frequently_asked_questions_files/Oxford Thesaurus.pdf

withdrawn adj. 1 reserved, detached, distant, standoffish, aloof, shy,
diffident, bashful, timid, timorous, introverted, taciturn,
reticent, silent, quiet, retiring, shrinking: Why is Henry
acting so withdrawn tonight? 2 remote, distant, isolated,
solitary, hidden, secluded, private, out-of-the-way, reclusive:
Sarah and Ben have led a withdrawn existence since the children
married and moved away.
withering adj. destructive, devastating, death-dealing, murderous,
deadly: The enemy laid down a withering barrage of machine-gun
fire.
withhold v. 1 hold or keep back, retain, reserve, restrain, control,
repress, check, hide, conceal: He could withhold his anger no
longer. 2 hold or keep back, deduct, retain, reserve: The
company is required to withhold a percentage of wages and
salaries for taxes.
withstand v. resist, oppose, stand (up to), face, defy, confront, combat,
grapple with, fight (against), cope with, hold out against,
weather, suffer, survive, tolerate, take, bear, last through,
endure, brave, Colloq Brit stick: Can Brian withstand the
pressure of his new job? Our small force withstood the attack
for days.
witness n. 1 observer, onlooker, spectator, viewer, eyewitness,
bystander, watcher, Rare earwitness: Were you a witness to what
took place here? 2 deponent, testifier, corroborating witness,
corroborator: The defence will call its witnesses today. 3
bear witness (to or of). testify (to), attest (to), be or give
or provide or furnish or constitute evidence or proof or
testimony (of or to), verify, confirm, corroborate, show, prove:
The bent poker bears witness to the violence of the attack.
--v. 4 see, observe, watch, look on or at, view, behold, mark,
note, notice, take in, Colloq spot, catch: I did witness the
way they looked at each other. 5 countersign, sign, certify,
endorse, substantiate, document, certificate: Would you mind
witnessing our signatures, Miss Cabot? 6 See 3, above.
witticism n. pun, quip, play on words, bon mot, jest, joke, epigram,
clever remark, sally, Archaic or literary conceit, Colloq gag,