_Poetry_ is that form of literature that embodies beautiful thought, feeling, or action in melodious, rhythmical, and (usually) metrical language, in imaginative and artistic constructions. _Poetry_ in a very wide sense may be anything that pleasingly addresses the imagination; as, the _poetry_ of motion. In ordinary usage, _poetry_ is both imaginative and metrical. There may be _poetry_ without _rime_, but hardly without _meter_, or what in some languages takes its place, as the Hebrew parallelism; but _poetry_ involves, besides the artistic form, the exercise of the fancy or imagination in a way always beautiful, often lofty or even sublime. Failing this, there may be _verse_, _rime_, and _meter_, but not _poetry_. There is much in literature that is beautiful and sublime in thought and artistic in construction, which is yet not _poetry_, because quite devoid of the element of _song_, whereby _poetry_ differs from the most lofty, beautiful, or impa.s.sioned prose. Compare METER.

Antonyms:

prosaic speech, prosaic writing, prose.

POLITE.

Synonyms:

accomplished, courtly, genteel, urbane, civil, cultivated, gracious, well-behaved, complaisant, cultured, obliging, well-bred, courteous, elegant, polished, well-mannered.

A _civil_ person observes such propriety of speech and manner as to avoid being rude; one who is _polite_ (literally _polished_) observes more than the necessary proprieties, conforming to all that is graceful, becoming, and thoughtful in the intercourse of refined society. A man may be _civil_ with no consideration for others, simply because self-respect forbids him to be rude; but one who is _polite_ has at least some care for the opinions of others, and if _polite_ in the highest and truest sense, which is coming to be the prevailing one, he cares for the comfort and happiness of others in the smallest matters.

_Civil_ is a colder and more distant word than _polite_; _courteous_ is fuller and richer, dealing often with greater matters, and is used only in the good sense. _Courtly_ suggests that which befits a royal court, and is used of external grace and stateliness without reference to the prompting feeling; as, the _courtly_ manners of the amba.s.sador.

_Genteel_ refers to an external elegance, which may be showy and superficial, and the word is thus inferior to _polite_ or _courteous_.

_Urbane_ refers to a politeness that is genial and successful in giving others a sense of ease and cheer. _Polished_ refers to external elegancies of speech and manner without reference to spirit or purpose; as, a _polished_ gentleman or a _polished_ scoundrel; _cultured_ refers to a real and high development of mind and soul, of which the external manifestation is the smallest part. _Complaisant_ denotes a disposition to please or favor beyond what _politeness_ would necessarily require.

Antonyms:

awkward, clownish, ill-mannered, insulting, uncouth, bluff, coa.r.s.e, impertinent, raw, unmannerly, blunt, discourteous, impolite, rude, unpolished, boorish, ill-behaved, impudent, rustic, untaught, brusk, ill-bred, insolent, uncivil, untutored.

POLITY.

Synonyms:

const.i.tution, policy, form _or_ system of government.

_Polity_ is the permanent system of government of a state, a church, or a society; _policy_ is the method of management with reference to the attainment of certain ends; the national _polity_ of the United States is republican; each administration has a _policy_ of its own. _Policy_ is often used as equivalent to expediency; as, many think honesty to be good _policy_. _Polity_ used in ecclesiastical use serves a valuable purpose in distinguishing that which relates to administration and government from that which relates to faith and doctrine; two churches identical in faith may differ in _polity_, or those agreeing in _polity_ may differ in faith. Compare LAW.

PORTION.

Synonyms:

lot, parcel, part, proportion, share.

When any whole is divided into _parts_, any _part_ that is allotted to some person, thing, subject or purpose is called a _portion_, tho the division may be by no fixed rule or relation; a father may divide his estate by will among his children so as to make their several _portions_ great or small, according to his arbitrary and unreasonable caprice.

When we speak of a _part_ as a _proportion_, we think of the whole as divided according to some rule or scale, so that the different _parts_ bear a contemplated and intended relation or ratio to one another; thus, the _portion_ allotted to a child by will may not be a fair _proportion_ of the estate. _Proportion_ is often used where _part_ or _portion_ would be more appropriate. Compare PART.

POVERTY.

Synonyms:

beggary, distress, mendicancy, pauperism, privation, dest.i.tution, indigence, need, penury, want.

_Poverty_ denotes strictly lack of property or adequate means of support, but in common use is a relative term denoting any condition below that of easy, comfortable living; _privation_ denotes a condition of painful lack of what is useful or desirable, tho not to the extent of absolute _distress_; _indigence_ is lack of ordinary means of subsistence; _dest.i.tution_ is lack of the comforts, and in part even of the necessaries of life; _penury_ is especially cramping _poverty_, possibly not so sharp as _dest.i.tution_, but continuous, while that may be temporary; _pauperism_ is such _dest.i.tution_ as throws one upon organized public charity for support; _beggary_ and _mendicancy_ denote _poverty_ that appeals for indiscriminate private charity.

POWER.

Synonyms:

ability, competency, expertness, readiness, apt.i.tude, dexterity, faculty, skill, capability, efficacy, force, strength, capacity, efficiency, might, susceptibility, cleverness, energy, qualification, talent.

cogency,

_Power_ is the most general term of this group, including every quality, property, or _faculty_ by which any change, effect, or result is, or may be, produced; as, the _power_ of the legislature to enact laws, or of the executive to enforce them; the _power_ of an acid to corrode a metal; the _power_ of a polished surface to reflect light. _Ability_ is nearly coextensive with _power_, but does not reach the positiveness and vigor that may be included in the meaning of _power_, _ability_ often implying latent, as distinguished from active _power_; we speak of an exertion of _power_, but not of an exertion of _ability_. _Power_ and _ability_ include _capacity_, which is _power_ to receive; but _ability_ is often distinguished from _capacity_, as power that may be manifested in doing, as _capacity_ is in receiving; one may have great _capacity_ for acquiring knowledge, and yet not possess _ability_ to teach.

_Efficiency_ is active _power_ to effect a definite result, the _power_ that actually does, as distinguished from that which may do.

_Competency_ is equal to the occasion, _readiness_ prompt for the occasion. _Faculty_ is an inherent quality of mind or body; _talent_, some special mental _ability_. _Dexterity_ and _skill_ are readiness and facility in action, having a special end; _talent_ is innate, _dexterity_ and _skill_ are largely acquired. Our _abilities_ include our natural _capacity_, _faculties_, and _talents_, with all the _dexterity_, _skill_, and _readiness_ that can be acquired. _Efficacy_ is the power to produce an intended effect as shown in the production of it; as, the _efficacy_ of a drug. _Efficiency_ is effectual agency, competent _power_; _efficiency_ is applied in mechanics as denoting the ratio of the effect produced to the _power_ expended in producing it; but this word is chiefly used of intelligent agents as denoting the quality that brings all one's _power_ to bear promptly and to the best purpose on the thing to be done. Compare ADDRESS; DEXTERITY; SKILFUL.

Antonyms:

awkwardness, helplessness, inability, incompetence, stupidity, dulness, imbecility, inapt.i.tude, inefficiency, unskilfulness, feebleness, impotence, incapacity, maladroitness, weakness.

PRAISE.

Synonyms:

acclaim, approbation, compliment, laudation, acclamation, approval, encomium, panegyric, adulation, cheering, eulogy, plaudit, applause, cheers, flattery, sycophancy.

_Praise_ is the hearty approval of an individual, or of a number or mult.i.tude considered individually, and is expressed by spoken or written words; _applause_, the spontaneous outburst of many at once. _Applause_ is expressed in any way, by stamping of feet, clapping of hands, waving of handkerchiefs, etc., as well as by the voice; _acclamation_ is the spontaneous and hearty approval of many at once, and strictly by the voice alone. Thus one is chosen moderator by _acclamation_ when he receives a unanimous _viva voce_ vote; we could not say he was nominated by _applause_. _Acclaim_ is the more poetic term for _acclamation_, commonly understood in a loftier sense; as, a nation's _acclaim_.

_Plaudit_ is a shout of _applause_, and is commonly used in the plural; as, the _plaudits_ of a throng. _Applause_ is also used in the general sense of _praise_. _Approbation_ is a milder and more qualified word than _praise_; while _praise_ is always uttered, _approbation_ may be silent. "_Approbation_ speaks of the thing or action.... _Praise_ is always personal." A. W. AND J. C. HARE _Guesses at Truth_ first series, p. 549. [MACM. '66.] _Acceptance_ refers to an object or action; _approbation_ may refer to character or natural traits. _Approval_ always supposes a testing or careful examination, and frequently implies official sanction; _approbation_ may be upon a general view. The industry and intelligence of a clerk win his employer's _approbation_; his decision in a special instance receives his _approval_. _Praise_ is always understood as genuine and sincere, unless the contrary is expressly stated; _compliment_ is a light form of _praise_ that may or may not be sincere; _flattery_ is insincere and ordinarily fulsome _praise_.

Antonyms:

abuse, contempt, hissing, repudiation, animadversion, denunciation, ignominy, scorn, blame, disapprobation, obloquy, slander, censure, disapproval, reproach, vilification, condemnation, disparagement, reproof, vituperation.

PRAY.