The term συκοφαντεῖν surprises us here, because the point under consideration is indicated by Aristotle himself as a real mistake; accordingly he ought not to characterize the procedure whereby such mistake is exposed as mere cavil — συκοφαντία. Alexander, in the Scholia (p. 287, b. 1, Br.), says that Aristotle intends to apply the term συκοφαντεῖν to the respondent who advances this bad definition, not to the assailant who impeaches it. But the text of Aristotle does not harmonize with this interpretation.
2. Indistinctness may arise from defining by means of a metaphor; but Aristotle treats you as a caviller if you impugn this metaphor as though it were proprio sensu.[263] He declares it to be wrong, but he seems to think that you ought to object to it at once as a metaphor, without troubling yourself to prove it inappropriate.
[263] Ibid. b. 32: ἐνδέχεται δὲ καὶ τὴν μεταφορὰν εἰπόντα συκοφαντεῖν ὡς κυρίως εἰρηκότα. Here again we have the word συκοφαντεῖν to designate what seems a legitimate mode of argumentative attack.
3. Indistinctness will arise if the terms of the definition are rare or far-fetched or founded upon some fact very little known.[264] Definitions given by Plato are cited to illustrate this.
[264] Ibid. p. 140, a. 3: πᾶν γὰρ ἀσαφὲς τὸ μὴ εἰωθός.
4. Indistinctness arises from the employment of a poetical image, which is even worse than a professed metaphor: as where law is defined to be — a measure or image of things by nature just.[265]
[265] Ibid. a. 6-17. χεῖρον ὁποιουοῦς τῶν κατὰ μεταφορὰν λεγομένων.
5. The definition is indistinct, if it does not, while making known the definiend, make clear at the same time its contrary.[266]
[266] Ibid. a. 18.
6. The definition is also indistinct if it does not, when enunciated, make known what the definiend is, without requiring that the definiend itself shall be expressly enunciated. The definition by itself ought to suggest at once the name of the definiend. Otherwise, the definer is no better than those archaic painters, who, when painting a dog or a horse, were compelled to write the name alongside in order that the animal might be recognized.[267]