3. -ling long (A.S. lunga, linga), dark-ling (in the dark), grove-ling, flat-long, side-long, head-long.

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4. -meal (A.S. mælum, Dat. pl. of mæl, time, portion), piecemeal, limb-meal, stound-meal (Chaucer) = hour by hour, parcelmel (Piers Plowman) by retail (parcel-wise). In A.S. we have styccemælum = stitch-meal, sceafmælum = sheaf-wise, dropmælum by drops (drop-wise).

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5. -om (Dative termination), whil-om, seld-om.

6. -re, place where: here, there, where.

7. -ther, direction towards: hi-ther, thi-ther, whi-ther.

8. -ward, -wards, direction: home-ward, home-wards, hitherward, in-wards.

9. -wise, way, ways, any-wise, no-wise, other-wise, endways, straight-way, al-ways. Ywis or I wis, although now used Adverbially, was from the Adjective, gewis = plain, certain.

HYBRIDS.

The strict rule for the construction of a compound word is that all its parts must be from the same language, ¿e. all Greek, or all Latin, or all English. Thus, since bi is a Latin prefix, and gamy a Greek root, bi-gamy is a mongrel word, or a hybrid,' which is the Greek equivalent of a mongrel. If ormed on strict principles, the word should be di-gamy, and for the same reason the word bi-cycle should have been written di-cycle.

But this rule is often violated, and the Hybrids in English are very numerous. They may be classified as follows:1. English Words with Latin or Romance Prefixes and Suffixes:

(a) Prefixes.-Counter-work, de-bar, re-mind, per-haps. (b) Suffixes.-Atone-ment, bond-age, eat-able, forbear-ance. Romance Words with English Prefixes or Suffixes:

2.

(a) Prefixes.-After-noon, fore-ordain, over-turn, un-fortunate. Suffixes.--Bishop-rick, duke-dom, false-hood, quarrel-some.

3. Compounds made up of Words taken from different Languages :

Mon-ocular (Greek and Latin).
Somnambul-ist (Latin and Greek).

Knight-errant (English-A.S. cniht-and French).
Grand-father (French and English, A.S. father).

SYNONYMS.

Synonyms are words of the same grammatical class whose meaning, though similar, is not the same. To give the correct meaning of words that are synonymous requires a considerable knowledge of the language, and also a power of accurate expression.

One of the best illustrations of this subject is afforded by a group of words denoting 'pride,' each of which has its peculiar shade of meaning, viz. pride, vanity, conceit, arrogance, assurance, presumption, haughtiness, insolence.

These words may be distinguished thus:- The proud man rates highly what he really possesses (e.g. wealth, family influence, etc.); the vain man desires applause on account possibly of good qualities which he does not possess; the conceited man has an overweening estimate of his own position or abilities; the arrogant man has a supreme contempt for all who differ from him in any way whatever; the man of assurance boldly puts forward a claim to that to which he has no real title; the presuming man will venture on doing what others shrink from; the haughty man displays in his manner and deportment the pride he feels; while the insolent man displays it by inflicting insult upon others. Thus each of these manifestations of one and the same feeling may be regarded as separate and distinct, and the wealth of our language is such that each may be denoted by a different word.

A few examples of Synonyms are given below. The student will find it a useful exercise to write other sentences in which each of the synonymous words is used and contrasted.

Amusement, Diversion, Recreation.

Amusement. That which occupies the vacant mind.

Diversion.

direction.

That which turns the thoughts into a new

Recreation. That which refreshes the mind after work.

Permit, Allow, Suffer.

Permit. To give a decided acquiescence.

Allow. To abstain from hindering or forbidding a thing. Suffer. To abstain from opposing a thing, though the feelings are against it, e.g. He permitted the use of his school-room, and allowed the meeting to be held there; he even suffered the building to be occupied by an unruly crowd.'

Command, Injunction, Order.

Command. What emanates from a high authority. Injunction. What emanates from a friendly authority, often as to general conduct.

Order. What emanates from a directing authority, generally as to particular acts, e.g. By the Queen's command;' 'My father's injunction;' Orders in Council.'

Notorious, Famous, Illustrious.

Notorious. A man becomes notorious by reason of crime or evil-doing;

Famous for some exploit or achievement;

Illustrious from high rank or birth, e.g. The notorious poisoner X-;' 'The famous Duke of Wellington;' 'The illustrious Talleyrand.'

Harmless, Innocuous, Innocent.

Harmless is the opposite of noxious or harmful.
Innocuous is said rather of things than persons.

Innocent is the opposite of guilty, e.g. A harmless lunatic;' 'An innocuous drug; An innocent victim.'

Crime.

'robbery.'

Crime, Vice, Sin.

A violation of the law of the country, eg

Vice. A violation of a moral law.

Sin. A violation of a religious law. Thus we speak of 'The crime of murder;' 'The vice of drunkenness;' 'The sin of pride or covetousness.'

Delightful, Delicious.

Delightful. This epithet applies as well to mental as to bodily pleasures.

Delicious can only apply to those of the senses. therefore, A delightful poem;' 'A delicious pear.'

Character, Reputation.

We say,

Character. The sum of a man's qualities, which mark him as good or bad.

Reputation. The opinion which others hold with respect to them, e.g. 'This man's character was even worse than his reputation.'

Strict, Severe.

Strict. Fond of rules and regulations.

Severe. Ready to punish any infringement of the same. E.g. Dr. B was exceedingly strict, and to many he appeared severe.'

Part, Portion.

Part is the general term, e.g. Part of the army, work, year,' etc.

Portion is a part marked off or set aside for a special purpose, e.g. A daughter's portion.'

Illegible, Unreadable.

Illegible refers to handwriting.

Unreadable refers to the understanding of what is written.

Blanch, Whiten.

Blanch. To make white by withdrawing colour, e.g. 'Blanched almonds ;' 'A blanched cheek.'

Whiten. To make white by putting something on, eg. 'Whited sepulchres.'

Astronomy, Astrology.

Astronomy. Study of the stars for scientific purposes.

Astrology. Study of the stars for superstitious purposes, eg. 'Astrology is dead, but Astronomy makes fresh advances every year.'

Interference, Interposition.

Interference. Officious or unwelcome mediation.

Interposition. Friendly or invited mediation, e.g. 'I resent John's interposition, and regard it as an impertinent interference.'

Custom, Habit.

Custom. Something done frequently and publicly.

Habit. Something done frequently, but which concerns the individual rather than the public.

Discover, Invent.

Discover. To find something that existed before, but was previously unknown.

Invent. To create something quite new.

It would be ridiculous, therefore, to say 'Watt discovered the steam engine,' or 'Harvey invented the circulation of the blood.'

Simulate, Dissimulate.

Simulate. To pretend to be what one is not.

Dissimulate. To endeavour to conceal what one really is.

Sociable, Social.

Sociable. Fitted for society; fond of society, eg. 'Nice sociable people.'

Social. Connected with society, e.g. 'Social science.'

Additional Groups of Synonyms.

Deference, respect, veneration.

Pain, grief, sorrow, agony.

Genuine, authentic.

Tell, say, recount, relate, describe.

Imagination, fancy