neighbor, borderer[obs3]. approach &c. 286; convergence 7c. 290; perihelion. V. be near &c. adj.; adjoin, hang about, trench on; border upon, verge upon; stand by, approximate, tread on the heels of, cling to, clasp, hug; huddle; hang upon the skirts of, hover over; burn. touch &c. 199 bring near, draw near &c. 286; converge &c. 290; crowd &c. 72; place side by side &c. adv. Adj. near, nigh; close at hand, near at hand; close, neighboring; bordering upon, contiguous, adjacent, adjoining; proximate, proximal; at hand, handy; near the mark, near run; home, intimate. Adv. near, nigh; hard by, fast by; close to, close upon; hard upon; at the point of; next door to; within reach, within call, within hearing, within earshot; within an ace of; but a step, not far from, at no great distance; on the verge of, on the brink of, on the skirts of; in the environs &c. n.; at one's door, at one's feet, at one's elbow, at one's finger's end, at one's side; on the tip of one's tongue; under one's nose; within a stone's throw &c. n.; in sight of, in presence of; at close quarters; cheek by jole[obs3], cheek by jowl; beside, alongside, side by side, tete-a-tete; in juxtaposition &c. (touching) 199; yardarm to yardarm, at the heels of; on the confines of, at the threshold, bordering upon, verging to; in the way. about; hereabouts, thereabouts; roughly, in round numbers; approximately, approximatively[obs3]; as good as, well-nigh.
#198. Interval.—N. interval, interspace[obs3]; separation &c. 44; break, gap, opening; hole &c. 260; chasm, hiatus, caesura; interruption, interregnum; interstice, lacuna, cleft, mesh, crevice, chink, rime, creek, cranny, crack, chap, slit, fissure, scissure[obs3], rift, flaw, breach, rent, gash, cut, leak, dike, ha-ha. gorge, defile, ravine, canon, crevasse, abyss, abysm; gulf; inlet, frith[obs3], strait, gully; pass; furrow &c. 259; abra[obs3]; barranca[obs3], barranco[obs3]; clove [U.S.], gulch [U.S.], notch [U.S.]; yawning gulf; hiatus maxime[Lat], hiatus valde deflendus[Lat]; parenthesis &c. (interjacence) 228[obs3]; void 7c. (absence) 187; incompleteness &c. 53. [interval of time] period &c. 108; interim (time) 106. V. gape &c. (open) 260. Adj. with an interval, far between; breachy[obs3], rimose[obs3], rimulose[obs3]. Adv. at intervals &c. (discontinuously) 70; longo intervallo[It].
#199. Contiguity.—N. contiguity, contact, proximity, apposition, # abuttal[obs3], juxtaposition; abutment, osculation; meeting, appulse[obs3], rencontre[obs3], rencounter[obs3], syzygy[Astron], coincidence, coexistence; adhesion &c. 46; touching &c. v. (see touch 379). borderland; frontier &c. (limit) 233; tangent; abutter. V. be contiguous &c. adj.; join, adjoin, abut on, march with; graze, touch, meet, osculate, come in contact, coincide; coexist; adhere &c. 46. [transitive][cause to be contiguous] juxtapose; contact; join (unite) 43; link (vinculum) 45. Adj. contiguous; touching &c. v.; in contact &c. n.; conterminous, end to end, osculatory; pertingent|; tangential. hand to hand; close to &c. (near) 197; with no interval &c. 198.
2. LINEAR DIMENSIONS
#200. Length.—N. length, longitude, span; mileage; distance &c. 196. # line, bar, rule, stripe, streak, spoke, radius. lengthening &c. v.; prolongation, production, protraction; tension, tensure[obs3]; extension. [Measures of length] line, nail, inch, hand, palm, foot, cubit, yard, ell, fathom, rood, pole, furlong, mile, league; chain, link; arpent[obs3], handbreadth[obs3], jornada [obs3][U.S.], kos[obs3], vara[obs3]. [astronomical units of distance] astronomical unit, AU, light-year, parsec. [metric units of length] nanometer, nm, micron, micrometer, millimicron, millimeter, mm, centimeter, cm, meter, kilometer, km. pedometer, perambulator; scale &c. (measurement) 466. V. be long &c. adj.; stretch out, sprawl; extend to, reach to, stretch to; make a long arm, "drag its slow length along." render long &c. adj.; lengthen, extend, elongate; stretch; prolong, produce, protract; let out, draw out, spin out|!; drawl. enfilade, look along, view in perspective. distend (expand) 194. Adj. long, longsome[obs3]; lengthy, wiredrawn[obs3], outstretched; lengthened &c. v.; sesquipedalian &c. (words) 577; interminable, no end of; macrocolous[obs3]. linear, lineal; longitudinal, oblong. as long as my arm, as long as today and tomorrow; unshortened &c. (shorten &c. 201)[obs3]. Adv. lengthwise, at length, longitudinally, endlong[obs3], along; tandem; in a line &c. (continuously) 69; in perspective. from end to end, from stem to stern, from head to foot, from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot, from top to toe; fore and aft.
#201. Shortness.—N. shortness &c. adj.; brevity; littleness &c. 193; a span. shortening &c. v.; abbreviation, abbreviature[obs3]; abridgment, concision, retrenchment, curtailment, decurtation|; reduction &c. (contraction) 195; epitome &c. (compendium) 596. elision, ellipsis; conciseness &c. (in style) 572. abridger, epitomist[obs3], epitomizer[obs3]. V. be short &c. adj.; render short &c. adj.; shorten, curtail, abridge, abbreviate, take in, reduce; compress &c. (contract) 195; epitomize &c. 596. retrench, cut short, obtruncate[obs3]; scrimp, cut, chop up, hack, hew; cut down, pare down; clip, dock, lop, prune, shear, shave, mow, reap, crop; snub; truncate, pollard, stunt, nip, check the growth of; foreshorten[in drawing]. Adj. short, brief, curt; compendious, compact; stubby, scrimp; shorn, stubbed; stumpy, thickset, pug; chunky [U.S.], decurtate[obs3]; retrousse[obs3]; stocky; squab, squabby[obs3]; squat, dumpy; little &c. 193; curtailed of its fair proportions; short by; oblate; concise &c. 572; summary. Adv. shortly &c. adj.; in short &c. (concisely) 572.
#202. Breadth, Thickness.—N. breadth, width, latitude, amplitude; # diameter, bore, caliber, radius; superficial extent &c. (space) 180. thickness, crassitude[obs3]; corpulence &c. (size) 192; dilation &c. (expansion) 194. V. be broad &c. adj.; become broad, render broad &c. adj.; expand &c. 194; thicken, widen, calibrate. Adj. broad, wide, ample, extended; discous[obs3]; fanlike; outspread, outstretched; "wide as a church-door" [Romeo and Juliet]; latifoliate[obs3], latifolous[obs3]. thick, dumpy, squab, squat, thickset; thick as a rope.
#203. Narrowness. Thinness.—N. narrowness &c. adj.; closeness, exility[obs3]; exiguity 7c. (little) 193. line; hair's breadth, finger's breadth; strip, streak, vein. monolayer; epitaxial deposition[Engin]. thinness &c. adj.; tenuity; emaciation, macilency[obs3], marcor|. shaving, slip &c. (filament) 205; thread paper, skeleton, shadow, anatomy, spindleshanks[obs3], lantern jaws, mere skin and bone. middle constriction, stricture, neck, waist, isthmus, wasp, hourglass; ridge, ghaut[obs3], ghat[obs3], pass; ravine &c. 198. narrowing, coarctation[obs3], angustation[obs3], tapering; contraction &c. 195. V. be narrow &c. adj.; narrow, taper, contract &c. 195; render narrow &c. adj; waste away. Adj. narrow, close; slender, thin, fine; thread-like &c. (filament) 205; finespun[obs3], gossamer; paper-thin; taper, slim, slight-made; scant, scanty; spare, delicate, incapacious[obs3]; contracted &c. 195; unexpanded &c. (expand &c. 194)[obs3]; slender as a thread. [in reference to people or animals] emaciated, lean, meager, gaunt, macilent[obs3]; lank, lanky; weedy, skinny; scrawny slinky[U.S.]; starved, starveling; herring gutted; worn to a shadow, lean as a rake [Chaucer]; thin as a lath, thin as a whipping post, thin as a wafer; hatchet-faced; lantern-jawed. attenuated, shriveled, extenuated, tabid[obs3], marcid|, barebone, rawboned. monomolecular.
#204. Layer.—N. layer, stratum, strata, course, bed, zone, substratum, substrata, floor, flag, stage, story, tier, slab, escarpment; table, tablet; dess[obs3]; flagstone; board, plank; trencher, platter. plate; lamina, lamella; sheet, foil; wafer; scale, flake, peel; coat, pellicle; membrane, film; leaf; slice, shive[obs3], cut, rasher, shaving, integument &c. (covering) 223; eschar[obs3]. stratification, scaliness, nest of boxes, coats of an onion. monolayer; bilayer; trilayer[Biochem]. V. slice, shave, pare, peel; delaminate; plate, coat, veneer; cover &c. 223. Adj. lamellar, lamellated[obs3], lamelliform[obs3], layered; laminated, laminiferous[obs3]; micaceous[obs3]; schistose, schistous[obs3]; scaly, filmy, membranous, pellicular, flaky, squamous[Anat]; foliated, foliaceous[obs3]; stratified, stratiform; tabular, discoid; spathic[obs3], spathose[obs3]. trilamellar[obs3]. graphitic[obs3].
#205. Filament.—N. filament, line; fiber, fibril; funicle[obs3], vein; hair, capillament[obs3], cilium, cilia, pilus, pili; tendril, gossamer; hair stroke; veinlet[obs3], venula[obs3], venule[obs3]. wire, string, thread, packthread, cotton, sewing silk, twine, twist, whipcord, tape, ribbon, cord, rope, yarn, hemp, oakum, jute. strip, shred, slip, spill, list, band, fillet, fascia, ribbon, riband, roll, lath, splinter, shiver, shaving. beard &c. (roughness) 256; ramification; strand. Adj. filamentous, filamentiferous[obs3], filaceous[obs3], filiform[obs3]; fibrous, fibrillous[obs3]; thread-like, wiry, stringy, ropy; capillary, capilliform[obs3]; funicular, wire-drawn; anguilliform[obs3]; flagelliform[obs3]; hairy &c. (rough) 256; taeniate[obs3], taeniform[obs3], taenioid[obs3]; venose[obs3], venous.
#206. Height.—N. height, altitude, elevation; eminence, pitch; loftiness &c. adj.; sublimity. tallness &c. adj.; stature, procerity[obs3]; prominence &c. 250. colossus &c. (size) 192; giant, grenadier, giraffe, camelopard. mount, mountain; hill alto, butte [U.S.], monticle[obs3], fell, knap[obs3]; cape; headland, foreland[obs3]; promontory; ridge, hog's back, dune; rising ground, vantage ground; down; moor, moorland; Alp; uplands, highlands; heights &c. (summit), 210; knob, loma[obs3], pena [obs3][U.S.], picacho[obs3], tump[obs3]; knoll, hummock, hillock, barrow, mound, mole; steeps, bluff, cliff, craig[obs3], tor[obs3], peak, pike, clough[obs3]; escarpment, edge, ledge, brae; dizzy height. tower, pillar, column, obelisk, monument, steeple, spire, minaret, campanile, turret, dome, cupola; skyscraper. pole, pikestaff, maypole, flagstaff; top mast, topgallant mast. ceiling &c. (covering) 223. high water; high tide, flood tide, spring tide. altimetry &c. (angel) 244[obs3]; batophobia[obs3]. satellite, spy-in-the-sky. V. be high &c. adj.; tower, soar, command; hover, hover over, fly over; orbit, be in orbit; cap, culminate; overhang, hang over, impend, beetle, bestride, ride, mount; perch, surmount; cover &c. 223; overtop &c. (be superior) 33; stand on tiptoe. become high &c. adj.; grow higher, grow taller; upgrow[obs3]; rise &c. (ascend) 305; send into orbit. render high &c. adj.; heighten &c. (elevate) 307. Adj. high, elevated, eminent, exalted, lofty, tall; gigantic &c. (big) 192; Patagonian; towering, beetling, soaring, hanging [gardens]; elevated &c. 307; upper; highest &c. (topmost) 210; high reaching, insessorial[obs3], perching. upland, moorland; hilly, knobby [U.S.]; mountainous, alpine, subalpine, heaven kissing; cloudtopt[obs3], cloudcapt[obs3], cloudtouching[obs3]; aerial. overhanging &c. v.; incumbent, overlying, superincumbent[obs3], supernatant, superimposed; prominent &c. c. 250. tall as a maypole, tall as a poplar, tall as a steeple, lanky &c. (thin) 203. Adv. on high, high up, aloft, up, above, aloof, overhead; airwind[obs3]; upstairs, abovestairs[obs3]; in the clouds; on tiptoe, on stilts, on the shoulders of; over head and ears; breast high. over, upwards; from top to bottom &c. (completely) 52. Phr. e meglio cader dalle finistre che dal tetto[It].
#207. Lowness.—N. lowness &c. adj.; debasement, depression, prostration &c. (horizontal) 213; depression &c. (concave) 252. molehill; lowlands; basement floor, ground floor; rez de chaussee[Fr]; cellar; hold, bilge; feet, heels. low water; low tide, ebb tide, neap tide, spring tide. V. be low &c. adj.; lie low, lie flat; underlie; crouch, slouch, wallow, grovel; lower &c. (depress) 308. Adj. low, neap, debased; nether, nether most; flat, level with the ground; lying low &c. v.; crouched, subjacent, squat, prostrate &c. (horizontal) 213. Adv. under; beneath, underneath; below; downwards; adown[obs3], at the foot of; under foot, under ground; down stairs, below stairs; at a low ebb; below par.
#208. Depth.—N. depth; deepness &c. adj.; profundity, depression # &c. (concavity) 252. hollow, pit, shaft, well, crater; gulf &c. 198; bowels of the earth, bottomless pit[obs3], hell. soundings, depth of water, water, draught, submersion; plummet, sound, probe; sounding rod, sounding line; lead. bathymetry. [instrument to measure depth] sonar, side-looking sonar; bathometer[obs3]. V. be deep &c. adj.; render deep &c. adj.; deepen. plunge &c. 310; sound, fathom, plumb, cast the lead, heave the lead, take soundings, make soundings; dig &c. (excavate) 252. Adj. deep, deep seated; profound, sunk, buried; submerged &c. 310; subaqueous, submarine, subterranean, subterraneous, subterrene[obs3]; underground. bottomless, soundless, fathomless; unfathomed, unfathomable; abysmal; deep as a well; bathycolpian[obs3]; benthal[obs3], benthopelagic[obs3]; downreaching[obs3], yawning. knee deep, ankle deep. Adv. beyond one's depth, out of one's depth; over head and ears; mark twine, mark twain.
#209. Shallowness.—N. shallowness &c. adj.; shoals; mere scratch. # Adj. shallow, slight, superficial; skin deep, ankle deep, knee deep; just enough to wet one's feet; shoal, shoaly[obs3].
#210. Summit.—N. summit, summity|; top, peak, vertex, apex, zenith, # pinnacle, acme, culmination, meridian, utmost height, ne plus utra, height, pitch, maximum, climax, culminating point, crowning point, turning point; turn of the tide, fountain head; water shed, water parting; sky, pole. tip, tip top; crest, crow's nest, cap, truck, nib; end &c. 67; crown, brow; head, nob[obs3], noddle[obs3], pate; capsheaf[obs3]. high places, heights. topgallant mast, sky scraper; quarter deck, hurricane deck. architrave, frieze, cornice, coping stone, zoophorus[obs3], capital, epistyle[obs3], sconce, pediment, entablature[obs3]; tympanum; ceiling &c. (covering) 223. attic, loft, garret, house top, upper story. [metaphorical use] summit conference, summit; peak of achievement, peak of performance; peaks and troughs, peaks and valleys [in graphs]. V. culminate, crown, top; overtop &c. (be superior to) 33. Adj. highest &c. (high &c. 206); top; top most, upper most; tiptop; culminating &c. v.; meridian, meridional[obs3]; capital, head, polar, supreme, supernal, topgallant. Adv. atop, at the top of the tree. Phr. en flute; fleur deau[Fr].
#211. Base.—N. base, basement; plinth, dado, wainscot; baseboard, mopboard[obs3]; bedrock, hardpan [U.S.]; foundation &c. (support) 215; substructure, substratum, ground, earth, pavement, floor, paving, flag, carped, ground floor, deck; footing, ground work, basis; hold, bilge. bottom, nadir, foot, sole, toe, hoof, keel, root; centerboard. Adj. bottom, undermost, nethermost; fundamental; founded on, based on, grounded on, built on.
#212. Verticality.—N. verticality; erectness &c. adj.; # perpendicularity &c. 216a; right angle, normal; azimuth circle. wall, precipice, cliff. elevation, erection; square, plumb line, plummet. V. be vertical &c. adj.; stand up, stand on end, stand erect, stand upright; stick up, cock up. render vertical &c. adj.; set up, stick up, raise up, cock up; erect, rear, raise on its legs. Adj. vertical, upright, erect, perpendicular, plumb, normal, straight, bolt, upright; rampant; standing up &c. v.; rectangular, orthogonal &c. 216a. Adv. vertically &c. adj.; up, on end; up on end, right on end; a plomb[Fr], endwise; one one's legs; at right angles.
#213. Horizontality.—N. horizontality[obs3]; flatness; level, # plane; stratum &c. 204; dead level, dead flat; level plane. recumbency, lying down &c. v.; reclination[obs3], decumbence[obs3]; decumbency[obs3], discumbency|; proneness &c. adj.; accubation[obs3], supination[obs3], resupination[obs3], prostration; azimuth. plain, floor, platform, bowling green; cricket ground; croquet ground, croquet lawn; billiard table; terrace, estrade[obs3], esplanade, parterre. [flat land area] table land, plateau, ledge; butte; mesa (plain) 344. [instrument to measure horizontality] level, spirit level. V. be horizontal &c. adj.; lie, recline, couch; lie down, lie flat, lie prostrate; sprawl, loll, sit down. render horizontal &c. adj.; lay down, lay out; level, flatten; prostrate, knock down, floor, fell. Adj. horizontal, level, even, plane; flat &c. 251; flat as a billiard table, flat as a bowling green; alluvial; calm, calm as a mill pond; smooth, smooth as glass. recumbent, decumbent, procumbent, accumbent[obs3]; lying &c. v.; prone, supine, couchant, jacent[obs3], prostrate, recubant[obs3]. Adv. horizontally &c. adj.; on one's back, on all fours, on its beam ends.
#214. Pendency.—N. pendency[obs3], dependency; suspension, hanging # &c. v.; pedicel, pedicle, peduncle; tail, train, flap, skirt, pigtail, pony tail, pendulum; hangnail peg, knob, button, hook, nail, stud, ring, staple, tenterhook; fastening &c. 45; spar, horse. V. be pendent &c. adj.; hang, depend, swing, dangle; swag; daggle[obs3], flap, trail, flow; beetle. suspend, hang, sling, hook up, hitch, fasten to, append. Adj. pendent, pendulous; pensile; hanging &c. v.; beetling, jutting over, overhanging, projecting; dependent; suspended &c. v.; loose, flowing. having a peduncle &c. n.; pedunculate[obs3], tailed, caudate.