Roget's Thesaurus

by Peter Mark Roget

#466. Measurement.—N. measurement, admeasurement[obs3], mensuration, survey, valuation, appraisement, assessment, assize; estimate, estimation; dead reckoning, reckoning &c. (numeration) 85; gauging &c. v.; horse power. metrology, weights and measures, compound arithmetic. measure, yard measure, standard, rule, foot rule, compass, calipers; gage, gauge; meter, line, rod, check; dividers; velo[obs3]. flood mark, high water mark; Plimsoll line; index &c. 550. scale; graduation, graduated scale; nonius[obs3]; vernier &c. (minuteness) 193. [instruments for measuring] bathometer, galvanometer, heliometer, interferometer, odometer, ombrometer[obs3], pantometer[obs3], pluviometer[obs3], pneumatometer[obs3], pneumometer[obs3], radiometer, refractometer, respirometer, rheometer, spirometer[obs3], telemeter, udometer[obs3], vacuometer[obs3], variometer[obs3], viameter[obs3], thermometer, thermistor (heat &c. 382), barometer (air &c. 338), anemometer (wind 349), dynamometer, goniometer (angle 244) meter; landmark &c. (limit) 233; balance, scale &c. (weight) 319; marigraph[obs3], pneumatograph[obs3], stethograph[obs3]; rain gauge, rain gage; voltmeter(volts), ammeter(amps); spectrophotometer (light absorbance); mass spectrophotometer(molecular mass); geiger counter, scintillation counter(radioactivity); pycnometer (liquid density); graduated cylinder, volumetric flask (volume); radar gun (velocity); radar (distance); side-looking radar (shape, topography); sonar (depth in water); light meter (light intensity); clock, watch, stopwatch, chronometer (time); anemometer (wind velocity); densitometer (color intensity). measurability, computability, determinability[obs3]. coordinates, ordinate and abscissa, polar coordinates, latitude and longitude, declination and right ascension, altitude and azimuth. geometry, stereometry[obs3], hypsometry[obs3]; metage[obs3]; surveying, land surveying; geodesy, geodetics[obs3], geodesia[obs3]; orthometry[obs3], altimetry[obs3]; cadastre[Fr]. astrolabe, armillary sphere[obs3]. land surveyor; geometer. V. measure, mete; determine, assay; evaluate, value, assess, rate, appraise, estimate, form an estimate, set a value on; appreciate; standardize. span, pace step; apply the compass &c. n.; gauge, plumb, probe, sound, fathom; heave the log, heave the lead; survey. weigh. take an average &c. 29; graduate. Adj. measuring &c. v.; metric, metrical; measurable, perceptible, noticeable, detectable, appreciable, ponderable, determinable, fathomable; geodetical, topographic, topographical, cartographic, cartographical.

SECTION III. MATERIALS FOR REASONING

#467. Evidence [On one side.]—N. evidence; facts, premises, data, praecognita[Lat], grounds. indication &c. 550; criterion &c. (test) 463. testimony, testification[obs3], expert testimony; attestation; deposition &c. (affirmation) 535; examination. admission &c. (assent) 488; authority, warrant, credential, diploma, voucher, certificate, doquet[obs3], docket; testamur[obs3]; record &c. 551; document; pi ce justificative[obs3]; deed, warranty &c. (security) 771; signature, seal &c. (identification) 550; exhibit, material evidence, objective evidence. witness, indicator, hostile witness; eyewitness, earwitness, material witness, state's evidence; deponent; sponsor; cojuror[obs3]. oral evidence, documentary evidence, hearsay evidence, external evidence, extrinsic evidence, internal evidence, intrinsic evidence, circumstantial evidence, cumulative evidence, ex parte evidence[Lat], presumptive evidence, collateral evidence, constructive evidence; proof &c. (demonstration) 478; evidence in chief. secondary evidence; confirmation, corroboration, support; ratification &c. (assent) 488; authentication; compurgation[obs3], wager of law, comprobation|. citation, reference; legal research, literature search (experiment) 463.

V. be evidence &c. n.; evince, show, betoken, tell of; indicate &c. (denote) 550; imply, involve, argue, bespeak, breathe. have weight, carry weight; tell, speak volumes; speak for itself &c. (manifest) 525. rest upon, depend upon; repose on. bear witness &c. n.; give evidence &c. n.; testify, depose, witness, vouch for; sign, seal, undersign[obs3], set one's hand and seal, sign and seal, deliver as one's act and deed, certify, attest; acknowledge &c. (assent) 488. [provide conclusive evidence] make absolute, confirm, prove (demonstrate) 478. [add further evidence] indorse, countersign, corroborate, support, ratify, bear out, uphold, warrant. adduce, attest, cite, quote; refer to, appeal to; call, call to witness; bring forward, bring into court; allege, plead; produce witnesses, confront witnesses. place into evidence, mark into evidence. [obtain evidence] collect evidence, bring together evidence, rake up evidence; experiment &c. 463. have a case, make out a case; establish, authenticate, substantiate, verify, make good, quote chapter and verse; bring home to, bring to book. Adj. showing &c. v.; indicative, indicatory; deducible &c. 478; grounded on, founded on, based on; corroborative, confirmatory. Adv. by inference; according to, witness, a fortiori; still more, still less; raison de plus[Fr]; in corroboration &c. n. of; valeat quantum[Lat]; under seal, under one's hand and seal. Phr. dictum de dicto[Lat]; mise en evidence[Fr.].

#468. [Evidence on the other side, on the other hand.] Counter Evidence.—N. counter evidence; evidence on the other side, evidence on the other hand; conflicting evidence, contradictory evidence, opposing evidence; disproof, refutation &c. 479; negation &c. 536. plea &c. 617; vindication &c. 937 counter protest; "tu quoque" argument; other side of the shield, other side of the coin, reverse of the shield. V. countervail, oppose; mitigate against; rebut &c. (refute) 479; subvert &c. (destroy) 162; cheek, weaken; contravene; contradict &c. (deny) 536; tell the other side of the story, tell another story, turn the scale, alter the case; turn the tables; cut both ways; prove a negative. audire alteram partem[Lat]. Adj. countervailing &c. v.; contradictory. unattested, unauthenticated, unsupported by evidence; supposititious. Adv. on the contrary, per contra.

#469. Qualification.—N. qualification, limitation, modification,
coloring.
allowance, grains of allowance, consideration, extenuating
circumstances; mitigation.
condition, proviso, prerequisite, contingency, stipulation, provision,
specification, sine qua non[Lat]; catch, string, strings attached;
exemption; exception, escape clause, salvo, saving clause; discount &c.
813; restriction; fine print.
V. qualify, limit, modify, leaven, give a color to, introduce new
conditions, narrow, temper.
waffle, quibble, hem and haw (be uncertain) 475; equivocate
(sophistry) 477.
depend, depend on, be contingent on (effect) 154.
allow for, make allowance for; admit exceptions, take into account;
modulate.
moderate, temper, season, leaven.
take exception.
Adj. qualifying &c. v.; qualified, conditioned, restricted, hedged;
conditional; exceptional &c. (unconformable) 83.
hypothetical &c. (supposed) 514; contingent &c. (uncertain) 475.
Adv. provided, provided that, provided always; if, unless, but, yet;
according as; conditionally, admitting, supposing; on the supposition of
&c. (theoretically) 514; with the understanding, even, although, though,
for all that, after all, at all events.
approximately &c. 197, 17; in a limited degree (smallness) 32;
somewhat, sort of, something like that, to a certain extent, to a degree,
in a sense, so to speak.
with grains of allowance, cum grano salis[Latin: with a grain of
salt]; exceptis excipiendis[Lat]; wind and weather permitting; if possible
&c. 470.
subject to, conditioned upon; with this proviso &c. n.
Phr. "if the good lord is willing and the creeks don't rise"; catch-22.

Degrees of Evidence

#470. Possibility.—N. possibility, potentiality; what may be, what
is possible &c. adj.; compatibility &c. (agreement) 23.
practicability, feasibility; practicableness &c. adj.
contingency, chance &c. 156.
V. be possible &c. adj.; stand a chance; admit of, bear.
render possible &c. adj.; put in the way of.
Adj. possible; in the cards, on the dice; in posse, within the bounds
of possibility, conceivable, credible; compatible &c. 23; likely.
practicable, feasible, performable, achievable; within reach, within
measurable distance; accessible, superable[obs3], surmountable; attainable,
obtainable; contingent &c. (doubtful) 475, (effect) 154.
barely possible, marginally possible, just possible; possible but
improbably, (improbable) 473; theoretically possible.
Adv. possibly, by possibility; perhaps, perchance, peradventure;
maybe, may be, haply, mayhap.
if possible, wind and weather permitting, God willing, Deo
volente[Lat], D. V.; as luck may have it.
Phr. misericordia Domini inter pontem et fontent[Lat]; "the glories
of the Possible are ours" [B. Taylor]; anything is possible; in theory
possible, but in practise unlikely.

#471. Impossibility.—N. impossibility &c. adj.; what cannot, what can never be; sour grapes; hopelessness &c. 859. V. be impossible &c. adj.; have no chance whatever. attempt impossibilities; square the circle, wash a blackamoor white; skin a flint; make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, make bricks without straw; have nothing to go upon; weave a rope of sand, build castles in the air, prendre la lune avec les dents[Fr], extract sunbeams from cucumbers, set the Thames on fire, milk a he-goat into a sieve, catch a weasel asleep, rompre l'anguille au genou[Fr], be in two places at once. Adj. impossible; not possible &c. 470; absurd, contrary to reason; unlikely; unreasonable &c. 477; incredible &c. 485; beyond the bounds of reason, beyond the bounds of possibility, beyond the realm of possibility; from which reason recoils; visionary; inconceivable &c. (improbable) 473; prodigious &c. (wonderful) 870; unimaginable, inimaginable[obs3]; unthinkable. impracticable unachievable; unfeasible, infeasible; insuperable; unsurmountable[obs3], insurmountable; unattainable, unobtainable; out of reach, out of the question; not to be had, not to be thought of; beyond control; desperate &c. (hopeless) 859; incompatible &c. 24; inaccessible, uncomeatable[obs3], impassable, impervious, innavigable[obs3], inextricable; self-contradictory. out of one's power, beyond one's power, beyond one's depth, beyond one's reach, beyond one's grasp; too much for; ultra crepidam[Lat]. Phr. the grapes are sour; non possumus[Lat]; non nostrum tantas componere lites [Lat][Vergil]; look for a needle in a haystack, chercher une aiguille dans une botte de foin [obs3][Fr.]; il a le mer boire[obs3].

#472. Probability.—N. probability, likelihood; credibleness[obs3]; likeliness &c. adj.; vraisemblance[Fr], verisimilitude, plausibility; color, semblance, show of; presumption; presumptive evidence, circumstantial evidence; credibility. reasonable chance, fair chance, good chance, favorable chance, reasonable prospect, fair prospect, good prospect, favorable prospect; prospect, wellgrounded hope; chance &c. 156. V. be probable &c. adj.; give color to, lend color to; point to; imply &c. (evidence) 467; bid fair &c. (promise) 511; stand fair for; stand a good chance, run a good chance. think likely, dare say, flatter oneself; expect &c. 507; count upon &c. (believe) 484. Adj. probable, likely, hopeful, to be expected, in a fair way. plausible, specious, ostensible, colorable, ben trovato[It], well- founded, reasonable, credible, easy of belief, presumable, presumptive, apparent. Adv. probably &c. adj.; belike[obs3]; in all probability, in all likelihood; very likely, most likely; like enough; odds on, odds in favor, ten &c. to one; apparently, seemingly, according to every reasonable expectation; prim facie[Lat]; to all appearance &c. (to the eye) 448. Phr. the chances, the odds are; appearances are in favor of, chances are in favor of; there is reason to believe, there is reason to think, there is reason to expect; I dare say; all Lombard Street to a China orange.