In an extended sense, the word omen is also applied to objects which serve as a sign, or enable a person to draw a rational inference, which brings it nearer in sense to the prognostic and the presage: but the omen may be used of that which is either good or bad, the prognostic mostly of that which is bad. It is an omen of our success, if we find those of whom we have to ask a favour in a good humour; Hammond would steal from his fellows into places of his privacy, there to say his prayers, omens of his future pacific temper and eminent devotion.' FELL. The spirit of discontent which pervades the countenances and discourse of a people is a prognostic of some popular commotion; Careful observers 6 By sure prognostics may foretel a shower. SWIFT. Presage, when signifying a sentiment, is commonly applied to what is unfavourable; I know but one way of fortifying my soul against these gloomy presages, that is, by securing to myself the protection of that being who disposes of events.' ADDISON. But when taken for that by which one presages, it is understood favourably, or in indifferent sense. quickness of powers discoverable in a boy is sometimes a presage of his future greatness; Our's joy fill'd, and shout TO AUGUR, PRESAGE, FOREBODE, BETOKEN, PORTEND. The Augur, in French augurer, Latin augurium, comes from avis a bird, as an augury was originally, and at all times, principally drawn from the song, the flight, or other actions of birds. The augurium of the Latins, and the oivoa of the Greeks, was a species of divination practised by the augurs, who professed to foretel events, either from the heavenly phenomena, from the chattering or flight of birds, from the sacred chickens, according to the manner of their eating their meat; from quadrupeds, such as wolves, foxes, goats, &c.; or, lastly, from what they called the dire, or the accidents which befel persons, as sneezing, stumbling, spilling salt, or meeting particular objects; whence by a natural extension in the meaning of the term, it has been used to signify any conjecture respecting futurity. Presage, in French présage, from the Latin præ and sagio to be instinctively wise, signifies to be thus wise about what is to come; forebode is compounded of fore, and the Saxon bodian, and the English bid, to offer or to declare, signifying to pronounce on futurity; betoken signifies to serve as a token; portend, in Latin portendo, compounded of por for pro and tendo, signifies to set or show forth. To augur signifies either to serve or make use of as an augury; to forbode and presage is to form a conclusion in one's own mind: to betoken or portend is to serve as a sign. Persons or things augur or presage; persons only forebode; things only betoken or portend. Auguring is a calculation of some future event, in which the imagination seems to be as much concerned as the understanding: presaging is rather a conclusion or deduction of what may be from what is; it lies in the understanding more than in the imagination foreboding lies altogether in the imagination. Things are said to betoken, which present natural signs; those are said to portend, which present extraordinary or supernatural signs. : 6 It augurs ill for the prosperity of a country or a state when its wealth has increased so as to take away the ordinary stimulus to industry, and to introduce an inordinate love of pleasure; There is always an augury to be taken of what a peace is likely to be, from the preliminary steps that are made to bring it about.' BURKE. We presage the future greatness of a man from the indications which he gives of possessing an elevated character; An opinion has been long conceived, that quickness of invention, accuracy of judgment, or extent of knowledge, appearing before the usual time, presage a short life." JOHNSON. distempered mind is apt to forebode every ill from the most trivial circumstances; What conscience forebodes, revelation verifies, assuring us that a day is appointed when God will render to every man according to his works.' BLAIR. We see with pleasure those actions in a child which betoken an ingenuous temper; All more than common menaces an end: A blaze betokens brevity of life, Α As if bright embers should emit a flame. YOUNG. A mariner sees with pain the darkness of the sky which portends a storm; Skill'd in the wing'd inhabitants of the air, A happy voyage and a prosp'rous end. DRYDEN. from the lax discipline which prevails in the education The moralist augurs no good to the morals of a nation of youth; he presages the loss of independence to the minds of men in whom proper principles of subordination have not been early engendered. Men sometimes forebode the misfortunes which happen to them, but they oftener forbode evils which never come. TO FORETEL, PREDICT, PROPHESY, PROGNOSTICATE. To foretel, compounded of fore and tell; predict, from præe and dico; prophesy, in French prophetiser, Latin prophetiso, Greek πрonτsów, all signify to tell, expound, or declare what is to happen, and convey the idea of a verbal communication of futurity to others; prognosticate, from the Greek poyivwona to know beforehand, to bode or imagine to one's self beforehand, denotes the action of feeling rather than speaking of things to come. Foretel is the most general in its sense, and familiar in its application; we foretel common events; we may G predict that which is common or uncommon; prophecies are for the most part important; foretelling is an ordinary gift; one foretels by a simple calculation or guess; Above the rest, the sun, who never lies, Foretels the change of weather in the skies. DRYDEN. To predict and prophesy are extraordinary gifts; one predicts either by a superior degree of intelligence, or by a supernatural power real or supposed; The consequences of suffering the French to establish themselves in Scotland, are predicted with great accuracy and discernment.' ROBERTSON. In Christ they all meet with an invincible evidence, as if they were not predictions, but after relations; and the penmen of them not prophets, but evangelists.' SOUTH. One prophesies by means of inspiration real or supposed; An ancient augur prophesied from hence, "Behold on Latian shores a foreign prince!" DRYDEN. Men of discernment and experience easily foretel the events of undertakings which fall under their notice. The priests among the heathens, like the astrologers and conjurers of more modern times, pretended to predict events that effected nations and empires. The gift of prophecy was one among the number of the supernatural gifts communicated to the primitive Christians by the Holy Ghost. No arguments made a stronger impression on these Pagan converts, than the predictions relating to our Saviour, in those old prophetic writings deposited among the hands of the greatest enemies to Christianity.' ADDISON. Prediction as a noun is employed for both the verbs foretel and predict; it is therefore a term of less value than prophecy. We speak of a prediction being verified, and a prophecy fulfilled: the predictions of almanac-makers respecting the weather are as seldom verified as the prophecies of visionaries and enthusiasts are fulfilled respecting the death of princes or the affairs of governments. To prognosticate is an act of the understanding; it is guided by outward symptoms as a rule; it is only stimulated and not guided by outward objects: a physician prognosticates the crisis of a disorder by the symptoms discoverable in the patient; Who that should view the small beginnings of some persons could imagine or prognosticate those vast increases of fortune that have afterwards followed them.' SOUTH. CONJECTURE, SUPPOSITION, SURMISE. Conjecture, in French conjecture, Latin conjectura, from conjicio or con and jacio to throw together, signifies the thing put together or framed in the mind without design or foundation; supposition, in French supposition, from suppono, compounded of sub and pono to put in the place of a thing, signifies to put one's thoughts in the place of reality; surmise, compounded of sur or sub and mise, Latin missus participle of mitto to send or put forth, has an original meaning similar to the former. All these terms convey an idea of something in the mind independent of the reality; but conjecture is founded less on rational inference than supposition; and surmise less than either: any circumstance, however trivial, may give rise to a conjecture; some reasons are requisite to produce a supposition; a particular state of feeling or train of thinking may of itself create a surmise. Although the same epithets are generally applicable to all these terms, yet we may with propriety say that a conjecture is idle; a supposition false; a surmise fanciful. 6 Conjectures are employed on events, their causes, consequences, and contingencies; In the casting of lots, a man cannot, upon any ground of reason, bring the event so much as under conjecture.' SOUTH. Supposition is concerned in speculative points; This is only an infallibility upon supposition, that if a thing be true it is impossible to be false.' TILLOTSON. Surmise is employed on personal concerns; To let go private surmises whereby the thing is not made better or worse; if just and allowable reasons might lead them to do as they did, then are these censures frustrate.' HOOKER. The secret measures of government give rise to various conjectures: all the suppositions which are formed respecting comets seem at present to fall short of the truth: the behaviour of a person will often occasion a surmise respecting his intentions and proceedings, let them be ever so disguised. Antiquarians and etymologists deal much in conjectures; they have ample scope afforded them for asserting what can be neither proved nor denied; Persons of studious and contemplative natures often entertain themselves with the history of past ages, or raise schemes and conjectures upon futurity.' ADDISON. Religionists are pleased to build many suppositions of a doctrinal nature on the Scriptures, or, more properly, on their own partial and forced interpretations of the Scriptures; Even in that part which we have of the journey to Canterbury, it will be necessary, in the following Review of Chaucer, to take notice of certain defects and inconsistencies, which can only be accounted for upon the supposition that the work was never finished by the author.' TYRWHITT. It is the part of prudence, as well as justice, not to express any surmises which we may entertain, either as to the character or conduct of others, which may not redound to their credit; 'Any the least surmise of neglect has raised an aversion in one man to another.' SOUTH. TO CONJECTURE, GUESS, DIVINE. Conjecturing, in the same sense as before (vide Conjecture), is nearly allied to guessing and divining; guess, in Saxon and Low German gissen, is connected with the word ghost, and the German geist, &c. spirit, signifying the action of a spirit; divine, from the Latin divinus and Deus a God, signifies to think and know as independently as a God. We conjecture that which may be; When we Incapable and shallow innocents! We conjecture at the meaning of a person's actions; we guess that it is a certain hour. The conjecturing is opposed to the full conviction of a thing; the guessing is opposed to the certain knowledge of a thing; And these discoveries make us all confess A child guesses at that portion of his lesson which he has not properly learned; a fanciful person employs conjecture where he cannot draw any positive conclu sion. To guess and conjecture both imply, for the most part, the judging or forming an opinion without any grounds; but sometimes they are used for a judgment on some grounds; 'One may guess by Plato's writings, that his meaning as to the inferior deities, was, that they who would have them might, and they who would not might leave them alone; but that himself had a right opinion concerning the true God.' STIL LINGFLEET. Now hear the Grecian fraud, and from this one To guess and conjecture are the natural acts of the mind: divine, in its proper sense, is a supernatural act; in this sense the heathens affected to divine that which was known only to an Omniscient Being; and impostors in our time presume to divine in matters that are set above the reach of human comprehension. The term is however employed to denote a species of guessing in different matters, as to divine the meaning of a mystery; Walking they talk'd, and fruitlessly divin'd DRYDEN. TO DOUBT, QUESTION, DISPUTE. Doubt, in French douter, Latin dubito from dubius, comes from dúw and ivdvatw, in the same manner as our frequentative doubt, signifying to have two opinions; question, in Latin quæstio, from quæro to inquire, signifies to make a question or inquiry; dispute, from the Latin disputo, or dis asunder and puto to think, signifies literally to think differently. These terms express the act of the mind in staying its decision. The doubt lies altogether in the mind; it is a less active feeling than questioning or disputing; by the former we merely suspend decision; by the latter we actually demand proofs in order to assist us in deciding. We may doubt in silence; we cannot question or dispute without expressing it directly or indirectly. He who suggests doubts does it with caution; he who makes a question throws in difficulties with a degree of confidence. Doubts insinuate themselves into the mind oftentimes involuntarily on the part of the doubter; questions are always made with an express design. We doubt in matters of general interest, on abstruse as well as common subjects; we question mostly in ordinary matters that are of a personal inbut the dispute respects the opinions or assertions of terest; disputing is no less personal than questioning, another; the question respects his moral character or qualities; we doubt the truth of a position; For my part I think the being of a God is so little to be doubted, that I think it is almost the only truth we are sure of.' ADDISON. We question the veracity of an author; Our business in the field of fight 6 Is not to question, but to prove our might. POPE. The existence of mermaids was doubted for a great length of time; but the testimony of creditable persons, who have lately seen them, ought now to put it out of all doubt. When the practicability of any plan is questioned, it is unnecessary to enter any farther into its merits. When the authority of the person is disputed, it is in vain for him to offer his advice or opinion; Now I am sent, and am not to dispute The doubt is frequently confined to the individual; the question and dispute frequently respect others. We doubt whether we shall be able to succeed; we question another's right to interfere; we dispute a person's claim to any honour; we doubt whether a thing will answer the end proposed; we question the utility of any one making the attempt; we dispute the justice of any legal sentence; in this application of the terms question and dispute, the former expresses a less decisive feeling and action than the latter. There are many doubtful cases in medicine, where the physician is at a loss to decide; there are many questionable measures proposed by those who are in or out of power which demand consideration. There are many disputable points betwixt man and man which cause much angry feeling and disposition; to doubt every thing is more inimical to the cause of truth, than the readiness to believe every thing; a disposition to question whatever is said or done by others, is much more calculated to give offence than to prevent deception. A disposition to dispute every thing another says or does renders a person very unfit to be dealt with. DOUBT, SUSPENCE. The doubt respects that which we should believe; the suspence, from the Latin suspensus and suspendeo to hang upon, has regard to that which we wish to know or ascertain. We are in doubt for the want of evidence; we are in suspence for the want of cer tainty. The doubt interrupts our progress in the attainment of truth; Could any difficulty have been proposed, the resolution would have been as early as the proposal; it could not have had time to settle into doubt.' SOUTH. The suspence impedes us in the attainment of our objects, or in our motives to action; the former is connected principally with the understanding; the latter acts upon the hopes; it is frequently a state between hope and fear. We have our doubts about things that have no regard to time; 'Gold is a wonderful clearer of the understanding; it dissipates every doubt and scruple in an instant.' ADDISON. We are in suspence about things that are to happen in future, or that are about to be done; The bundle of hay on either side striking his (the ass's) sight and smell in the same proportion, would keep him in perpetual suspence.' ADDISON. Those are the least inclined to doubt who have the most thorough knowledge of a subject; those are the least exposed to the unpleasant feeling of suspence who confine their wishes to the present; Ten days the prophet in suspence remain'd, Me for the sacrifice. DRYDEN. DOUBTFUL, DUBIOUS, UNCERTAIN, The doubtful admits of doubt (v. Doubt, suspence): the dubious creates suspence. The doubtful is said of things in which we are required to have an opinion; the dubious respects events and things that must speak for themselves. In doubtful cases it is advisable for a judge to lean to the side of mercy; · In handling the right of war, I am not willing to intermix matter doubtful with that which is out of doubt.' BACON. While the issue of a contest is dubious, all judgement of the parties, or of the case, must be carefully avoided; His utmost pow'r, with adverse power oppos'd In dubious battle, on the plains of heav'n. MILTON. It is worthy of remark, however, that doubtful and dubious, being both derivations from the same Latin words dubito and dubius, are or may be indifferently used in many instances, according as it may suit the verse or otherwise; The Greeks with slain Tlepolemus retir'd, At the lower end of the room is to be a side-table for persons of great fame, but dubious existence; such as Hercules, Theseus, Æneas, Achilles, Hector, and others.' SWIFT. Doubtful and dubious have always a relation to the person forming the opinion on the subject in question; uncertain and precarious are epithets which designate the qualities of the things themselves. Whatever is un certain may from that very circumstance be doubtful or dubious to those who attempt to determine upon them; but they may be designated for their uncertainty without any regard to the opinions which they may give rise to. A person's coming may be doubtful or uncertain ; the length of his stay is oftener described as uncertain than as doubtful. The doubtful is opposed to that on which we form a positive conclusion; the uncertain to that which is definite or prescribed. The efficacy of any medicine is doubtful; the manner of its operation may be uncertain. While our knowledge is limited, we must expect to meet with many things that are doubtful; In doubtful cases reason still determines for the safer side; especially if the case be not only doubtful, but also highly concerning, and the venture be a soul, and an eternity.' SOUTH. As every thing in the world is exposed to change, and all that is future is entirely above our control, we must naturally expect to find every thing uncertain, but what we see passing before us; Near old Antandros, and at Ida's foot, Precarious, from the Latin precarius and precor to pray, signifies granted to entreaty, depending on the will or humour of another, whence it is applicable to whatever is obtained from others. Precarious is the highest species of uncertainty, applied to such things as depend on future casualties in opposition to that which is fixed and determined by design. The weather is uncertain; the subsistence of a person who has no stated income or source of living must be precarious. It is uncertain what day a thing may take place, until it is determined; Man, without the protection of a superior Being, is secure of nothing that he enjoys, and uncertain of every thing he hopes for.' TILLOTSON. There is nothing more precarious than what depends upon the favor of statesmen; The frequent disappointments incident to hunting induced men to establish a permanent property in their flocks and herds, in order to sustain themselves in a less precarious manner.' BLACKSTONE. DEMUR, DOUBT, HESITATION, The demur, the doubt, and the hesitation are here employed in the sense either of what causes demur, doubt, and hesitation, or of the states of mind themselves; the objection, from objicio, or ob and jacio to throw in the way, signifies what is thrown in the way so as to stop our progress. Demurs are often in matters of deliberation; doubt in regard to matters of fact; hesitation in matters of ordinary conduct; and objections in matters of common consideration. It is the business of one who gives counsel to make demurs; it is the business of the inquirer to suggest doubts; it is the business of all occasionally to make a hesitation who are called upon to decide; it is the business of those to make objections whose opinion is consulted. Artabanes made many demurs to the proposed invasion of Greece by Xerxes; Certainly the highest and dearest concerns of a temporal life are infinitely less valuable than those of an eternal; and consequently ought, without any demur at all, to be sacrificed to them whenever they come in competition with them.' SOUTH. Doubts have been suggested respecting the veracity of Herodotus as an historian; Our doubts are traitors, It is not proper to ask that which cannot be granted without hesitation; A spirit of revenge makes him curse the Grecians in the seventh book, when they hesitate to accept Hector's challenge.' POPE. And it is not the part of an amiable disposition to make an hesitation in complying with a reasonable request: there are but few things which we either attempt to do or recommend to others that is not liable to some kind of an objection. A demur stops the adjustment of any plan or the determination of any question; But with rejoinders and replies, Long bills, and answers stuff'd with lies, The parties ne'er could issue join. SWIFT. 6 A doubt interrupts the progress of the mind in coming to a state of satisfaction and certainty: they are both applied to abstract questions or such as are of general interest; This sceptical proceeding will make every sort of reasoning on every subject vain and frivolous, even that sceptical reasoning itself which has persuaded us to entertain a doubt concerning the agreement of our perceptions.' BURKE. Hesitation and objection are more individual and private in their nature. Hesitation lies mostly in the state of the will; objection is rather the offspring of the understanding. The hesitation interferes with the action; If every man were wise and virtuous, capable to discern the best use of time and resolute to practise it, it might be granted, I think without hesitation, that total liberty would be a blessing.' JOHNSON. The objection affects the measure or the mode of action; Lloyd was always raising objections and removing them.' JOHNSON. TO DEMUR, HESITATE, PAUSE. Demur, in French demeurer, Latin demorari, signifies to keep back; hesitate, in Latin hæsitatum, participle of hæsito, a frequentative from hæreo, signifies to stick first at one thing and then another; pause, in Latin pausa, from the Greek aw to cease, signifies to make a stand. The idea of stopping is common to these terms, to which signification is added some distinct collateral idea for each we demur from doubt or difficulty; we hesitate from an undecided state of mind; we pause from circumstances. Demurring is the act of an equal: we demur in giving our assent: hesitating is often the act of a superior; we hesitate in giving our consent when a proposition appears to be unjust we demur in supporting it on the ground of its injustice; In order to banish an evil out of the world that does not only produce great uneasiness to private persons, but has also a very bad influence on the public, I shall endeavour to show the folly of demurring.' ADDISON. When a request of a dubious nature is made to us we hesitate in complying with it; I want no solicitations for me to comply where it would be ungenerous for me to refuse; for can I hesitate a moment to take upon myself the protection of a daughter of CorrelPrudent lius ? MELMOTH'S LETTERS OF PLINY. people are most apt to demur; but people of a wavering temper are apt to hesitate: demurring may be often unnecessary, but it is seldom injurious; hesi tating is mostly injurious when it is not necessary; the former is employed in matters that admit of delay; the latter in cases where immediate decision is requisite. Demurring and hesitating are both employed as acts of the mind; pausing is an external action: we demur and hesitate in determining; we pause in speaking or doing any thing; Think, O think, And ere thou plunge into the vast abyss, Pause on the verge awhile, look down and see Thy future mansion. PORTEUS. TO SCRUPLE, HESITATE, WAVER, FLUCTUATE. To scruple (v. Conscientious) simply keeps us from deciding; the hesitation, from the Latin hæsito, frequentative of hæreo to stick, signifying to stick first at one thing and then another; the wavering, from the word wave, signifying to move backward and forward like a wave; and fluctuation, from the Latin fluctus a wave, all bespeak the variable state of the mind: we scruple simply from motives of doubt as to the propriety of a thing; we hesitate and waver from various motives, particularly such as affect our interests. Conscience produces scruples, fear produces hesitation, passion produces wavering: a person scruples to do an action which may hurt his neighbour or offend his Maker; he hesitates to do a thing which he fears may not prove advantageous to him; he wavers in his mind betwixt going or staying, according as his inclinations impel him to the one or the other: a man who does not scruple to say or do as he pleases will be an offensive companion, if not a dangerous member of society; The Jacobins desire a change, and they will have it if they can; if they cannot have it by |