A Dictionary of Cont..

discrepancy 138
Discrete is pretty much a literary and philosophical
word, unknown to the common speaker
and writer, and stands as a temptation to the
learned to use it that they may explain it is not
discreet. This is a temptation, needless ‘to say,
to be resisted. The negatives of both words are
formed by prefixing in-.
discrepancy. See difference.
discriminate. See distinguish.
disease. See sickness.
disenfranchise. Though disenfranchise is a legitimate
word, disfrancllise is to be preferred. Since,
however, the franchise and its recision are
matters dear to politicians, to whom also are
dear extra syllables and orotund phrases, disenfranchise
is gaining in favor over its simpler
synonym.
disgruntled. See unsatisfied.
disinterested; uninterested. Though disinterested
was formerly a synonym for unintereste#d, it is
not now so used. To be uninterested in somlething
is to be unconcerned about it, indifferent, showing
no feeling of interest (I told him (of our
plans, but he seemed uninterested). Disinterested
suggests impartiality, freedom from any selfinterest
or the seeking of personal advantage
(His disinterested kindness to us in our days of
misfortune can never be forgotten).
dislike. This word may be followed by the -ing
form of a verb, as in he dislikes working. It may
also be followed by an infinitive, as in jlle dislikes
ro work, but the -ing construction is generally
preferred. (See also hate.)
disorganized. See unorganized.
disparity. See difference.
dispatch. See forward.
disperse; disburse. To disperse is to scatter abroad.
To disburse is to pay out money (The young
man soon dispersed what his father hod so painfully
acquired and so grudgingly disbursed).
displace; misplace. To displace is to put out of
the usual or proper place. It is confined now,
chiefly, to the idea of moving from its proper
place something solid and comparatively immovable
and moving it in such a way that its
displacement is likely to be permanent (The
impact displaced the foundations of the house).
It is also used to mean to take the place of, to
replace (Juliet soon displaced Rosaline in
Romeo’s affections).
To misplace is to put some object, usually a
portable one, in a wrong place so that it is difficult
to find (He has misplaced his glasses and is
in a tizzy).
disnosal: disaosition. Though disDosa1 and disposit&
a;e sometimes used interchangeably in
the sense of arrangement, American usage tends
to use disposal more for getting rid of, as by gift,
sale, or throwing away (The disposal #of the
things not sold at the bazaar presented the ladies
with quite a problem). Disposition has more to
do with arranging and ordering, especially in
conformity with a preconceived plan. We speak
of the disposition of troops in the field, the disposition
of houses and shops in a model city.
In general, disposition is related to dispose, disposal
to dispose of.
dispose. This word may be followed by an infinitive,
as in this disposed him to take oflense, but
not by the -ing form of a verb. We do not say
this disposed him to taking offense.
One disposes of something when he deals with
it definitely, gets rid of it. One may dispose of
an unwanted coat, for example, by burning it,
giving it away, or selling it. But dispose of is not
a synonym for sell and to use it as such (as in
Have you disposed of all your bread today, or
have you any loaves left? when asked in a
bakery) is an attempt to be genteel, to avoid
commercial language as something low and unfitted
to the transaction. So when someone says,
Z will dispose of it for a trifle, he wishes to imply
that the exchange he is suggesting is of such
advantage to the other party that it cannot
possibly be considered an ordinary commercial
transaction. Sometimes, of course, this may be
the proper wording; the transaction may be far
from an ordinary commercial one. But when it
is an ordinary commercial transaction ordinary
commercial language is more fitting and sell
is the better word. Then dispose of, having
many possible meanings, is more likely to be
ambiguous.
disqualified. See unqualified.
disquisition. See inquisition.
dissatisfied. See unsatisfied.
dissemble and dissimulate, to disguise or conceal
under a false appearance, are synonymous and
any insistence that there is a distinction between
them is unwarranted.
dissenter; dissentient. Dissenter is the common
and dissentient the uncommon word in America
for one who dissents (Don’t mind his not agreeing;
he likes to be a dissenter). In English usage
dissenter, sometimes capitalized, has the special
meaning of one who dissents from the service
and worship of the Church of England (Dr.
Arnold drew up a disquieting scheme for allowing
Dissenters into the Church, though it is true
that he did not go quite so far as to contemplate
the admission of Unitarians). Dissenters in
England are now thought of entirely as Protestants,
though formerly the term included Roman
Catholics.
dissimulate; simulate. One dissimulates to conceal
under a feigned semblance something that
one has or is. One simulates that which one is
not or has not, pretending to be or to have it.
See also dissemble.
dissociate; disassociate. Dissociate is the preferred
form, though disassociate is not incorrect (Such
things are done only by men dissociated from
the interests of party),
distinct; distinctive. That is distinct which is clear
in its identity, unmistakably itself, plain, definite,
easily perceived. If a man has a distinct
utterance, he speaks clearly and with precision.
Distinctive means that which distinguishes something
from other things of the same general
kind, that highly characteristic of the speaker.
It is conceivable that a man’s way of speaking
might be distinctive because it was not distinct.
See also different.
distinction. See difference.